After a powerful Summit, optimistic signs for 2022

2022 has come in with a bang.

A phenomenal Summit featuring top-notch speakers, including keynotes from Gov. Ron DeSantis, Sen. Marco Rubio, and actor Jonathan Roumie from The Chosen. Five hundred and forty members, exhibitors, and staff gathered in Amelia Island, FL, for what was the second-largest Summit in Legatus history. With liturgies that showcased our faith’s beauty along with the camaraderie of family on top of riveting talks, the Summit fulfilled its purpose of uplifting our members and recharging our batteries that have been worn down so much over these past two years.

On the opening day, the Jacksonville Chapter hosted a group of us at the Shrine of Our Lady of la Leche, which was recently consecrated as an official shrine of the Catholic Church. Many thanks are due to the Jacksonville Chapter for their hospitality.

Legatus presented several 2021 awards to truly inspirational and impressive people. We presented the Cardinal John J. O’Connor Defender of the Faith Award to Gov. DeSantis, and the Ambassador of the Year award to Fred and Jane Topor of the Jupiter-Palm Beach Chapter. Father Richard Vigoa of the Miami Chapter is our Chaplain of the Year, and Mike Huhn of the Cincinnati Chapter is our President of the Year. For a full listing of awards recipients, see p. 25 of this issue or Networks.

In addition to a powerful Summit, Legatus hit the ground running with 45 new members in the month of January. Legatus has not seen numbers this high since October 2018. Certainly, this is a sign of Legatus pulling out of this pandemic as well as of our members’ hunger for community.

In addition, Legatus continues to trend more than 10 percent higher in renewals than ever before. As I write this column, Legatus is at the cusp of surpassing 88 percent renewed. In 2021, Legatus reached 85 percent, which was monumental given how much we were impacted being an organization based on the “in person” experience. I am grateful for our new members as well as to those who have stuck with Legatus through such hard and unprecedented times.

A few goals for Legatus in 2022 are: 90 percent or higher renewals, 400 or more new members, and five or more new chapters.

You may have noticed a name appearing more often in our magazine: Gerald Korson. Gerald, an editorial consultant and staff writer, is temporarily serving as acting editor of Legatus magazine while editor Christine Valentine-Owsik continues to recover from a severe case of pneumonia. Please keep Chris and her family in your prayers. Chris plans to return to her witty columns sometime in the spring.

Once again, I extend a heartful thanks to everyone who attended or was involved with the Summit. It is uplifting to witness the talks and connections made at the Summit, but also to move forward from a pandemic with optimistic determination.

STEPHEN M. HENLEY is Legatus’ president.