I would first like to thank the members of SIGMM for electing me to this prestigious and important role.  I am grateful for the trust you have put in me and the other members of the elected SIGMM Executive and we shall strive to continue to make SIGMM an important part of our professional research community.  I would also like to thank the previous elected members of the SIGMM Executive Committee — Shih-Fu Chang, Rainer Lienhart and Nicu Sebe — for their extraordinary service, thank you all.  I’m also delighted that Nicu will provide continuity by serving on the Executive Committee as vice-Chair and I look forward to working with him, with Gerald Friedland as Conference Director and the other members of the Executive.