[Foundation-l] Resignation as CFO

[Ray Saintonge]

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