Dear Future AWWA Members, The extraordinary events of our times compel me to write to you for the second time in two months. Twice in AWWA's 139-year history, we have canceled AWWA's Annual Conference and Exposition, more commonly known as ACE. The first time was in 1945, and the second time—75 years later—was today. There are striking parallels in these cancellations. Both came amid cataclysmic worldwide events. Both involved uncertainty about when those events would end. Both relied on principled decision-making. Of course, in 1945 nearly every country was involved in World War II. As the year began, there was a great deal of uncertainty as to when the war would end. In January of that year, the United States created a War Committee on Conventions. While that may seem like an odd committee to have, the policy of the committee was this: for a conference to proceed, it had to demonstrate that without the conference the war effort would suffer (source: Jan. 15–16, 1945, AWWA board of directors meeting minutes). A formidable burden of proof for just about all conferences, to be sure. Also in January 1945, another important event occurred—the Annual Winter Meeting of the AWWA Board of Directors. Among the agenda items was the 1945 ACE, scheduled to take place in St. Louis, Mo., and the requirements thrust upon AWWA by the War Committee on Conventions. After rigorous discussion and expressions of reluctance, for the first time in its history, the AWWA board elected to cancel its 65th consecutive annual conference. The decision tipped in favor of cancellation on the basis of the principle that it was AWWA's patriotic duty to do so. Fast forward to today, when the world is waging a different kind of war—this time it is against a pandemic virus called COVID-19. As I noted in my letter to you last month, beating this ubiquitous virus requires everyone—and I mean virtually everyone around the world—to quarantine themselves and practice social distancing. At the same time, today's water professionals continue to bravely serve their communities with safe and clean water services. Given the global health risks from COVID-19 and uncertainty as to when the risks will end, AWWA reluctantly canceled ACE20. Ultimately, while there was a great deal of analysis associated with the decision, it is AWWA's relentless commitment to its core principle of protecting public health, which, not unlike the 1945 principle of patriotism, illuminated the right path for us to take. Although logically I know AWWA made the correct decision, I still feel a sense of loss, because we are meant to be together. I have been attending ACE since 1994 and—like many of today's water professionals—it is an important part of my year. The face-to-face conversations that occur following professional sessions, the chance encounters on the exhibit floor, the moments of fellowship at social events—these irreplaceable personal interactions lead to real-world solutions. Still, AWWA remains laser-focused on its mission to provide solutions to effectively manage water. With the cancellation of ACE20, we will quickly move to new approaches to allow members to share their knowledge in innovative ways—ways that may be considered normal for you, the future AWWA members. If that is the case, then just know that your “normal” started because of the changes we are making today. As I close this letter, it seems appropriate to share and amend the proclamation of the 1945 AWWA board that “the furnishing of safe drinking water in adequate quantity and satisfactory quality is of prime importance in times of peace and in times of war” to include, as COVID-19 has shown us, that it is also of prime importance in times of wellness and in times of illness. I am looking forward to ACE21 in San Diego, Calif., when AWWA is scheduled to again come together as a community. It will be a big year for a lot of reasons, including that AWWA will turn 140 years old. Of course, you know that by now. Sincerely, David B. LaFrance Chief Executive Officer, American Water Works Association