The 2004--2006 AGU officers assumed their leadership roles on 1 July. To prepare for their roles, new Council members and committee chairmen participated in a Leadership Conference on 14-16 May in Montreal, Canada. The theme of this year's conference, strategic alignment, emphasized the importance of leaders working toward common strategic goals as outlined by AGU's Strategic Plan. Participants had an opportunity to obtain information and context to help them meet their responsibilities as leaders of AGU, to build common understandings with other Council members and Focus Group and committee chairs, and to contemplate the future directions of the Union and its needs. President John Orcutt is completing the process of selecting and appointing the committees that will serve during his term. The new committee and Focus Group chairs are listed. The committee memberships and charges will be published as they are available on the AGU Web site (www.agu.org/inside/union_comm.html).