Volunteer Spotlight

RootsWeb.com values each individual and organization that volunteers their time and talents to making our site one of the best on the Internet. We hope you enjoy meeting some of these outstanding volunteers whose dedication have made a difference to RootsWeb.com and other researchers.

John Hansen
Message Board and Mailing List Administrator

John Hansen is a man who, because he has gained so much from genealogy, has a strong desire to give something back. His interest in family history began in 1970 during a trip to Europe. While visiting various ports he was deeply impacted by the image of families boarding ships, parting with loved ones, and abandoning their homes in the hope of securing a better life. The thought of parents and grandparents seeing their loved ones leave to never return gave him the desire to learn more about his own family history.

The vast majority of John’s volunteering is centered on RootsWeb.com. He is a dedicated administrator of 1,483 message boards and 626 mailing lists. Many of the boards he administrates deal with prominent subjects and surnames. Many have had thousands of messages posted to them. These prominent boards include the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution and surnames such as Wright, Lee, and Patterson.

Because of his interest in Scottish Clans, John has created, and administers, over 180 clan-specific message boards and mailing lists. In order to increase effective and structured board discussions, John has set up an organizational pattern that provides various suggested topics for user commentary. The lists and boards are also gatewayed, which ensures each post reaches those who are interested in that particular clan.

John is eager to share ideas and information that might be helpful to others. In addition to the boards and lists John administrates, he posts regularly to several others. His interest in innovative research methods inspires John to post information, as well has known complications, about these new techniques when details are available. John also regularly posts to the Administrative Boards and Lists in hopes of giving additional feedback and assistance.

His dedication to genealogy, as well as the development and maintenance of RootsWeb.com features, make John a valuable resource to family historians. These are the same attributes that also make him the focus of our RootsWeb Volunteer Spotlight.

John, on behalf of the entire genealogical community, we thank you.