State Secretary

This is Not Goodbye — This is Thank You!

Never once did I think that my Winter 2025 message would be my last as the COO/State Secretary of the Florida State Elks Association. In case you haven’t heard, I have been endorsed to become the Grand Secretary/COO of the national Elks and will soon be leaving Florida to move to Chicago, Illinois, where I will serve at the headquarters office, located in the beautiful Elks Memorial Building. I will be continuing my tenure with the Elks, this time at the national level. It is a full-time job and the gentleman I am replacing, Bryan Klatt, is endorsed to become the Grand Exalted Ruler/National President at the national convention in Kansas City, Missouri, this summer, after a 16-year tenure as Grand Secretary/COO. I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri, so I remember a little about cold winters. However, my blood has thinned over the 41 years I have lived in Florida, and I am told that Chicago winters can be brutal! Nonetheless, I am excited by the opportunity and look forward to a new chapter in my Elks career!

As I prepare to say goodbye after 23 incredible years of serving this remarkable organization as its State Secretary, the last nine as COO/State Secretary, I find myself filled with a mix of emotions. It has been a profound honor and a privilege to work alongside such passionate and dedicated individuals.

Together, we have achieved so much! When I arrived at the FSEA in 2002, our major projects were still adjusting to significant changes. Our children’s therapy services program was still in its infancy, evolving from a hospital to in-home therapeutic services, and our youth camp had just completed the construction of the Grafton Center and had become the headquarters for the Florida Elks’ operations. In 2002, many if not most of the programs we have today did not exist (Army of Hope, scholarships, Autism Gala, Smith Conference Center, anything online, etc.). Convention registrations were done by fax, calls were answered on landlines, individual Harry-Anna Trust Fund donations were made at a rate of $10 per year, and computerized accounting was just becoming a thing. The growth of the projects and programs has been nothing short of amazing and was dependent on the infrastructure and support provided by our most capable teams, teams of whom I have been honored to have had the opportunity to lead. In 2002, we had an administrative staff of nine. Today, our administrative staff has doubled to 18 and I am incredibly proud of our entire team. Perhaps the achievement I am most proud of has been the growth of our Officer Training seminar. My task each year was to challenge the new lodge leaders and inspire leadership. The rewards have been immeasurable and the satisfaction off the charts.

Over the years, we have tackled challenges such as membership decline, lodge closures, a pandemic and member apathy. We have celebrated victories such as Harry-Anna growth, the advent of lodge-based Elks National Foundation grants, camper and patient census growth, and technology advancement. Together, we have built an association that truly embodies a shared vision around the spirit of the Elks’ mission and values. Every member of our organization has contributed to our success in unique ways and has played a vital role in making the FSEA what it is today, and I am deeply grateful for your support, collaboration, friendship and hard work.

I will cherish the memories of our many events, initiatives, and the countless moments of laughter and camaraderie we have shared. There were some late nights … well, actually there were many late nights and lots and lots of brainstorming sessions. These moments have not only shaped our organization but have also inspired me as a leader and as a person. It is these memories that will stay with me as I move on to this next chapter in my life.

Thanks also go to the many leaders I have served and the mentors who have guided me on this journey. Through you I have learned so much and have grown as a person. You allowed me the freedom to explore new initiatives, and you didn’t yell too loudly when I made mistakes. For this I am so very thankful!

I am also extremely grateful to my incredible wife and family for their unending support! Theresa has been my biggest supporter now for more than 10 years and my family and children have tolerated the many late nights, our many travels for Elks meetings and events, and the phone calls and emails received seemingly around the clock. My entire family understood and supported my desire to seek the Grand Secretary’s position, and all are looking forward to trips to visit us in Chicago!

As I move on to new adventures, I am excited to see how the Florida Elks will continue to grow and thrive. I will have a front row seat to watch the success, and I hope I will also be able to continue to influence and impact your results. I have full confidence in your abilities to carry forward our mission, achieve great things, and make an even greater impact in our communities and to those we serve. Remember that the spirit of collaboration and innovation we have fostered will always be a cornerstone of your success.

Let’s stay in touch! My personal email address is cseibert2021@gmail.com.

Thank you for everything! You will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will miss you all dearly.

With warmest regards and thanks,

Carl T. Seibert, COO/State Secretary
Florida State Elks Association