IPMA Mourns Passing of Ardent Supporter

Just 10 days before the conference she had helped organize, one of the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association’s most enthusiastic supporters passed away. Lora Geionety, an active and well liked IPMA member since 1996, died on May 28 after a short illness. She had served for more than 20 years as the manager of Mail Services at American Fidelity Assurance Co. in Oklahoma City.

At the IPMA conference earlier this month, members recalled Ms. Geionety's impact on the group and remembered her with a slide show of photos from past conferences. The proceeds from a 50/50 raffle that tradionally go to IPMA's scholarship fund were donated this year to Ms. Geionety's children. And though only half of the raffle money was supposed to go to the scholarship and the other half to the raffle winner, the person who won the prize, Joe Ferrora from Excellus Blue Cross & Blue Shield, in Rochester, donated all of his winnings to Ms. Geionety's family.

Well known by IPMA conference attendees for her warm and outgoing personality, Lora Geionety made all newcomers feel welcome. Her name badge was always covered with local chapter pins from the dozens of people she would meet during the conference.

“She really enjoyed the pin exchange because she said it was a way for people to start talking to each other,” recalls Debbie Pavletich, IPMA president.

At the welcome reception each year, she says, Ms. Geionety quickly made friends with all the new members.

“She just made everybody feel welcome,” Pavletich says.

A Certified Mail Manager (CMM) since 1998, Ms. Geionety helped many others receive their certification while acting as co-chair of IPMA’s certification program. She was the association’s secretary/treasurer since 2005 and was an active member of IPMA’s conference planning committee for many years. She played an important role in designing this year’s conference.

On a local level, Ms. Geionety served as the vice president of the Central Oklahoma IPMA Chapter, and was vice chair of the Greater Oklahoma Postal Customer Council Executive Board.

“She was a driving force for the chapter,” remembers John Sarantakos, of the University of Oklahoma. “That’s one of the reasons it’s so successful, because of her.”

Ms. Geionety’s enthusiastic involvement made the Oklahoma City IPMA chapter the most active in the country. It’s one of the only chapters still having monthly meetings, which routinely draw 25 or more people.