Elections for 2025 & 2026
|
AGS Officers and Board Members hold offices for 2 years and one-half of the offices are elected/re-elected every year. The elected officers will assume their positions January 1st.
Positions on the Ballot at the end of this even year (i.e., Fall 2024) will serve for the 2025 & 2026 years and the offices include President, Secretary, Eastern Region Vice President & 1 Director for each region (Eastern, Central and Western). The vote can be done online or by mailing in the ballot on this page (or the copy in the Fall issue of The Gourd Magazine).
President: Vote for Reagan Bitler or Write-In an Alternate President Candidate. Reagan Bitler, Pennsylvania (Incumbent) Reagan Bitler has been the AGS president since 2019. Reagan served as president of the PA gourd society and chairperson of their annual gourd festival for 5 years. Reagan is a recently retired teacher and is now a full-time artist and studio owner. One of Reagan’s goals for AGS in his last term was to focus on how it can support the growth of its chapters. To meet that goal, Reagan established teams to provide educational and informational materials to chapters to help them achieve their goals. As chapters succeed, so will AGS. Reagan’s life is consumed with his gourd art business (Godahaovm Gourds LLC) and his new gallery and artists' studios (Creatives on King). He has built his own space to create and inspire. Secretary: Vote for Terry Noxel or Write-In an Alternate Secretary Candidate. Terry Noxel, New York (Incumbent) Terry Noxel has held various positions in the AGS. She is a past-president of PA and NYS gourd societies. Terry has been the AGS Secretary since 2019. In the past Terry has been AGS Treasurer and Ads Manager. Currently, in addition to being Secretary, she is also the AGS webmaster and magazine coordinator. Terry’s life philosophy can be described as “when you see something that needs to be done, be part of the team that does something about it.” This can be seen in action as she serves on numerous AGS teams and committees, including Leadership, Education, Pure Seed/Gourd Growing, Judging and Jim Story Award. Terry is also one of the AGS Facebook moderators, manages several web-based applications for AGS and is the “Girl Friday” for other AGS officers and programs. ***VOTE ACCORDING TO YOUR REGION*** Eastern Region VP President: Vote for Judi Fleming or Write-In an Alternate 1st VP Candidate. Judi Fleming, North Carolina (Incumbent) Judi Fleming has been an active member of AGS for some twenty-plus years and has been a vice president in the AGS since 2014, advancing from 2nd VP to 1st VP in 2019 when Reagan vacated that position to fulfill the position of president. Judi is currently president of the North Carolina Chapter, a position she held in the past as well. In service to AGS, she has been a long-time member on the Judging Committee and has been instrumental in producing educational materials for that committee. Judi also is involved in outreach to chapter presidents as a member of the Chapter Relations Committee and a member of an ad hoc committee to brainstorm how AGS and chapters can support small gourd/supply vendors being adversely impacted by the cancellation of gourd shows and workshops this year. Eastern Region Director: Vote for Troy Tatum, or Write-In an Alternate Director Candidate. Troy Tatum, Georgia (Incumbent) Troy majored in art at Georgia State University and spent 40 years in the graphic arts/printing industry. After retiring he resides in Griffin, Georgia with his wife Ellen. It was Ellen who introduced him to gourd art at the 2007 Gourd Gathering in Cherokee. Troy is infatuated with the gourd as a canvas. Pyrography and carving have become his preferred gourd techniques and he often combines other techniques with them to create his gourd designs. In the past few years, the majority of his gourd art has been projects he could teach to others. He has taught at the Gourd Gathering since 2009 and teaches gourd art at patch meetings and gourd shows all around the south. “Gourd art is only limited by our imagination and our imagination is enhanced by the possibilities that gourds present.” Troy has served as a director for the Georgia Gourd Society and the show chair for the Georgia Gourd Society’s annual gourd show, GourdFest for the past ten years and is currently serving as president of the Georgia Gourd Society. He is a member of the Flint River Gourders and the Griffin Spalding Art Association. He is also a member of the Alabama Gourd Society, Florida Gourd Society, South Carolina Gourd Society and a member and Certified Judge/Instructor of the American Gourd Society. Central Director: Vote for Pam Balog or Write-In an Alternate Director Candidate. Pam Balog, Tennessee (New) Pam Balog grew up in the Detroit, Michigan area and moved to Cleveland, Tennessee in 2002. "My journey with gourds began in 2018 when I signed up for and completed the Master Gardener program in Bradley County. Celia Shaneyfelt was my mentor for the Master Gardener program and spurred my interest in gourds. She and Tom have encouraged my artwork and love of gourds. I've dabbled in acrylic canvas art and watercolors in the past and also ceramics but have, for the most part, focused entirely on gourds for the past few years and love creating both functional pieces and fun pieces. When I'm not gourding, I am a Clinical Quality Consultant for United Healthcare in their Regulatory Adherence and Accreditation department, which is a lot less fun than playing with gourds. I have been married for 31 years to a wonderful guy who encourages (or rather puts up with) my art endeavors, even when that means random paints, tools, and gourd dust is all over my house. I have a grown son and an 11 year old granddaughter. The latter, I'm turning into a "gourder" too. Besides doing gourd art I garden, sometimes tutor kids in elementary school level reading & English, and occasionally coach girls’ softball. I am also owned by 3 dogs, 3 cats, 1 kitten, a pair of cockatiels who are my work assistants, 2 goats, 8 hens, and one magnificent rooster. There is NEVER a dull moment in my home and I wouldn't have it any other way." Western Director: Nominate and Write-In a Candidate |
How to Vote:
or To vote by mail
Nominating Committee
Marla Garber, TX Terry Noxel, NY Teller Committee AGS Officers Dallas Lunsford, IN 
Positions that are on the Ballot
President Secretary Eastern Region VP Eastern Region Director 3 Central Region Director Western Region Director |