Chuck Rosenberg and Sally Yates

NAFUSA’s annual conference was held on October 15-17, 2015, at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona. The session opened on Thursday evening at with a reception sponsored by Ernst & Young and honoring David Margolis. Unfortunately, the day before the event, Margolis fell outside Main Justice and fractured his elbow. He was unable to make the trip, but the program went on and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg spoke and NAFUSA presented a Washington Nationals Jersey with David’s name and the number “50” representing his 50 years of service to the Department. David is recovering from his injury and promises to make it to next year’s San Diego conference. In the meantime, the Nationals jersey is hanging in his office next to his Yankees “40” jersey presented by Chuck Rosenberg at the Main Justice celebration of David’s 40 years at the Department in 2005.

A view from the hall

Matt Orwig

President Matt Orwig opened the two day CLE sessions on Friday morning and the group was welcomed to Arizona by John Leonardo, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. The ethics presentation was made by Marianne Jennings, Emeritus Professor of legal and ethical studies in business at Arizona State University. The morning closed with a panel discussion of “Issues in 21st Century Policing: Protecting Civil Rights and Public Safety.” The Friday session closed with a lucheon featuring DAG Sally Yates.

Monty Wilkinson and Matt Orwig

On Saturday morning, Matt Orwig led a dialogue with Monty Wilkinson, Director, EOUSA, and John Walsh, Chair, AGAC. It was followed by the presentation of the Bradford Award to AUSAs Joan Hartman and Liz Geddes and the presentation of a plaque to Monty Wilkinson with the names of all the past and present winners of the award, which will hang in the offices of EOUSA at Main Justice. The morning concluded with a panel discussion on “Criminal Justice Reform Proposals: How to be Tough and Smart on Crime.”

Matt Orwig and Greg Vega

On Saturday night a short business meeting was held, and President Orwig thanked the directors whose three year terms have ended: Kent Alexander, Bill Leone, Ken Wainstein, Don Washington and Sharon Zealey. The following officers for 2015-2016 were elected by acclimation: President Greg Vega, President Elect Bart Daniel, Vice President Doug Jones, Secretary Terry Flynn, Treasurer Paul Coggins and Immediate Past President Matt Orwig. The new directors for the class of 2018 elected were: Greg Scott, Rich Roper, Marc Jimenez, David Barlow and Todd Jones. During the passing of the gavel, the new President Greg Vega presented outgoing President Matt Orwig with a handsome globe (Greg is shown holding a photo of the globe which was too large to bring to Scottsdale) for his office. Vega then announced the 2016 conference will be held at the Del Coronado in San Diego, October 6-9.

Jeffrey Toobin

The conference closed with an outstanding keynote address by Jeffrey Toobin on “The Supreme Court in the Age of Obama.” John Clark (WD Texas 1975-1977), and one of the NAFUSA founders, formally closed the evening with the traditional toast.