Read David Judson's final State of the Association as his last time as President of the Stained Glass Association of America. David Judson served as President of the Association from 2017 - 2022.
Immediate Past President David Judson, 2017-2022; Jerome Durr, 2011-2012; Kathy Barnard, 2015-2016; Gary Helf, 1995-1996; and Kirk Weaver, 1997-1998.
Photo credit: Kyle J. Mickelson
The State of the Association
When I last reported on the State of the Association in San Antonio in 2019, I shared some aggressive goals the board hoped to achieve, and how we were rebuilding the very Foundation of this organization. I meant that both literally in regards to the logistical operations of our Association as well as literally, in the sense of our 501(c)3 organization. After a long 3 years physically apart from one another, it was truly exciting to give my last “State of the Association'' at our conference in Toledo and to have so much good news to share about the formation of our new SGAA Foundation, on the health of our scholarship programs, and on so much of the progress made by the board and by our staff.
In 2019, I talked about what I refer to as our 4 pillars: SGQ, Sourcebook, Conference & Membership. Well, if there’s one thing we learned the last few years, it was that there is growth, or there is decay, but there is no such thing as stasis. We have continued to invest in the evolution of each of these crucial pillars that give our organization purpose and vision.
I am happy to report that we finished 2021 strong. We are experiencing membership growth, Sourcebook renewals are going well, production issues with the SGQ are finally easing up, and we are finally about to come together in person at conference again! We know how fortunate we are to have experienced growth, and financial stability during the pandemic. We have a flexible, devoted office staff and a loyal, steady board to thank for that.
There are still obstacles to tackle but overall, I am proud of the SGAA’s accomplishments since we were together last. The office has moved to Trinity Episcopal Church and has hired staff (Operations Manager – Victoria Godfrey, Communication Manager – Helen Shandraw). Even though the SGQ is still behind schedule, we are getting overall positive feedback and our subscriptions are growing, and we look forward to continuing to push ourselves in the coming years to continue its growth and reach.
And obviously, working with SAMA on the Annual Conference has been an exciting process. And we look forward to building on this relationship in the future. We can accomplish so much more working together than we can apart.
Membership is the heart of this organization, and is intrinsically tied to the other pillars. The Stained Glass Quarterly is our voice, the Conference is our place to come together and have meaningful discussions that raise the standard for all of us. And the Sourcebook and website is our outreach - driving awareness and sharing knowledge with the public. In 2021, we welcomed 171 new Affiliate members and 177 new subscribers. For reference, we excitedly welcomed 75 new affiliate members in 2019. Our website traffic has increased exponentially in the last 3 years. The Sourcebook and its resources, now online, reaches thousands of viewers every month, versus several hundred every year.
On behalf of my long-serving, incredibly steadfast board, it has been an honor and a pleasure to serve this Association as President. I am excited to pass the torch, and I am excited to see what this organization continues to accomplish on behalf of all of us in the years ahead.
David Judson
Immediate Past President of the SGAA, August 1, 2017 - June 30, 2022
Raleigh, NC Summer 2017 Conference – Toledo, OH Summer 2022 Conference
Immediate Past President David Judson and Newly Elected President Bryant J. Stanton
The President's Badge of Office is a "collar" somewhat similar to a wine steward's neck chain. It was designed in 1928 by Henry Hunt, Otto Heinigke, and Sydney Brown, and has a large replica of the Association seal at its base made in silver and enameled in red and blue. The enamels were fired in the kilns at the Rambusch Studio. Smaller medallions with glass worker's tools embellish the chain that hangs around the President's neck. The "collar" is worn by the President at all official functions including meetings and annual reports.
Jim Piercey, Newly Elected President Bryant J. Stanton, Ariana Makau, Libby Hintz, and Ralph Mills.
Photo credit: Kyle J. Mickelson
We welcome our new Board of Directors and Officers
- President: Bryant Stanton
- 1st Vice President: Ralph Mills
- 2nd Vice President: Ariana Makau
- Treasurer: Josie Geiger
- Recording Secretary: James Piercey
- Board of Directors:
- David Bleckman
- Andrea Denning
- Theodore Ellison
- Libby Hintz
- Tyler Kimball
- Courtney Nelson