Michael Weisel
Candidate Statement
My first encounter with H-Net began with joining the H-Grad list while pursuing my history masters degree as a ³non-traditional² student. Upon entering the business history doctoral program at Duke University in 2002, I became an H-Grad list editor until resigning to fulfill H-NC duties.
In February 2007, I helped found the H-NC list in Raleigh, North Carolina, and currently serve as a list editor. H-NC represents a potential formative direction for certain H-Net lists to pursue. The founders were able to assemble a consortium within the academic world and the State of North Carolina (Office of Archives and History) to provide a stable long-term commitment in administering the list. H-Net has encouraged such cooperative partnerships with scholarly communities.
Exploring judicious alliances with business and government communities are, in my opinion, necessary for H-Netıs continued viability and future growth. I am not advocating commercialization, privatization or governmental control and we may conclude such alliances/joint ventures may not be in the best interest of H-Net.
However, in order to engage in this discussion, we must ascertain potential parameters and partners. We all recognize the very real, increasing dollar costs of operating H-Net, even as hard technology costs (e.g. hardware costs) decline on a relative basis. As a community, we must be creative in finding ways to meet our operating costs, while growing our ability to serve community members.
If you share an interest in having H-Net explore the viability of different creative approaches in meeting future challenges, my skill set may be beneficial on the H-Net Council. After nearly twenty years as an investment banker/pension fund money manager, I returned to practicing corporate and finance law. Part of this experience incorporates work in the internet/cyber business and legal worlds.
While firmly rooted in the academic world, I believe my ³outside² experience will augment H-Net Council with additional legal and business perspectives. I am honored to be nominated for H-Net Council and respectfully ask for your support and vote.
Sincerely,
Michael Weisel
Duke University
http://fds.duke.edu/db/aas/history/grad/ml.weisel
H-NC Advisory Board & List Editor, H-Net
http://www.h-net.org/~h-nc/
