I still vividly remember the roundtable in 2007 where we first discussed the idea of a conference for pro-liberty students. Turning to my left, I brainstormed with Alexander McCobin, who was sitting at the end of the table, about how to develop these humble plans. Later that summer, we talked on the Metro about what to name such an event. A few months later, our team of five student organizers finalized plans for the first Students For Liberty Conference. When 100 students from three countries attended the first conference, we knew it was the start of something magical.

Inaugural 2008 SFL Conference Executive Board.

In the almost nine years since that roundtable discussion, so much has changed. The original team of SFL’s founders – Alexander, Sam Eckman, and me – has remained actively involved with SFL, dedicating thousands of hours to growing the organization and the broader student movement. But we have not been alone. The Board of Directors has expanded to include other experienced and wise individuals dedicated to SFL’s long-term success, Dan Grossman and Jeff Giesea. Thousands of individuals like yourself have donated to provide the resources SFL needs to support the student movement for liberty. We have had the honor of learning from and working with so many talented individuals, and SFL is stronger today than we have ever been before.

As you just heard from him, after nine years in the CEO position, Alexander will be stepping down in the coming months. I could not be more thankful for what Alexander has done for SFL over the years and proud of what SFL has accomplished. Under his leadership, SFL grew from that small roundtable discussion to the stalwart of an international student movement. Our network includes over 2,000 student groups, 1,400 of the most talented and passionate volunteer leaders in over 100 countries on all 6 inhabited continents, and dozens of full-time staff split between US headquarters and various countries around the world. Our programming serves tens of thousands of students each year with educational opportunities to learn about the principles of liberty, leadership training to become effective advocates of those principles, and resources to empower SFL’s students and alumni to change the world, to build a freer future.

SFLers around the globe demonstrate the best of human potential, and this would not have happened without Alexander’s leadership. From his love of philosophy to his penchant for studying business models and his campus activism, Alexander has motivated countless students to rise up and organize for liberty. If you have met Alexander, I am sure you know his deep devotion to SFL and our pro-liberty activism. In a world with many reasons to fear for the future of liberty, SFL stands strong in support of these most basic human values – economic freedom, social freedom, and intellectual and academic freedom.

As we look toward the future, I am glad that Alexander will remain on SFL’s Board of Directors to continue to support SFL. The entire Board (including Alexander) is excited to work with a new CEO to build on the organization’s remarkable success. Alexander will be staying with SFL part-time to facilitate the transition, and we will be conducting an extensive search for someone with the vision and skills to lead SFL in the next decade of its existence.

Please join me in saying “Thank You,” to Alexander for his years of service and looking forward to building on the success that SFL has already achieved.