For the first time in a decade, the International Amateur Radio Union is about to experience a change in its officers. In voting completed on Friday, March 12, the member-societies of the IARU overwhelmingly ratified the election of Larry E. Price, W4RA, as President, and David A. Wardlaw, VK3ADW, as Vice President, for five-year terms beginning May 9, 1999. There were 80 votes cast for the election of Mr. Price, with one abstention and one nay vote. There were 79 votes cast for the election of Mr. Wardlaw, with two abstentions and one nay vote. Mr. Price succeeds Richard L. Baldwin, W1RU, who served as IARU President from 1982; Mr. Wardlaw succeeds Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, who served as Vice President from 1989.

President-Elect Larry Price, W4RA, has served as IARU Secretary since 1989 and was Vice President in 1983-84. He holds the degrees Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (electronics major), Master of Business Administration (management major), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) (finance major). Professionally, he retired as Professor and Department Head, Georgia Southern University, in 1991 and is presently Emeritus Professor of Finance and Economics. He has attended 13 IARU regional conferences, four each in Regions 1 and 3 and five in Region 2, and has served as an IARU delegate at every ITU World Radiocommunication and Telecommunication Development Conference held since 1992 as well as at numerous other ITU meetings. Recently he was elevated to the grade of Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE). He was first licensed at age 16 in 1951 and has held elected offices in the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) continuously for the past 27 years, including service as President from 1984 to 1992. He resides in Statesboro, Georgia.

Under the IARU Constitution, the responsibility for designating the Secretary of the IARU rests with the International Secretariat, presently the ARRL. A replacement for Mr. Price will be designated prior to May 9.

Vice President-Elect David A. Wardlaw, VK3ADW, is a Dental Surgeon in private practice in Melbourne, Australia. He holds the degrees Bachelor of Dental Science, Licentiate of Dental Surgery, and Doctor of Dental Surgery, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. He joined the Wireless Institute of Australia in 1947, was first licensed in 1948, and while living overseas in the 1960s held the call signs G3RYW (still current) and VE3CAY. He has served in numerous WIA posts, including President 1973-1979 and 1984-1988, and presently serves in several government liaison capacities for the WIA. In 1968, Dr. Wardlaw was present at the meeting that inaugurated the IARU Region 3 Association and was a member of the first Secretariat of the Region 3 Association. He has served as Region 3 Director, 1988-1994 and 1997-present, and has attended six meetings of the IARU Administrative Council. In addition to regular participation in Region 3 Conferences, he has attended three Region 2 Conferences. Dr. Wardlaw has attended numerous ITU meetings and conferences since 1978, including WARC-79, WARC-92, WRC-95, and WRC-97, as a member of the Australian delegation. He has attended other ITU meetings as an appointed IARU Expert.

Retiring IARU President Richard L. Baldwin, W1RU, has served organized amateur radio for more than a half-century. In 1948 he joined the headquarters staff of the ARRL, advancing to the position of General Manager in 1975. In the early 1960s he was given primary responsibility for the League's international programs, that even then were geared toward success at what eventually became WARC-79. He served as IARU Secretary from 1976 until his retirement from ARRL employment in 1982, and since that time has devoted much of his time to the IARU as a volunteer. He inaugurated the Amateur Radio Administration Course for telecommunications administrators, and has taught the course in every corner of the world.

Retiring IARU Vice President Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, has been involved in IARU affairs for 30 years. He was Federal President of the Wireless Institute of Australia for four years, and a member of the Australian delegation to WARC-79. He served as a Director of IARU Region 3 from its inception until 1988 and became the first IARU officer from outside North America when he was elected Vice President in 1989, serving two five-year terms in that post. He headed the IARU delegation to WRC-97 and has served as the chairman of several key IARU committees.