Ladies and Gentlemen,
We just concluded our 2020 TAI Annual Meeting, which was conducted as a webinar in lieu of our national convention due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 299 members registered to participate; 219 joined the webinar.
Twenty-seven (27) individuals were honored and recognized as joining the Lonely Eagles Chapter during the Lonely Eagles Ceremony at the start of the webinar.
Franklin Augustus
Aug 16, 2019 (New Orleans, LA)
*Leslie Edwards
Sep 23, 2019 (Cincinnati, OH)
Dorothy Overstreet
Sep 23, 2019 (Detroit, MI)
*Roy Richardson
Dec 3, 2019 (Oakwood, OH)
*James Randall
Dec 9, 2019 (Colorado Springs, CO)
Henry Sanford
Dec 13, 2019 (Ashland, VA)
Faye McDaniel
Dec 19, 2019 (Indianapolis, IN)
Robert Rose
Dec 20, 2019 (Los Angeles, CA)
*George H. Carper
Jan 16, 2020 (St. Louis, MO)
*Theodore P. Johnson
Feb 16, 2020 (San Antonio, TX)
*Abbie Voorhies Ross Deverges
Feb 26, 2020 (North Ridge, CA)
Tyrone Chatman
Feb 27, 2020 (Detroit, MI)
*Frederick L. Henry
Mar 9, 2020 (Riverdale, GA)
William McClary
Apr 16, 2020 (Columbia, SC)
*Ralph L. Turner
Apr 17, 2020 (Las Vegas, NV)
Ruby DeMesme
Apr 20, 2020 (Myrtle Beach, SC)
*Hilton Carter
May 6, 2020 (Columbus, OH)
*Vincent C. Dean
May 11, 2020 (Trollhatten, Sweden)
James Shaw
May 19, 2020 (Lebanon, OH)
*Mazie Warren
May 25, 2020 (Huntsville, TX)
Dr. Florence Parrish St. John
May 28, 2020 (Ft Belvoir, VA)
*Stephen Lawrence
Jun 5, 2020 (Gainesville, FL)
*James Cotten
Aug 14, 2020 (Mt Holly, NJ)
Melvin B. Hall
Sep 4, 2020 (Lathrup Village, MI)
*Eugene H. Bolden
Sep 4, 2020 (Canton, MI)
Thomas O. Sherman
Sep 4, 2020 (Roseville, CA)
*Levi Thornhill
Sep 9, 2020 (Los Angeles, CA)
*Denotates a DOTA
Following my opening comments and report, the financial team (Treasurer and Financial Secretary) gave reports. They were followed by the Region President reports. The following committees also gave reports: Military Affairs, Bylaws, Finance, Fundraising, Public Relations, Heritage, Development, Membership, Noel Parrish and Awards, Nominations, Election and Balloting, and Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation. As part of the Election and Balloting Committee’s report the vendor who conducted the election, Honest Ballot, briefed the outcome of the voting.
NATIONAL OFFICERS ELECTION RESULTS
President
Leon Johnson
First Vice President
Jerry Burton
Treasurer
Stephen Matthews
Financial Secretary
Richard Baugh
Parliamentarian
Maryanne Drummond
Recording Secretary
Delores Brown
REGIONAL OFFICERS ELECTION RESULTS
Central Region President
Marv Abrams
Region Representatives
Reuben Sparks, Regina Majors, James Warren (write in) and Undine Stinnette (write in)
Eastern Region President
Quincy Magwood
Region Representatives
Willie Jones, Terence “TJ” Spann, Leon Butler, Jr. and Donel Davis
Western Region President
Rodney Gillead
Region Representatives
Lanelle Brent, Mark Dickerson, Nathaniel Roberts, and Karen Robinson (write in)
The Resolution to add a new membership category (Kindred) passed by the necessary 2/3rds vote and the 2021 Financial Plan passed by a majority vote.
The recipients of the Tuskegee Airmen Military Awards were announced by the Military Affairs Committee Director during his presentation.
2020 TAI MILITARY AWARDS
GENERAL BENJAMIN O. DAVIS, JR.
MILITARY AWARD (FGO CATEGORY)
Commander Melissa Walker (USPHS)
- Senior Program Manager
- United States Public Health Services
- Program Executive Office, Defense Healthcare Management Systems
- Arlington, Virginia
CAPTAIN ROBERT W. WILLIAMS MILITARY AWARD
(CGO CATEGORY)
Captain Maximo A. Navarro (USAF)
- Assistant Chief of Plans/F-15E Multi-Ship Lead WSO
- 335th Fighter Squadron
- Seymour-Johnson AFB, North Carolina
2020 TAI MILITARY AWARDS CONTINUED
CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT FRED ARCHER
MILITARY AWARD (SNCO CATEGORY)
Senior Master Sergeant Demetrius L. Best (USAF)
- First Sergeant
- 31st Munitions Squadron
- Aviano AB, Italy
SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT
MARGARET FRANCES BARBOUR
MILITARY AWARD (AMN-NCO CATEGORY)
Senior Airman Lakeri Washington (USAF)
- Pharmacy Technician
- 92d Medical Support Squadron
- Fairchild AFB, Washington
The Membership Committee Chair announced in her report the newest TAI Life Members.
Mr. Vernon L. Mangum
Central
Mrs. Beverly Lee Squire-Wiggins
Eastern
Ms. Joan Christian
Eastern
Mr. Franklin Killebrew
Eastern
Mr. J.C. Gardner, Jr.
Eastern
Mr. Clifton Douglas
Eastern
Mr. Barron L. Wilkins
Eastern
Mr. Mashake McConner, Jr.
Eastern
Mr. Don E. Tate
Eastern
Mr. Joseph S. Reynolds-Grant
Western
Ms. Claudia G. Bell Floyd
Eastern
Mr. William C. Hill
Eastern
Mr. Bobby Martin
Eastern
Ms. Gabrielle M. Martin
Central
Ms. Regina F. Majors
Central
Mr. Henderson Smith
Central
Ms. Ernestine Lavergne
Central
Ms. Carolyn A. Peeler
Western
Mr. Alexander E. Carothers
Western
Mr. Shelton R. Williams
Eastern
Mr. Ronald Stevens
Eastern
The Heritage Committee Chair announced the recipients of the Pioneer/Heritage Award (TAI Hall of Fame). They are Lt. Col James Harvey III, Lt. Col. Harry Stewart, and the other members of the winning team (Alva Temple and Halbert Alexander) in the Reciprocating Engine Category at the 1949 Top Gun Competition at Nellis Air Force Base.
The winners of the TAI Regional Awards were announced by the Region Presidents and the winners of the Lemuel Custis and Noel Parrish Awards were announced by the Noel Parrish and Award Committee Chair.
EASTERN REGION AWARD
Leon G. Butler
(Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Chapter)
CENTRAL REGION AWARD
Franklin J.P. Augustus aka The Drug Fighter
(Lake Charles Chapter)
WESTERN REGION AWARD
Errol I. Lewis
(Los Angeles Chapter)
LEMUEL CUSTIS AWARD
Jerome Hodge
(East Coast Chapter)
NOEL PARRISH AWARD
“T.J.” Spann
(Tidewater Chapter)
The reports of officers, committee chairs and region presidents can be found in the Tuskegee Airmen Box online at https://Tuskegeeairmen.app.box.com. All members have access to the information in the Box by using the login information below.
Website URL: https://Tuskegeeairmen.app.box.com
Email Address: Tuskegeemember@yahoo.com
Password: TAImember12!
The staff at the National Office has felt the impact of COVID-19. As an organization we are still functioning remarkably within normal parameters. I have adjusted the functioning of the National Office to accommodate social distancing, and stay in compliance with Alabama State, Macon County, and Tuskegee City governmental guidance. We were able to process the bulk of the 2020 membership renewals under these challenging circumstances. Maggie Thomas and Aletha Howard are to be commended for their demonstrated flexibility to keep the office functioning.
The 2020 Annual Meeting webinar was only possible due to the tireless efforts of several individuals. Our outgoing Executive Recording Secretary, MSgt Amani Phillips, worked to coordinate setting up the webinar, conducted training, and organized the reports, all while transitioning from her current assignment in Hawaii to her new one in Turkey. There is a thirteen-hour time differential between those two locations, which she ignored to make the webinar happen. As always, our Convention Planning Officer, Marv Abrams, was working hard behind the scenes to coordinate the run-of- show, amidst a myriad of other things.
Our 2021 Convention will be August 12-14, at the Hilton Palacio Del Rio in San Antonio, Texas. Our goal is to make the 2021 Convention outstanding with increased military participation, new sponsors, and more vendors for the exhibit area. Increased membership attendance is critical as we commemorated the accomplishments of our Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen and do the business of the organization. I hope to see many of you there.
Sincerely,
Leon A. Johnson
National President
Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
