Daniels, WV – The National Association of Secretaries of State, currently holding its annual summer conference in Daniels, West Virginia, today inducted its new slate of national officers for the 2011-2012 cycle. Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman will serve as president through July 2012, marking only the second time in the association's 107-year history that an Alabama secretary of state has held the position.

"I am extremely honored to be playing a leadership role as we prepare for the next presidential election cycle and address key business-related issues at the state and federal levels," said Chapman. "As secretaries of state across the country struggle to do more with less during these challenging economic times, the National Association of Secretaries of State will help them - and their constituents - weather the ups and downs of the economy by promoting the best in state government practices and fostering effective leadership."

As a member of NASS, Chapman has been involved in military voting issues, civic education, small business outreach and international relations. She is also a member of the NASS Business Identity Theft Task Force, which was formed earlier this year to promote identity theft prevention strategies among the business community in every state.

NOTE: An air-ready VO/SOT for television stations featuring Secretary Chapman will be made available on the NASS Conference Media Page at this link.

As president of NASS, Chapman will lead a slate of executive officers and committee co-chairs who oversee the association's activities for the coming year (through July 2012). The NASS 2011-2012 Executive Board includes:

President: Hon. Beth Chapman, Alabama
Immediate Past President: Hon. Mark Ritchie, Minnesota
President-Elect: Hon. Ross Miller, Nevada
Treasurer: Hon. Tre Hargett, Tennessee
Secretary: Hon. Linda McCulloch, Montana
Eastern Region Vice President: Hon. Denise Merrill, Connecticut
Southern Region Vice President: Hon. Kurt Browning, Florida
Midwestern Region Vice President: Hon. John Gale, Nebraska
Western Region Vice President: Hon. Ken Bennett, Arizona
At Large - ACR Liaison: Hon. Kate Brown, Oregon
At Large - NPA Liaison: Hon. Mark Hammond, South Carolina

The association also announced today that its members have selected former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the recipient of the 2011 Margaret Chase Smith American Democracy Award for acts of political courage. Rice, who once led the charge to foster democratic ideals in the rebuilding of Afghanistan and Iraq, also helped promote stable democracies in Eastern Europe and Latin America. Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman nominated Rice for the award.

Rice will be invited to receive the NASS award at the association's January 2012 winter meeting in Washington, DC.

For more information on the National Association of Secretaries of State and its members, click here.

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Media contact: Kay Stimson 202.624.3528 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it