March 8, 2005 -- At the annual meeting of Memphis Heritage, Inc. held at the Historic Nineteenth Century Club on Union Ave., the membership approved the new nominees to the board of Directors for the non-profit preservation organization. New members were elected to fill recently opened positions on the board. The new members included:
Kim Shaw Brisco of Brisco Communications, who has a great local reputation in communications, public relations and marketing, with a number of awards. She has recently been doing projects with STAX Museum and Uptown, and has had much experience serving on boards.
David Early, the gentleman who came up with the name “Preservation Posse” a couple of years ago, ended up becoming “sheriff” of the Posse and has been in charge of collecting items for this year’s Architectural Auction.
Neely Woodson, who was instrumental in saving Eureka Hotel – together with her mom whom June West had grown up with in Arkansas. Her passion about saving things might be indicated by her being ready to chain herself to the old hotel.
Ellen Dolich, new to Memphis from San Francisco, has worked in and founded nonprofits, and has worked in publishing, media, graphics, and fundraising.
Robert Tom, who has recently joined the architecture program at the University of Memphis, was previously a professor at Southwest Tennessee Community College, with degrees from Tulane University and from the University of Pennsylvania. He also designed and developed the Memphis Design Center, an adaptive reuse of the Old Taystee Bread factory on Madison Avenue. He is a 24-year resident of Memphis, and is married with three children.
Steve Levy, who graduated from Law School at the University of Memphis, sold commercial real estate, and has been very active downtown for a long time, including with the Center for Southern Folklore.
Board member Jim Lutz was elected for a second term. Other board members include Gwen Bush, Susan Caldwell, Stephen Hawks, Karen Lebovitz, Carl Raff, and James Rout III. New officers for the 2005-2006 year are Marty Gorman, President, Alison England, Vice President, Jean Beard, Treasurer, Toni Johnson, Secretary and Past President John Griffin.
Committee chairman presented their reports, including Linda Lapinski (Education Committee), Jean Beard (Publications Committee), and Alison England (Development Committee). Jean Beard also presented the Treasurer’s report.
June West, Executive Director,
gave a state of the agency report and announced a major endowment program being
developed for the coming year titled "the three for thirty" as part of
the agency's 30th year anniversary.
New president Marty Gorman introduced his neighbor and friend Lettie Brooks Proctor, the last living member of the Brooks [Museum] family. “I’m so proud of Marty. I feel like I’m his mother tonight,” she exclaimed.
June West introduced Nancy Walker, host for the Nineteenth Century Club.
A rare surviving example of Colonial Revival, the three-story house at 1433 Union Avenue was built in 1907 by a lumberman named Rowland Jones Darnell, with wood and marble imported from England, France, and Italy. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.