You may not be aware of it but, if you joined Alamo PC within the last four years, your membership life has most likely been touched by Linda Bianchi. I first discovered her in the PC Alamode some time back when I was looking for the person to contact if I had a problem with my membership renewal. After that, I’d occasionally see articles she'd written, including one recognizing the legion of volunteers who helped ready the Resource Center for its opening.

That's one thing I've noticed about Linda: she's always interested in seeing the other volunteers get deserved recognition but is hesitant to mention her own many and varied contributions to the continued health of our organization. Check out her bio and you'll see that she immersed herself in volunteer activities almost as soon as she joined. As Membership SysOp, she upgrades new members using the BBS to full access status, as part of the BBS Committee helping to develop a sensible plan for the future of the bulletin board. She is proud of her work on the Computer Lab Committee and serves as Vice President, Membership Records.

It is in this latter capacity that most members get to know Linda. If you joined Alamo PC at the monthly program meeting at Alamo Heights High School or the UTHSCSA when her husband Mike was in charge of Membership Records, Linda was probably the one who signed you up. She's also the one you would have talked with if you had any questions about your membership. At times when I've helped out at meetings, I've overheard all sorts of questions that she's fielded, including, “Can I save money if I subscribe for more than one year?,” and “Do you have corporate memberships?” And perhaps the one she most frequently answers for joining members, “Why can't I just pick up a copy of the PC Alamode right here instead of waiting for you to mail my membership materials and next month's issue?” Until then I’d really paid little attention to the extensive amount of sometimes tedious detail work involved in getting members entered into the Membership Database correctly — and maintaining that database properly, with the output channeled to the right folks at the right time so that, for example, members get 12 — not 11, not 13 — issues of PC Alamode.

Adding to Linda's duties as VP Member Records, she has now also assumed the role of Resource Center Manager. Perhaps Susan Ives best sums up Linda's contributions to Alamo PC: “Wherever you turn, Linda is there. She has taken on a lot of the big jobs that are critical to the success of the organization. I don't know what we'd do without her.” Enough said!