For years Luca Marzo has been the memory, or even the one-person encyclopedia of Joomla. He served eight times as Secretary of the Board of Open Source Matters, and during those years, Luca came to be Joomla’s very own Google equivalent for everyone, regardless of what you’d need to know: “Ask Luca”. And now this has come to an end. Time to give Luca a proper thank you!

Let’s start this article with asking Luca why he’s stepping down, since we’re just getting used to him being there 🙂, and asking him what his role has consisted of.

Could you describe what the Secretary does?

Luca: The Secretary is the official record-keeper of the Board and the organization as such. 

Key responsibility for the Corporate Secretary is to ensure that the Board has the proper advice and resources for discharging its fiduciary duty under state law, and to ensure that the records of the Board's actions reflect that the Board has done so.

You were Secretary of the Board for eight terms, and now you’re stepping down. Why (did it finally get boring)?

Luca: Eight terms (and years) are a geological era in software! Well, I think I’ve done my time as Secretary. I joined the board as the first secretary after the big structure change we had across 2016/2017, we were all new as Board Members, with the brand new departments, their coordinators; new structure, roles and responsibilities. It was exciting but very difficult at the beginning, given that the project governance was completely different from the past. 

Being a leader of the Joomla Project can’t be boring, by definition! But I think that having completed my original mission, I can safely leave the leadership in good hands.

What does the community say about Luca?

Since Luca knows pretty much everything and everyone, we figured we’d ask a couple of community members what they think of him. So, Luca, brace yourself, here we go!

Pragmatic and composed

Luca served as the Secretary of Open Source Matters for an extended period, playing a crucial role in Joomla’s governance. During the six months I had the privilege of working alongside him, the project faced some of its most challenging times. Despite the turbulence, Luca remained a steady, reliable presence—an unwavering pillar in the midst of uncertainty.

His ability to handle complex situations with professionalism, clarity, and remarkable composure set him apart. Rarely does one encounter someone with so much competence and so little drama. His pragmatic, solution-oriented approach ensured that the wheels kept turning, even when external pressures mounted.

It is unfortunate to see him step away, but after so many years of dedication, his decision is entirely understandable. Luca’s contributions have been invaluable, and his departure marks the end of an era for Joomla. His impact, however, will continue to resonate within the community. Wherever his path leads next, there is no doubt that he will bring the same level of excellence and professionalism.

Elysa Foltyn

Calm, kind and thoughtful

I really enjoyed working alongside Luca on the Joomla Board of Directors. As Secretary, he handled his role with such professionalism and attention to detail, but what stood out most was his calm, kind, and thoughtful nature. Board meetings were always better with his presence - he brought a sense of balance and positivity to every discussion. I miss working with him and hope our paths cross again in the future!

Louise Hawkins

Stable and dedicated

Luca has been a strong reminder of how consistency and dedication can help any organization.  He has been the Secretary of OSM since 2017, that is no small task.  He keeps everyone together and guides us all through important rules and why things are done.  I also worked with Luca on the Certification team, when I mentored exams, as always he was the stable force, always there to lend a helping hand and be a guide.  Thank you Luca for everything that you have done for the project!

Laura Gordon

Supportive and friendly

When I started volunteering with Joomla around 2016, Luca was one of the first people I met. A constant presence in the ever-evolving world of Joomla, he has dedicated years to the project, serving as a pillar of support - whether for solving problems, answering questions, or simply sharing a friendly chat. It has been a true pleasure to share my time as a volunteer with him.

Andrea Gentil

Passionate and committed

I first saw Luca at breakfast at a Joomla conference, passionately talking to a group of board members about some issue or other. You could tell how seriously he took the topic and how his whole being was invested in the conversation.

And it is with that zeal and dedication that Luca has served the board over the years, doing the job no one else wanted to do, safeguarding the brand and fighting on behalf of Joomla and all of us who use and enjoy the product. 

Philip Walton 

The heart of Joomla

I remember my first time serving on the OSM board. I hardly knew Luca. Some of the other members I have met in previous years at JandBeyond and other events. To be honest I had no idea of the procedures of OSM and have barely read the bylaws of our organization. But one thing I learnt from that first meeting was that OSM will run for years as far as Luca is on board.

As if being secretary of OSM was not enough, Luca has been actively involved in key projects of the community and in lots of the teams we have in Joomla, not because it was his duty as secretary, but because of his great love for Joomla. One of his greatest contributions on this aspect is the Privacy Toolkit that we can use in our Joomla sites.

One strength of our Community is diversity, but that also represents a problem when you find language or cultural barriers. Luca, a proud Italian, never was scared of the language, and he showed that with enough heart power, you can be the secretary of a USA association and manage all the legal procedures in the best possible way.

Joomla has a heart and it’s the community, but all these years, Luca Marzo has been the heart of Joomla. He has managed all elections, legal documents, notices and whatever needed in an impeccable way.

I am sure, Luca will keep helping Joomla from his new position, and in the next Pizza Bugs and Fun event, we should all send him a pizza. Of course, no pineapple, please.

Carlos Cámara

A true joy to work with

You know that feeling when you meet someone for the first time and you just click? That’s what I felt with Luca. We met in Spain, at Joomla’s Forum for the Future event. Four groups of people that discussed Jooma’s biggest challenges, and we were both in the Market group. After Forum for the Future, Luca and Andrea (Gentil, see above) brought the Joomla Community Magazine back to life. I think I was the one pinging Luca: "Hey! Can I join?" and he said yes. The rest is history. For five years we have been working together, most of that time als Team Leader and Assistant Team Leader. 

People, this guy is so great to work with. He is positive, supportive, super friendly and brings joy to every conversation. And he freaking knows everything, yes, you read that right: Every. Thing. Not only has he been a source of knowledge about everything Joomla, he has also been a sounding board. If I’m worried, concerned or indignant (yes, that happens) about something not going right, I can share it with him (I like to believe this works both ways). He cheers me up, makes me laugh, helps me put things in perspective. 

Last year, after struggling with limited time and commitment for a number of months, Luca decided to step back from being ATL for the Joomla Community Magazine as well as his Secretary role. I had seen this coming for months, but part of me didn’t want to believe it would eventually really happen. Of course it did (otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this right now). My world has not fallen apart. I’m still here, and so is the wonderful JCM Team. But we will miss Luca’s good spirit, his friendly words, his terrible emoji’s and his standard response to every article idea: "For next issue?". Yes, Luca, for next issue, but every next issue will be an issue without you asking this. Thank you for reviving the Joomla Community Magazine. Thank you for being Joomla’s devoted Secretary for all those years. Thank you for being my friend. 

Anja de Crom

So, Luca, that’s what our community says about you. Anything you’d like to say to our community?

Luca: I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be deeply involved in the Joomla Community. It has been an amazing journey, allowing me to connect with and learn from so many dedicated volunteers from all over the world. Joomla holds a special place in my heart - it has truly changed my life.

A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who have contributed their knowledge, time, ideas, and energy to this incredible project. Joomla is more than just a community; it’s a family. Throughout my leadership journey, I always felt supported, and for that, I am truly thankful.

Thank you for everything!

One last thing...

And that's it - oh, no, it isn't. Many of you will remember Luca's tutorial about how to make a pizza, so what would make a nicer gesture than sharing this once again with all of you? Enjoy!