I want to say basically the same what Jan-Bart and Bishakha said, but from different perspective.
The first three years of my involvement in the global community passed in constant worries about the future of Wikimedia. Options like "we don't have enough money for the bills" were the constant threat.
And not just that. All of the instances of movement instability were nothing in comparison to the years when Wikimedia was so fragile, that just a number of very fortunate circumstances made it to survive.
It was the feeling when you are willing to opt in for a fascist government just because you are in a spaceship, there is no atmosphere outside and you know that there is not a lot of space for complaining about lack of coffee.
6-7 years later we have very different situation. I could complain about a number of things. But I can't explain how content and relieved I am just because of the fact that I am able to complain here.
As someone who knows all Wikimedia structures very well, I know that Sue is the most responsible person for that.
In comparison to the years before her appointment, it was quite relieving to know that there was at least one person who knew what she's doing and that she was ED.
There is one thing which should be always in our minds. Sue became ED after the culmination of our online movement. Instead of having just debris of once great idea, our movement is still vital. The only reason why it is so is because of the stable finances; and the only significant change before and after is the fact that Sue was ED.
I am eager to see the next phase of our development, lead by Lila. I am sure that Lila is capable to make Wikimedia fancy and exciting like it was during the first years of its existence. But we should remember that it is possible now just because of Sue.