Mailing List Archive

Resignation as CFO
In July 2004 I was appointed to the official position of Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia
Foundation. The expectation, backed up by repeated calls from myself, was that I would be replaced
by a relevantly trained paid professional when the needs of the foundation became greater than
what I, as a part time volunteer, could provide.

During my tenure, I have helped with bookkeeping, budgeting, financial reporting, and with
fundraising. I am most proud of my work coordinating several fundraisers that together brought in
nearly a million dollars for the foundation. I am least proud of the last nine months, a time when
the board repeatedly failed to meet to discuss proposed budgets I submitted to them or to give me
direction on what we could or could not publish to the community in regards to spending.

Last week, the board informed me that a selection process has been initiated to hire a paid
professional to help run the foundation's finances from the Wikimedia office in Saint Petersburg,
Florida, USA. At the same time, the board informed me that they approved the membership of a
fundraising committee. I will be serving on that committee.

I therefore resign as Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation but will continue to
help where needed during the transition process.

It truly amazes me how long we, as an organization that runs one of the top sites on the Internet,
can go on volunteer time alone. So it is both a sad and happy day for me as I prepare to hand the
baton to a paid professional.

Yours in the wikiway,

Daniel Mayer,
Wikipedian

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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
Daniel Mayer wrote:

>In July 2004 I was appointed to the official position of Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia
>Foundation. The expectation, backed up by repeated calls from myself, was that I would be replaced
>by a relevantly trained paid professional when the needs of the foundation became greater than
>what I, as a part time volunteer, could provide.
>
>During my tenure, I have helped with bookkeeping, budgeting, financial reporting, and with
>fundraising. I am most proud of my work coordinating several fundraisers that together brought in
>nearly a million dollars for the foundation. I am least proud of the last nine months, a time when
>the board repeatedly failed to meet to discuss proposed budgets I submitted to them or to give me
>direction on what we could or could not publish to the community in regards to spending.
>
>I therefore resign as Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation but will continue to
>help where needed during the transition process.
>
>It truly amazes me how long we, as an organization that runs one of the top sites on the Internet,
>can go on volunteer time alone. So it is both a sad and happy day for me as I prepare to hand the
>baton to a paid professional.
>
You have nothing to be ashamed of. Based on our earliest exchanges on
these matters before you were appointed CFO I know that you have come a
long way in managing what has been an increasingly more difficult and
thankless task. Those of us who have been here a little longer also
know that you have been selfless in ensuring that domain names would be
protected whenever there was even a hint that it might be useful to our
communities.

Congratulations for your fantastic effort.

Ray


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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
Thanks for all your great work, Daniel.
--
Peace & Love,
Erik
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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
On 8/27/06, Daniel Mayer <maveric149@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> In July 2004 I was appointed to the official position of Chief Financial
> Officer of the Wikimedia
> Foundation. The expectation, backed up by repeated calls from myself, was
> that I would be replaced
> by a relevantly trained paid professional when the needs of the foundation
> became greater than
> what I, as a part time volunteer, could provide.
>
> During my tenure, I have helped with bookkeeping, budgeting, financial
> reporting, and with
> fundraising. I am most proud of my work coordinating several fundraisers
> that together brought in
> nearly a million dollars for the foundation. I am least proud of the last
> nine months, a time when
> the board repeatedly failed to meet to discuss proposed budgets I
> submitted to them or to give me
> direction on what we could or could not publish to the community in
> regards to spending.
>
> Last week, the board informed me that a selection process has been
> initiated to hire a paid
> professional to help run the foundation's finances from the Wikimedia
> office in Saint Petersburg,
> Florida, USA. At the same time, the board informed me that they approved
> the membership of a
> fundraising committee. I will be serving on that committee.
>
> I therefore resign as Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation
> but will continue to
> help where needed during the transition process.
>
> It truly amazes me how long we, as an organization that runs one of the
> top sites on the Internet,
> can go on volunteer time alone. So it is both a sad and happy day for me
> as I prepare to hand the
> baton to a paid professional.
>
> Yours in the wikiway,
>
> Daniel Mayer,
> Wikipedian
>
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>


Thank you for all of your efforts and contributions.


--
-george william herbert
george.herbert@gmail.com
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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
Daniel Mayer wrote:
> In July 2004 I was appointed to the official position of Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia
> Foundation. The expectation, backed up by repeated calls from myself, was that I would be replaced
> by a relevantly trained paid professional when the needs of the foundation became greater than
> what I, as a part time volunteer, could provide.
>
> During my tenure, I have helped with bookkeeping, budgeting, financial reporting, and with
> fundraising. I am most proud of my work coordinating several fundraisers that together brought in
> nearly a million dollars for the foundation. I am least proud of the last nine months, a time when
> the board repeatedly failed to meet to discuss proposed budgets I submitted to them or to give me
> direction on what we could or could not publish to the community in regards to spending.
>
> Last week, the board informed me that a selection process has been initiated to hire a paid
> professional to help run the foundation's finances from the Wikimedia office in Saint Petersburg,
> Florida, USA. At the same time, the board informed me that they approved the membership of a
> fundraising committee. I will be serving on that committee.
>
> I therefore resign as Chief Financial Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation but will continue to
> help where needed during the transition process.
>
> It truly amazes me how long we, as an organization that runs one of the top sites on the Internet,
> can go on volunteer time alone. So it is both a sad and happy day for me as I prepare to hand the
> baton to a paid professional.
>
> Yours in the wikiway,
>
> Daniel Mayer,
> Wikipedian

Thank you as well Mav.
Indeed, the Foundation is getting more and more professional. It is
somehow a bit sad, but the good side of it (at least until now) is that
it frees volunteers time to do what is giving them the most pleasure and
satisfaction.

Ant

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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
Daniel Mayer a écrit :
> In July 2004 I (...)

Thank you Daniel, and welcome back :)
Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
Thank you!

THD

2006/8/28, Daniel Mayer <maveric149@yahoo.com>:
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Re: Resignation as CFO [ In reply to ]
--- THD <theodoranian@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you!
>
> THD

Again - a big thanks to everybody who said such kind things! But I really have not done nearly as
much as I hoped I could as CFO. That is why I'm so happy that the foundation has hired somebody
that can do everything that needs to be done.

I'm not leaving; right now I'm helping to organize the fundraising committee.

-- mav



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