It is the norm for a profession (such as Cosmetology and Education) to have requirements that must be earned/ fulfilled by those desiring to practice in the profession and be designated as a qualified expert. This allows an initial trustworthy relationship between practitioner and consumer. At least until after your first hair cut.

Skilled trade profession of Cosmetology requires their practitioners "beauticians and barbers" to earn, hold, and have enforce: professional education by accredited schools, training by authorized practitioner-mentors, standards, ethics, best practices developed by industry practitioners, credentials of competency developed and specific to the profession, continuing education by authorized and accredited bodies, and business licensing. Status of "Professional" means basic proficiency to work, teach, write, speak, and provide pro bono services as a qualified expert "beautician or barber".

Skilled Academic profession of Education requires their practitioners "educators and teachers" to earn, hold, and have enforce: professional education by accredited schools, training by authorized practitioner-mentors, standards, ethics, best practices developed by industry practitioners, credentials of competency developed and specific to the profession, continuing education by authorized and accredited bodies, and business licensing. Status of "Professional" means basic proficiency to work, teach, write, speak, and provide pro bono services as a qualified expert "teacher or educator".

I hope APG will be at the forefront of the movement to professionalize Professional Genealogy Research Services in the norm of "qualified expert" for the practitioner called "professional genealogist". This is in the best interests of the profession, the practitioner, future professional genealogists, the consumer, and the public domain family tree.

Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110

© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Many people have acquired an extensive collection of family history materials and documents related to their genealogy that they wish to donate to libraries for their genealogy section. They are looking for an inexpensive way to learn the value of their holdings. We have had clients who required expert witness testimony on the value of their flood damaged/destroyed family history materials that have been gathered over a lifetime by personal efforts as well as through professional genealogy research services. These collections were very large. We recommended to them an inexpensive way to get an idea of the value of the collection is to contact your insurance company about insuring your collection. See what criteria they use for establishing value and replacement cost if they were to insure your collection. That is a good way to establish current day dollar value.

Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110

© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.

I recognize that not everyone is in genealogy for a career. I am. From the “gitgo” nearly 40 years ago, our business, Heirlines, has been based on the professional career path and formula. I know this is not what every practitioner has chosen. I recognize that not everyone wants a profession in professional genealogy research services. I do. I recognize that everyone doesn’t see the correlation between the very high standards of professionalism that is in Medicine, and the standards of practice they personally offer clients in their occupation of genealogy. I know what we do here at Heirlines and that we want the highest possible standard in our practice of Professional Genealogy - that we want it to be a profession, not just merely work. In as much as we are dedicated to professionalism, consumer rights, and professional genealogy research services, we believe it is in the best interests of the profession, the practitioner, the future practitioner, the consumer and the public domain family tree to encourage this move in our industry to a real profession.

I know the public wants professionalism, accuracy and trustworthy results. They know that everything and everyone on the Internet is not what has been painted, but too often, they don’t know how to tell what’s real, what’s true, what’s professional who’s professional, who’s qualified, what to expect from a professional and so on. One of the primary reasons for establishing a profession is to help the consumer make wise choices that build a reputation of integrity, quality, and trusted results for the profession and its practitioners. Another is to establish qualified pro to pro work. I can’t imagine anyone not supporting these components, even for our occupation and the industry of genealogy. That is where I am coming from.

Professional Genealogy Research Services is not a profession, yet; decisions are being made by third parties that are shaping that coming profession, so I will continue to encourage the development of this movement. It has happened already in Cosmetology, paralegal services, and of course, law and medicine. Some day it will happen for genealogy research services. I see a future when professionally- qualified practitioners will be doing genealogy for hire and pro bono, and teaching, speaking, and writing about professional genealogy research services standards, ethics, and practices for the betterment of the profession, the practitioner, the future practitioner, the consumer and the public domain family tree.

Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110

© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Paul Starr's masterpiece, THE SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION OF AMERICAN MEDICINE, defines the process of establishing a profession; and ably and with clarity, presents how it is accomplished. I appreciate the evidence about professionalism presented in this monumental work in sociology. It is just one of the terrific resources that I have used to come to my understanding of professional as a noun and not as an adjective. I hope my fellow practitioners and consumers will study it to better understand how an occupation moves to professional status and sovereignty. I hope someday there will be others who feel as I do: a profession in genealogy is good for us all, whether we be practitioners, working pro to pro, future practitioners, consumers desiring professional services, or using a public domain family tree.
Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110

© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.

As I have said before, I have had a different experience in professional genealogy research services than many who call themselves Professional Genealogists. It has been said that one of the problems in being recognized as a profession, is the use of the term Family Tree in reference to our work. The consumer today has popularized the use of the term "Family Tree" by practitioners in Professional Genealogy Research Services just as they have "colloquialized" terms in other professions. A rose by any other name will smell just as sweet.

My father in law called his business "Eye Clinic of Provo". He was an MD in the profession of medicine specialty of Ophthalmology and the King's eye surgeon. He was an Ophthalmologist or eye doctor, accepted consumer and professional nomenclature.

My brother in law called his business "Portneuf Valley Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation". He was an MD in the profession of medicine specialty of Physiatry. He was a Physiatrist or "rehab doc", accepted consumer and professional nomenclature.

I have a friend who called his business "Foot and Ankle Clinic". He was a DPM in the profession of medicine specialty practice of podiatry. He was a Podiatrist or foot doctor accepted consumer and professional nomenclature.

I call my business "Heirlines". I have a B.A. in genealogy and provide professional genealogy research services to clients for a fee or pro bono. This is not a profession, but an unregulated occupation which uses many different names recognized by the consumer and practitioners, including but not limited to, genealogy, family history work, forensic genealogy, heir tracing, roots, heritage research and family tree research. I am a Professional Genealogist.

I encourage the application of the professional model of Medicine in the formation of a profession in genealogy because I believe family history work on the commercial level requires formal professional education, training, experience, best practices credentials, standards and ethics. To climb the family tree professionally means you are qualified to do so. This is not pretentious. It is in the best interests of the profession, the practitioner, the future practitioner, the consumer and the public domain family tree.

Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110

© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.

For many years now, I have made an extensive study of professionalism and its application for a profession in the occupation of genealogy research services. I have shared in a variety of venues, some of what I have learned. I realize that I come from a different perspective from most with an interest in family history. I have had full-time career involvement in the professional genealogy researcher occupation in professional genealogy research services. Because of my life’s work experience, I have sought out knowledge about what constitutes a true profession and how what we do, can be so established. After nearly 40 years in the business, I wish I knew then what I know now. You know that scene in “Frequency” where using time-travel, one of the characters is told to remember and use the word “Yahoo” when he gets back to the present. Oh, I would do things differently now that I have lived the past and been to the future.

We are in for a ride in genealogy research services. “Professionals” today in genealogy want to do their own thing – individually, not as a profession. They want self appointment and are opposed to the establishment of a profession. I favor a profession and have hopes that there are both practitioners and consumers who see the value in supporting the evolution and development of such a profession. This would bring a better future in the genealogy industry. I seek like-minded practitioners who desire to professionalize in the truest sense of the word that we may work together to form such a profession. I encourage consumers of such services to insist upon such qualified professional standards in their practitioner.

I look at the journey the American Medical Profession has taken and see application for genealogy research services in what doctors have experienced and learned. It took American Medicine much of the 19th century and well into the 20th to achieve that professional status, that unity and that prosperity of being a profession. And with the coming of full government encroachment in the 21st century, we are seeing those gains lost. Commerce is not static. Third parties like insurance companies and governmental regulation and bureaucracy are “practicing” medicine today. In professional genealogy which has little standardization, third parties that are not in the profession, are becoming increasingly involved and are doing the same for this commercial enterprise.

Questions must be answered regarding the future of a profession in family tree services work because like health, interest in genealogy is not going to go away. There is a consumer demand to know their family history and genealogy and it is growing. Translation - people are willing to pay for qualified professional help and wanted trusted free advice and information now and in the future. What are these questions?

Who will set the standards for accurately determining the family tree? Who will determine who is qualified to set those standards? Who will define those standards? Who will have the authority to be professional? Who will educate the consumer about the standards, the profession and the practitioners? Who will educate the practitioner and qualify him?

The future holds the answers to these questions and more. We can learn from the past or we can ignore those lessons and just walk head on into the future with no thought or preparation for the development of a profession in genealogy research services. This is not in the best interests of the profession, the current practitioner, future practitioners, the consumer, and the public domain family tree.

Submitted by Mary E. Petty, BA (History), BA (Genealogy)

Ancestors are the People of History.● Do you know who yours are? ● Let the Professionals at HEIRLINES FAMILY HISTORY & GENEALOGY find your ancestry! ●1-800-570-4049 ● www.heirlines.com ● PO Box 893 ● Salt Lake City, UT 84110
© 2009, Heirlines Family History & Genealogy, Inc. All rights reserved.