In Memoriam — Maggie H. Rowe

1944 - 2013

Maggie had fallen and broken a leg. While she was in the hospital, she developed some respiratory complications. After her extended stay, she was moved to a rehab facility where she died a few days later.

Maggie, who retired two years ago, had been with ATA for over 18 years. She started as a temporary receptionist. Over all the years of answering the phone, she quietly—not a word usually associated with Maggie—became the voice of ATA. She loved to help people. It is safe to say that during her nearly two decades with ATA, Maggie helped thousands of folks join the Association, sign up for exam sittings, and register for conferences—all the while working the "angles" to stretch a deadline or make sure they got the best rate.

When Maggie started, ATA had around 3,000 members. Today, ATA has 11,000 members. Maggie played a key part of the growth in the organization as she pushed all on staff to increase ATA's membership benefits and marketing efforts.

Maggie kept the place energized. Maggie was the one to put a little gift at everyone's seat during a staff meeting around any of the holidays. She was also the one who broke out into song: "It's Rainy Men…" just to turn the corner and see that we had a visitor in the office or to yell "Hang on to your hat Gertie" as she started rattling off some positive membership figures not realizing a Board member was sitting in the office that she was walking into.

Maggie cannot be replaced and will not be forgotten. As ATA moves forward, we can thank Maggie for being a key and very human part of the Association's success.

As I write this column in mid-June, Maggie would have celebrated her birthday this weekend. Thanks to Maggie and her hard work and dedication, ATA lives on.