Minutes of the
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE OF LOCALS of the AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS
JUNE 30th & July 1st, 2022
Virtual Conference
Saturday, June 30, 2022
Conference called to order at 10:07 A.M.
by Jessica Kunttu, President of the Southern Conference
President Kunttu welcomes the delegates to our virtual conference. The
meeting was called to order at 10:07a.m., a motion was made by Laura
Ross to approve the minutes on Sunday due to a power outage that made
it difficult to get the minutes finished. The motion was second by
Marta Bradley and approved by the delegates.
Preside Kunttu welcomes the delegates to the conference and does an Invocation of
Dignitaries and guests are
From the AFM:
International President Ray Hair
International VP Bruce Fife
International Re p Steve Begnoche
International Sec/Treas. Jay Blumenthal
IEB Ed Malaga
IEB Dave Pomeroy
IEB Terryl Jares
IEB John Acosta
SSD Rochelle Skolnick
Legislative Director
Alfonso Pollard
Director of Freelance Wages Argott
International
REP
Steve Begnoche
New Delegates are recognized.
President Kunttu invites President Ray Hair to speak to the delegates.
President Hair begins by asking everyone to start with a moment of
silence for Pat Varriale, in remembrance of his Forty-eight years of
service to the AFM.
President Hair reminds us that we have been weathering the effects of
the pandemic for three years now, he tells us of how it has changed our
industry. We have had to come up with new ideas that will enable us to
keep moving forward.
President Kunttu invites Secretary-Treasurer Blumenthal to speak. With
a big smile Jay says good morning to all and tells how proud he is to
be an honorary member of the Southern Conference. He told us that we
have been on a roller coaster ride because of the pandemic.
Alfonso Pollard, Legislative Director, and Director of Diversity, tells
how he and Ray have worked together along with Jay, on Capitol Hill,
trying to get legislation thru that will benefit members of the AFM. He
thanks members of Local 161-710 for their help whenever he needs backup
on the hill, Local 161-710 always comes thru.
S/T Lovie Smith-Wright and Alfonso Pollard tells the delegates about
the various projects the Diversity Committee have been working on. The
100% funding for Juneteenth Celebrations was a project that
materialized out of a discussion with the AFM Diversity Committee and
MPTF Trustee, Dan Beck
President Kunttu invites Wages Argott, Director of Freelance Services to speak.
After a short afternoon break, President Kunttu turns the conference
over to Vice President Aaron Lack, who moderated a Music Performance
Trust Fund Panel. Speakers were Dan Beck, MPTF Trustee, Vidrey
Blackburn, Samantha Ramos, and Nataly Natylin Beaty From MPTF. Local
Officers who participated were DanCerveny of Local 70-558, Marta
Bradley of Local 161-710 and Alex Navarro, Local 65-699.
After the MPTF Presentation, The Conference adjourns for the day.
President Kunttu called the meeting to order at 10:03a.m. A motion to approved the 2022 amended minutes was made, MSC.
President Kunttu invites Rochelle Skolnick, Director of SSD, to gives
us an update on how various orchestras are getting thru the pandemic.
She mentioned two new items: Local 23, San Antonio Symphony had filed
for Chapter 7, Bankruptcy, and after eight years the AFM settled unfair
labor practices with the Colorado Symphony.
After a short break the conferences reconvenes.
Delegate reports:
The Finance Committee: Aaron reads the report and recommends its approval. MSC Adopted
Bylaws: Bruce Schultz: Proposed The Bylaws Amended Substitute proposal for Article III was approved. MSC Adopted
Credentials Committee: Gary Williams - 31 delegates 19 locals present,
45 Delegates, 18 Guests, 14 AFM & MPTF Guests. MSC Adopted
Resolutions: Nathan Nix- nothing to report
Diversity Committee: Deborah Dansby Wells, MSC adopted
Appreciations: Andy Bruck Chair, MSC Adopted
TEMPO: Nicole Bogatz
$974 -16 donations – MSC Adopted
Local # City
Delegates
23 San Antonio Joan Carroll
Richard Oppenheim
65-699 Houston Sharon Montgomery
Lovie Smith-Wright
Yvonne Smith
Alex Navarro
71 Memphis Nathan Nix
Saundra D’Amato
72 –147 Dallas Ft Worth Stewart Williams
Aaron Pino
Ken Krause
80 Chattanooga Joey Demko
94 Tulsa Bruce Schultz
116 Shreveport John Howe
123 Richmond George Tuckwiller II
David Hartley
125 Norfolk Linda Dennis
148-462 Atlanta Bruce Kenney
Brian Desarro
161-710 Washington, DC Marta Bradley
Sharon Wolfolk
Peter deBoor
Sharon Wolfolk
174-496 New Orleans Deacon John Moore
Tracy Griffin
Timothy David Ray
256-733 Birmingham Michael Bradt
257 Nashville Dave Pomeroy
Laura Ross
Vince Santoro
297 Wichita Kevin Findley
342 Charlotte Elizabeth Pistolesi
375-703 Oklahoma City Kate Pritchett
Michael Mann
389 Orlando Sam Zambito
Deborah Dansby Wells
Mike Avila
427-721 St Petersburg Richard Sparrow
433 Nicole Bogatz
Aaron Lack
444 Jacksonville Andy Bruck
Brad Buckley
500 Raleigh Jessica Kunttu
555 Puerto Rico Miguel Trinidad
Jose Rivera
655 Miami Jeffrey Apana
Charles Reskin
674 Covington Gary Williams
777 Biloxi Helen June
Closing Remarks by President Kunttu
Adjourned at 1:17 PM