By D. Brenton Simons
Published October 26, 2022
Please join me in congratulating David Rencher, Chief Genealogical Officer at FamilySearch and a friend to many genealogical institutions and researchers, who will receive the American Ancestors / New England Historic Genealogical Society's History and Preservation Award tomorrow night, Thursday October 27, 2022, at a sold-out dinner event in Boston. Congratulations, David!
No one deserves recognition in the field of genealogy today more than David Rencher. He has had tremendous and widespread positive influence in the field: enabling scholarship, building meaningful associations, creating fruitful collaborative opportunities, and steering various societies, interest groups, and key practitioners in important ways. David has done all of this and much more, often without the recognition he deserves. His passion for the subject matter and the people is contagious. In addition to many other national, international and regional roles, David has served American Ancestors / New England Historic Genealogical Society with distinction over many years. I consider him to be a friend, advisor, and colleague of the highest order. It is a great privilege to honor him with this award.