President Endres's Inaugural Address

When I was little, I didn't know what a municipal clerk was.

What I did know was that I loved going to the Town Hall in Springfield with my Aunt Sherri, who was the Town Clerk. She would bring my cousins and me along while she prepared for elections or caught up on her work. To us, it wasn't work—it was an adventure.

We would play at the voting booths, sit behind the front counter pretending to help customers, and use the typewriter to make permits and licenses. I thought it was the coolest thing imaginable.

Looking back now, I realize those moments were quietly planting a seed.

Years later, in 2007, that little seed began to take root when I accepted a position as a deputy clerk. At the time, I was working in the business office of a local orthodontic practice and was six months pregnant with my first child. I never imagined becoming a municipal clerk would become my career—let alone my passion.

Being a municipal clerk meant wearing a lot of hats—and sometimes changing them several times before lunch.

I was fortunate to have a predecessor who believed in me before I fully believed in myself. She encouraged me to attend district meetings, pursue education through the UW–Green Bay Clerks and Treasurers Institute, and, most importantly, to say "yes" to opportunities that pushed me outside my comfort zone. I'm not sure I'd be standing here today if she hadn't.

Those district meetings became so much more than educational opportunities. They became places where friendships were formed and where I realized that whether we serve a town, village, or city—Whether we're managing a contentious election or answering a resident's call about a snowplow, we all share the same purpose: serving our communities.

I eventually became involved with the Clerks and Treasurers Institute Advisory Board, where I met clerks from across Wisconsin and built friendships that continue to support me today.

Each experience became another ring in the trunk of my own tree.

Not because I was trying to become President.

Simply because I kept saying yes.   

Of course, growth isn't always easy.

Our profession has changed tremendously. Elections are increasingly scrutinized, expectations are higher, and some days it feels like we're under a microscope.

I've made mistakes—some small, and some that kept me awake at night. There were moments when I questioned whether I was good enough.

But today I see those moments differently.

They weren't failures.

They were growing pains.

A tree doesn't grow in a perfectly straight line. Its branches change direction as they reach for the light. Our careers are much the same. We make mistakes, we learn, we adapt, and sometimes we find ourselves growing in a direction we never expected.

As I reflected on my journey—from that little girl at the Town Hall, to the brand-new deputy clerk Shorewood Hills took a chance on, to standing before you tonight—I realized something.

None of this happened because I figured it out on my own.

People invested in me. They welcomed me, encouraged me, shared their knowledge, and believed in me before I believed in myself.

That's what this association has always done.

And that's why our theme this year is...   

Deep Roots, New Growth.

Our deep roots are the generations of clerks who came before us. They built this association through service, mentorship, education, laughter, and countless friendships.  Because of them, WMCA is strong.

Now it's our turn to create new growth.

No one grows a strong association alone. WMCA depends on each of us. Our greatest growth won't come from one president or one board. It will come from all of us working together, each contributing in our own way.

Throughout this conference we've heard the message, You Matter.

I can't think of a better message to carry with us into the coming year.

Every volunteer, every mentor, every committee member, every first-time attendee—every one of us matters, because every one of us has something valuable to contribute.

Somewhere in this room is someone attending their first conference, wondering if they belong. Someone waiting for an invitation to get involved, or simply to hear, "You can do this."

Just as someone once said those words to me.

My aunt probably never imagined that letting a little girl tag along to the Town Hall would someday lead me here. My predecessor never knew that encouraging a new deputy clerk to attend a district meeting was planting another seed.

And that's exactly why you matter.

You never know whose confidence you're building, whose career you're shaping, or whose potential you're helping discover.

My hope for this year is that every one of us becomes that person for someone else.

Let's strengthen our roots.

Let's embrace new growth.

And when every member grows...    

WMCA grows.

Thank you.