A Message from Richard Rejino - Executive Director 2014-2024

Dear LSI Friends and Colleagues,

If I have learned one thing, it is that change is never easy, but it is inevitable. So, it is with incredible gratitude and a tinge of sadness that I am announcing my retirement as LSI’s Executive Director at the end of 2024. My ten years with this organization have been a privilege and an unexpected joy. Little did I know that in 2014 my work with LSI would become one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. Not only did I relish working with a society of photographers, but I also grew to love the people in it. In these last several weeks I have reflected on the many blessings I have had from serving as your Executive Director.

I know from experience that not many people are lucky enough to do what they love, to have their passions and their job converge into a meaningful purpose. But I am one of those people. As a result, my varied career reflects the most important parts of me: music, writing, and photography; and compassion and service. LSI embodies all of that for me.

My good fortune would never have been possible were it not for the people who gave me the right opportunities. None have been more important than Madeleine Crouch & Co., who is your management company. Madeleine recruited me in 2013 after I had spent 30 years in the retail print music business. I was growing tired of the retail world, and she decided it was time for me to change course and work for her. So, I did. I’ve never known anyone who is more generous and around whom I felt more supported than Madeleine. I will always be grateful for her empathy, trust and respect – and for finding (LSI) the perfect client for me!

One of the benefits of my job is working with new leadership every year. It has taught me to listen more and talk less; to be curious, as Walt Whitman said, and not judgmental. At LSI, I’ve been surrounded by incredible leaders, each of whom left an indelible mark on the Society. Working with them was humbling and they inspired me to be a better person and a better photographer. I want to thank the presidents with whom I have been honored to serve: Gary Hough, Alan Weinschel, Keith Sbiral, Brad Husick and David Knoble. They and the board of directors have been the reason for LSI’s renaissance. Were it not for their courage and vision, LSI would be much different today. Instead, it has evolved into a flourishing global community. In ten years, LSI has grown from 725 members to almost 3000, and yet we have managed to keep LSI focused on its members and dedicated to supporting the larger Leica community.

Someone once asked me what I enjoy most about my work with LSI. Without question, the first things are the conferences. When I see members from all over the globe come together and become a family, nothing beats the look of satisfaction on their faces after three days of sessions and experiences that have helped them find new friends and become better photographers.

Next are LSI’s Photography and Women in Photography annual grants. By “paying it forward,” we have touched and changed the lives of so many deserving photographers, which is what LSI is all about – nurturing and inspiring the next generation of artists. What could be more thrilling and rewarding than that?

It has also been a great honor to have been part of a team of people who always want the best for this organization. To know that I contributed a small part to LSI’s rebirth, its successes, and its vision for the future, is for me a source of great pride. Thank you for the opportunity to serve with you.

I know you will be in good hands with my successor, Colin McKinley, who is a talented and passionate photographer in his own right. He cares about people and building relationships – a win-win for LSI. He will have the support of Jason Bohls, LSI administrative assistant, and the MCC staff behind him. I know you will welcome them with the same warmth and support as you did me.

I want to thank my family for their support, especially my wife, Mona, who is my morning light. She put up with all the worries and crankiness I brought home with me. Let it be known to all of you, she is the reason for my everything.

Lastly, I want to thank you, the LSI membership, for your kind words and patience with me over the years. To know you, whether personally or through occasional emails, is of great value to me. My desire was to support and help you in any way that I could. If I failed you, I hope it was temporary, and if I succeeded, thank you for making so many days at work a true pleasure.

As I look toward the next phase of my life, know that I am changing and not disappearing. I plan to remain an active member of LSI, to continue my Leica journey, and finally enjoy conferences as a participant!

My memories of LSI will always be rich and full – from having the audacity to attend an LSI meeting with a Canon camera, to orchestrating my first international conference in Wetzlar. But what I will probably cherish more than anything, and what still amazes me to this day, is the passion for Leica photography that all its members share. It is, in a word, astounding. And it has helped me understand why I love photography as much as I do, why the sound of the shutter still evokes the surprise of possibility in my eyes.

Thank you, again, for the true privilege of serving you. I look forward to LSI’s future with hope and possibilities.

With deep gratitude and admiration,

Richard Rejino (richard@madcrouch.com)

LSI Executive Director 2014-2024