Patrick Quinn, a 30-year member of Actors' Equity Association, has been elected the organization's new national president. The veteran Broadway actor ran unopposed. [See interview in box story to left.]
The union's voting members also chose from 32 other candidates running for 24 other officer and council positions.
Active in his role as first v.p., Quinn is currently serving as Equity-member chair on the union's negotiating team for the production contract which expires June 25. He also joined Alan Eisenberg, the union's executive director, in a recent visit to Las Vegas-a research trip to determine if Equity might start representing performers in musical theatre productions.
Quinn, who has served on a plethora of union committees, called in his candidate's statement for adding family coverage and a 401k plan to the union's benefits packages.
He also emphasized that, "If contractual negotiations do not proceed in our favor, we must not be afraid to strike! Mass terminations, and the injuries caused by raked stages and smoke and fog, must end!"
OFFICER POSITIONS
A full slate of officers have been elected. Joining Quinn are:
First Vice-President: Mark Zimmerman, an Equity member since 1976, has served as a principal councilor for 11 years, and six years as a pension-and-health trustee. He's currently serving as first vice-chair of the union's negotiating team for the production contract.
Second Vice-President: Jean-Paul Richard defeated Richard Warren Pugh. Richard, an Equity member since '72, has served as a chorus councilor since '91, and has served on several union committees.
Third Vice-President: Alan Hall, who ran unopposed, has been a stage manager since 1958, a union member since '62, and seen two stints as a stage-manager councilor, from '83-'91 and '95 to the present. He is currently serving on the production contracts negotiating team.
Secretary-Treasurer: Conard Fowkes, the unopposed incumbent, has also served on several Equity contract committees, including production, Off-Broadway, and LORT.
Eastern Regional V.P.: Arne Gunderson defeated Laird Stuart. Gunderson, the incumbent, was nominated by the union's nominating committee.
Central Regional V.P.: Madeleine Fallon, the incumbent, ran unopposed. A Chicago resident, she has served six terms in the position, and also as deputy trustee of the pension and health fund.
Western Regional V.P.: Incumbent Carol Swarbrick also was unopposed. The Los Angeles resident has served on several contract committees, including production, LORT, and stock.
EASTERN REGION COUNCIL
Principal Category: Twelve candidates ran for the seven open seats in the principal category for the Eastern region. The winners are: Hal Blankenship, Joel Carlton, Nicole Flender, Dana Ivey, Bob Knapp, Maureen Moore, and Judy Rice. This will be Ivey's first term. All other Eastern winners are incumbents. Marty McDonough won the chorus term and Sandra M. Bloom the stage manager. All terms are for five years.
Central region council winners were Dev Kennedy (five-year chorus term) and Malcolm Ewen (five-year stage-manager term).
Western region council winners were Vernon Willet and Gary Montgomery (each five-year principal terms); Ed Badrak (one-year principal term); Craig A. Mayer (five-year chorus), and L.A. Lavin (one-year stage manager).