Our next steps.(Memo To Members)(Editorial)

Continuity and change for one of the most trusted institutions in America--that's what I bring to my responsibilities as the sixth president in the 65-year history of Consumers Union.

I've seen both during my 21 years as chair of the board of directors. When I started in 1980, CONSUMER REPORTS had 2.3 million subscribers, and it was our only major product. Today we have more than 4.5 million subscribers to the magazine and our web site, Consumer Reports Online. We offer Consumer Reports on Health, Consumer Reports Travel Letter, more than a dozen single-issue magazines and books a year, our auto price services, Consumer Reports TV, the Zillions web site for kids, and more.

And CU continues to grow. Our National Testing and Research Center, which opened a decade ago, operates 50 state-of-the-art laboratories. Our engineers and technicians have been testing more products and delivering more information. In 2000, for example, one report on cordless phones covered 51 models, compared with 26 in 1999. Last December's report on desktop computers rated 23; a year earlier, we covered 9. Our recently refurbished auto test track puts more than 45 vehicles a year through a rigorous series of tests producing the comprehensive information you rely on when buying a car. And we've accelerated our product testing and updating so that you have more current information when you shop.

In addition, our three advocacy offices (Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Austin) and our Consumer Policy Institute have expanded CU's important work on food and product safety, financial services, health care, and other issues at the state, national, and international levels.

Throughout this growth and change, we have never wavered from our core mission or our bedrock values. Consumers Union works for a fair and just marketplace for all consumers. To do that, we test products and evaluate services, inform consumers about our findings, and protect consumers ...