Mark Richards Retires from the VATNZ Board
After almost 30 years in a leadership role between VATSIM and VATSIM's predecessor, SATCO, VATNZ's Division Director Mark Richards has announced his retirement from a leadership role.
In his announcement to the Vice President, Asia Pacific Region, Anastasios Stefopoulos, Mark wrote
"After much soul-searching in the past few months, while on Leave of Absence from the VATNZ Division Director role, I feel that it is time, after almost 30 years, to step down from a leadership role in VATSIM.
Between SATCO and VATSIM, I have been in a leadership role since 1996. I have held the role of Division Director (four times in two Divisions), Deputy Division Director (twice in two Divisions), Regional Director, Executive Committee Chair, and, of course, a member of the VATSIM Board of Governors as Vice President Operations.
With two cancer scares in the past 15 months, I now have to prioritise my health. That said, things are stable, and I am hopeful we have it under control.
I have spent almost those whole 30 years continuously as a Supervisor, and at this stage, I plan to maintain my Supervisor role as long as I can. I would hazard a guess that I have to be one of the longest continuous-serving Supervisors on the Network(s) and still enjoy the role as much as I always have.
The decision to step down has not come lightly, as I love all that VATSIM stands for, and it has been a very important part of my life, and will continue to remain so, so long as my health and mind allow.
I know that VATNZ will be in good hands, and I have been impressed with the job that Tom Kilpatrick has been doing in my absence. I leave knowing that there is a good team to continue what we started.
I will still be around and will remain in contact."