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From: <>
Subject: Re: [TGF] Mary Petty - a transitional-genealogist's viewpointonProfessional Genealogy
Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2008 15:04:07 -0600
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In-Reply-To: <007701c86b51$8a3744a0$6801a8c0@MAMA>
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mary E. Petty - Heirlines, Inc" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 1:25 PM
Subject: [TGF] Mary Petty - a transitional-genealogist's viewpoint
onProfessional Genealogy
> Dear Dee Dee and Carolyn,
>
> As practitioners in the industry of Professional Genealogy move towards
> professional designation and leave self-appointment behind as
> unprofessional, I am glad to hear that APG is interested in the views of a
> transitional-genealogist. Here are some of my thoughts and solutions for
> APG, today's practitioners, the Industry and the future of Professional
> Genealogy.
>
> I am a transitional-genealogist. I am very interested in this discussion
> on Professional Genealogy Research Services having worked with a
> professionally designated genealogist, James W. Petty, AG, CG, B.A.
> (History) B.S. (Genealogy) for nearly 40 years.
>
> Dee Dee King quoted me:
> "Since becoming a member of APG, there are frequent discussions, as Mary
> Petty mentioned:
>
> ... the professional route to designation as a professional
> genealogist/practitioner, the standards and the best practices (etc) of
> the professional genealogy research services industry. In our evolving
> industry, a discussion on these elements and a key player - the
> transitional-genealogist - is essential. .... And so we can not escape
> from a discussion about these elements because they will shape the
> practice and behavior of professional genealogy research services." As
> there are frequent discussions about defining the various specialties and
> even the term professional genealogist. Carolyn was somewhat goaded into
> taking on that little project. :-)"
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Every profession has the challenge and the responsibility to identify its
> practioners and standardize the route to professionalism in their field.
> To provide a sound and viable marketplace, each industry must educate the
> public as to who is qualified and a valid and recognized practitioner in
> the industry. Because professions desire to have a hand in their own
> destiny outside of governmental control, because future qualified
> practitioners are desired to continue the industry, because professional
> designation is in the best interests of and does serve the good will of
> the industry, the practitioner, the general public, the consumer, the
> hobbyist, future practitioners, and governments - the professional
> credentialing process has been developed and instituted as the route to
> professional designation as an industry-specific practioner. The
> hallmarks of this process are Qualifier, Credibility, and Accountability.
>
> Let's look at 4 professions-
>
> Professional Genealogy is the industry name - the highest level of
> practitioner is professionally designated a Professional Genealogist.
> Entry level practitioner may be earned or self- designated and is
> unlicensed - except for business license, and is non-industry regulated.
>
>
> Professional Education is the industry name - the highest level of
> practitioner is professionally designated a Ph.D. or Ed.D. Entry level
> practitioner is earned and licensed and industry regulated.
>
> Medicine is the industry name - the highest level of Practitioner is
> professionally designated a M.D. Entry level practitioner is earned and
> licensed and industry regulated.
>
> Accounting is the industry name - the highest level of practitioner is
> professionally designated a CPA. Entry level practitioner is earned and
> licensed and industry regulated.
>
> Each one of these industries of professional education, medicine,
> accounting and professional genealogy has an industry-specific route for
> entry where professional status is earned and provides levels for growth
> and development. Industry-specific means earning the practitioner
> professional title, protected status, and qualified stature in the field
> of medicine, professional education, accounting and professional
> genealogy. As an emerging profession, only Professional Genealogy allows
> earned professional designation and self appointment to practice
> professional genealogy research services ; and as of yet, is the only
> profession here listed as having no industry-specific self-regulation or
> governmental licensure.
>
>
> The route to professional designation is earned and industry-specific. It
> is the same for all four listed professions - ( ee description below - all
> except #7)
>
> First- formal career college academic education/degree;
> Second - formal career training/internship;
> Third - formal career membership (either governmental regulated and
> recognized like Medicine or industry regulated and recognized like
> astronomy) where the career practitioner joins a qualified members-only
> body that can honor, censure and/or boot him out depending upon his
> performance as a practitioner. The practitioner takes an oath to live by
> industry methodology and standards of production, ethics and business
> requirements including continuing education;
> Fourth - formal career experience/on the job experience following
> education and training;
> Fifth - formal career credentials and certifications;
> Sixth - business license
> Seventh - Government Licensure - an additional level of Governmental
> regulation and licensure for Medicine, Accounting, and Professional
> Education - it has not happened to Professional Genealogy yet.
>
> Each of the above mentioned industries started at something less than what
> we in professional genealogy recognize today as professionally designated
> and professional. Grandfathering in qualified practitioners was paramount
> to starting off with a clean slate and a clear vision for the future. I
> see this happening here in Professional Genealogy as it has occurred in
> the past for Professional Education, Medicine and Accounting.
>
> I hope as you gather information from this transitional-genealogist forum
> and the APG-L, you will also be contacting the professionally designated
> practitioners who adhere to the highest standards of professionalism in
> the Professional Genealogy Industry. Otherwise, it will be the tail
> wagging the dog. And in the end when government comes a calling, the
> professional designated alone will have the evidence and the proof for
> their professional status and ya'll might not like how Government does the
> grandfathering.
>
> One interesting side note - two of America's most prominent professionally
> designated genealogists (both have industry-specific degrees, credentials,
> membership and so on) do not qualify to professionally teach genealogy at
> an accredited university because they only have a bachelor's degree in the
> field - all that was available when they began their careers in the
> 1960's. That is a Professional Education qualifying rule. So who will
> professionally teach the next generation - not today's professionally
> designated genealogist! Just something to think about.
>
>
>
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
> Mary E. Petty, B.A.
> ==============================================================
> Ancestors are the People of History. Do you know who yours
> are?<br><br>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
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> [mailto:] On Behalf Of
> Dee Dee King
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2008 8:40 AM
> To:
> Subject: Re: [TGF] transitional genealogists
>
> Thanks to all the folks who responded positively, espcially all the
> private email!
>
> Since becoming a member of APG, there are frequent discussions, as Mary
> mentioned:
>
> ... the professional route to designation as a professional
> genealogist/practitioner, the standards and the best practices (etc) of
> the professional genealogy research services industry. In our evolving
> industry, a discussion on these elements and a key player - the
> transitional-genealogist - is essential. .... And so we can not escape
> from a discussion about these elements because they will shape the
> practice and behavior of professional genealogy research services.
>
> As there are frequent discussions about defining the various specialties
> and even the term professional genealogist. Carolyn was somewhat goaded
> into taking on that little project. :-)
>
> I'll create a little questionnaire, totally anonymous and private for
> those who volunteer to be guinea pigs. Let's answer some of the questions
> that come up in these discussions and quantify the responses to replace
> our usual empirical responses. Much of the discussion about
> "professionalizing the profession" centers on you guys and "future
> professionals". So ya'll are the perfect guinea pigs for a questionnaire
> about how folks are coming to this profession now. What ya'll need and
> expect. Give me a bit of time to get this all worked out. I'd like to
> write up the results to submit an article, perhaps for the APGQ.
> Thanks, Ya'll!
>
> Dee
>
>
>
> --
> Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist
> www.ForensicGenealogyServices.com
> 133 N Friendswood Dr Suite 325
> Friendswood TX 77546
> telephone/fax 281-431-3525
> Member Association of Professional Genealogists,
> Event Coordinator of the Lone Star Chapter.
>
> CG and Certified Genealogist are Service Marks of the
> Board for Certification of Genealogists used under
> license after periodic evaluations by the Board.
>
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