FOHBC President’s Message

Matt Lacy Ferdinand Meyer V

FMG Design, Inc. 3836 State Route 307 101 Crawford Street Austinburg, Ohio 44010 Studio 1A 440.228.1873 Houston, Texas 77002 mlacy28@yahoo.com 713.222.7979 x115 fmeyer@fohbc.org A lot has developed in the past several weeks within the bottle world. Many more shows have cancelled or have been itting down at my desk, on this first back-to-work Monday after New rescheduled. As a board, we had to make the tough decision to Years, I conjure up a vision of a stove with lots of pots-a-cooking. cancel the FOHBC Reno 2020 National Antique Bottle ConvenThe kettle labeled antique bottle events has us all looking forward to the stretch leading up to the FOHBC 2016 Sacramento National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo this August. We have a coordination conference tion and Expo. There are many facets to this decision that we had to consider. First and foremost is the safety of our members, call later in the week and plan to step it up a notch or two. We are also dealers, displayers, speakers, and attendees. The various levels pleased that we locked in Springfield, Massachusetts for our 2017 Nationof restrictions nationally and locally, and unknown factors have al Antique Bottle Convention, and by the time you read this message, the FOHBC 2018 National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo will have been announced for Cleveland, Ohio. We really have our teams in place and our wheels in motion. I suppose we should start thinking about the 2019 made planning an event of this scale challenging. The postponement of planning while waiting for stay-at-home orders to lift has delayed the months of preparation required to successfully Convention in the Southern Region. Planning ahead has many benefits. execute a convention of this size. I know my family is very disappointed as we were planning a small vacation out West around the The FOHBC is also proud to say that this March | April 2016 issue of BOTTLES and EXTRAS is the first to be printed in full color, which only costs us an additional $184, an issue. This change prompted a few convention as we try to do each year. We do have some hopeful news from this though! The Reno venue, The Grand Sierra Resort design revisions, which we hope you will notice, such as the Table of and Casino, has agreed to allow us to move the event to 2022. So, Contents and a few of the section headers. We receive quite a few restart making plans now. I know the Reno team is excited, and we ally nice compliments on how the magazine looks and have come can be sure it will be a time to remember. so far in a relative short number of years. Oh, and look for a new section in the back of the magazine called “Member Photo Gallery”. This new section is dedicated to the fine photography of antique bottles and I know I am always looking forward to attending a great show, glass. Please feel free to submit your images for consideration. We and am very excited about the upcoming 2021 FOHBC show in have already started work on the May | June issue and hope that you Syracuse, New York. Jim and Val Berry along with Jim Bender will consider authoring an article for the magazine. We are here to help! have done an excellent job in securing a venue and host hotel. I Within this issue of BOTTLES and EXTRAS, please read the proposed bylaw updates and revisions that have been marked in red. All revisions am personally very excited about the location, and looking forward to attending. I anticipate there will be a press release with have been approved by the FOHBC Board of Directors. These bylaws more details on the event shortly. It will give us all something to have been amended and need to be reviewed by the FOHBC membership look forward too. prior to the annual general membership meeting at the FOHBC 2016 National Antique Bottle Convention & Expo in Sacramento, California by an affirmative vote of a majority of all votes cast by the eligible voters in attendance, provided that a copy of the proposed changes are made The cancellation of the Reno Convention has left some gaps that will need to be discussed, such as our general membership meetavailable to each member in advance, either directly by mail or by timely ing so I am using this letter as a platform to communicate with notice in the Federation’s official periodical or on the Federation website. our membership. The current serving officer’s term ends after the biannual board meeting typically held at the national convention In other news, we are moving ahead with photography for the Virtual Museum and hope to have regional photography labs set up in regions to start photographing bottles both in a standard format and 3-dimenthis year. Officers that are currently serving and will not be serving an additional term will be stepping down from the board at sionally. This effort is being spearheaded by Museum Director, Alan Dethe conclusion of the biannual board meeting being held virtually Maison. You may have met Alan at the Virtual Museum table during the in late July. Some of the current officers wish to continue on the FOHBC 2015 Chattanooga National Antique Bottle Show last August. board until the elections are officially held in 2021. This will be Federation member Alicia Booth, is heading up the nomination process for the election of all Federation officers including the President, a great time to fulfill discussions around and strategize a possible restructure of board positions. Times have changed and positions Vice President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Business Manager, Membership have evolved. Technology has become a centric component of Director, Public Relations Director, Conventions Director, Historian, Merchandising Director, Directors-at-Large (3), and Region Directors (4). These elections occur every two years. Any officer may run for successive terms. This committee has prepared a slate of nominations for each office and is listed below. It is important to note that any member desiring to run for any office in the Federation may file a nomination form with the Election Committee (in accordance with procedures approved by the membership and instituted by the Election Committee) indicating the office they desire to run for. The deadline for filing this is April 1st 2016. We have seen successful campaigns by our memberexecuting on our mission. These changes require a new way of ship before so if you want to run for a position, please let Alicia know. thinking and a new approach to the organization and the board to You and reach her at this email address, alicia@cis-houston.org. You will be receiving a ballot for voting so please take the time to vote. better serve the hobby. John O’Neill will be moving into the role of President after the biannual meeting this upcoming summer to President: Ferdinand Meyer V FOHBC Candidates see the organization into the future. I am more than confident that Houston, Texas First Vice President: Here is the slate of FOHBC recommended candidates John will do an excellent job. Sheldon Baugh Russellville, Kentucky put forth by the nominating This has been an interesting time to be on the FOHBC board Second Vice President: Gene Bradberry Bartlett, Tennessee committee (Alicia Booth, Chairperson) for 2014 - 2016. The slate is being put forth for during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to take a moment to pause and express my condoSecretary: James Berry your consideration and anyone lences to those who have lost friends and family over the past few Johnsville, New York Treasurer: Gary Beatty desiring to run for office may be nominated by going to the website and printing out a months. It has been a difficult time for us all as we reflect on the lives of some really amazing people that contributed a great deal North Port, Florida nomination form. Then, mail or to this hobby. I am sure many of us share these same sentiments. Historian: Jim Bender Sprakers, New York email to Alicia Booth, 11502 Burgoyne Drive, Houston, Texas 77077. alicia@cis-houston.org The writing of this final message has been a great time to reflect Editor: Martin Van Zant Closing date for nominations back on the growth and challenges over the last few years as Danville, Indiana Merchandising Director: Val Berry is April 1, 2016 at midnight. Additional nominations will be printed alongside the slate serving as the FOHBC president. I can’t help but think of all the countless people I have had an opportunity to meet. I am thankful Johnsville, New York proposed by the nominating for all those who have reach out and expressed their thoughts and Membership Director: Linda Sheppard committee and will be listed in the May-June 2016 issue wisdom, and thankful for the friendships that have formed. of BOTTLES and EXTRAS along Sprakers, New York Conventions Director: Louis Fifer Brunswick, Ohio with a short bio of each candidate. I am also incredibly grateful for my wife who has served beside me on the board this term. She is really the driving force behind Business Manager: Elizabeth Meyer many successful initiatives. In fact, many of our board member’s Houston, Texas spouses have stepped in to fill open positions on the board out of Director-at-Large: Bob Ferraro love and support for their partners in life. In addition to that, I am Boulder City, Nevada also thankful for those who have agreed to serve or continue to Director-at-Large: Steve Ketcham serve for their support during these past few years . Edina, Minnesota Director-at-Large: John Pastor The past couple of years have presented a fair share of challengNew Hudson, Michigan es, both personally and professionally. I am very excited to simMidwest Region Director: Matt Lacy plify life again by being able to spend more time with my family, Austinburg, Ohio focus on my career goals, and get back to basics of collecting. I Northeast Region Director: Andrew Vuono am particularly excited about revisiting the core elements of this Stamford, Connecticut great hobby: visiting with friends, going to bottle shows, and getSouthern Region Director: Ron Hands ting out for a dig. My hope for those reading this is to remember Wilson, North Carolina to embrace the simple joys that make this hobby fun and exciting, Western Region Director: Eric McGuire and to enjoy the aspects that make collecting great for you. Stay Petaluma, California safe, be well, and I will see you at the next show!