Annual Meeting Highlights
On June 6, Heritage Preservation held its annual meeting in Arlington, Virgina, in conjunction with the American Institute for Conservation conference there. Approximately 60 people attended the lunch meeting. A highlight of the annual meeting was the election of Debbie Hess Norris as Chairperson of Heritage Preservation’s Board of Directors, succeeding Dennis Fiori. Accepting the position, Norris said, “I see so many opportunities for Heritage Preservation to be a partner to other conservation and allied organizations and to launch new projects that will have an impact on the field. I especially welcome your input and suggestions on how we can increase awareness of the importance of Heritage Preservation’s work.” Norris drew the attention of the membership to a handout showing that almost $15 million in funding has been paid to conservation professionals from Heritage Preservation programs since 1990. Norris is Director of the University of Delaware/Winterthur Art Conservation Program and has served on the Heritage Preservation board for 10 years, most recently as Vice Chairperson. She is also an Associate Professor of photograph conservation and has lectured frequently in this country and abroad, in addition to publishing articles in national and international journals and catalogues on the preservation of photographic materials. She has been the chair of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, a member of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, and president of AIC.
Heritage Preservation also welcomed two appointed Board members, Dr. Maribelle Leavitt of San Francisco and Dr. Victoria Steele of Los Angeles. Maribelle Leavitt is former chair of the California Historical Society and is active in civic and cultural affairs in San Francisco. Vicki Steele is Head of the Department of Special Collections at UCLA’s Young Research Library. She is returning to the board after having served previously 1998-2002. For a complete list of the Heritage Preservation board, click here.
Photos: Debbie Hess Norris accepts the position of Chairperson. Larry Reger presents Capitol Losses to Dennis Fiori in recognition of his service as Chairperson. Susan Nichols explains the Inside Outdoor Sculpture educational kit to attendees. |
Mervin Richard, Deputy Chief of Conservation at the National Gallery of Art, was elected Vice Chairperson. Re-elected as Members at Large were Ingrid Bogel of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia and Stephen Williams of the Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University. Dennis Fiori, Director of the Maryland Historical Society, was elected Member at Large. 
Larry Reger thanked Dennis Fiori for his service as chairperson over the past two years and presented him with a copy of Capitol Losses by James Goode, which documents Washington, D.C.’s lost buildings. Reger said, “Losing Dennis as our chair is a kind of ‘capitol loss’ for us, but we know that with Debbie at the helm the years ahead will be equally rewarding and stimulating.”