ACGBR holds annual meeting
Catherine Saurage, Crespo Fellowship recipient Rob Carpenter & Laurie Saurage
New board members, from left, Amanda Spain Wells, Lauren Tarver, Sabrina Galloway, Leah Marchand & Michael Nelms
The installation of new board members, election of officers and presentation of the prestigious Michael Crespo Fellowship Award topped the agenda of the annual meeting of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge May 25 at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center. Taking the oath of office were Chair Todd Sterling; Vice Chair Scott Chenevert, Secretary Creston Pickell, Treasurer Candy Wright and executive committee members James Mack, Mikki Matthews, Dai Nguyen and Deidré Deculus Robert.
This year’s Crespo award and its $5,000 check went to Rob Carpenter, who served as a professor of painting and drawing at Nicholls State University from 1991 – 2012. The award was established by Cary Saurage and the late Derek Gordon, former CEO of ACGBR, in 2011 to commemorate the life, work and dedication of the internationally recognized artist, who also served as a professor and director of the LSU School of Art. It was presented by Catherine and Laurie Saurage, nieces of Cary Saurage.
Amos Davis, who initially thought he was going to give a little bit of his time but ended up giving an enormous amount to help ensure ACGBR’s 50th anniversary MPAC was a huge success, was recognized as Volunteer of the Year. He received a piece of art purchased by ACGBR from the Derek Gordon & Rodolfo Ramirez Collection.
Sworn in as new board members were Sabrina Galloway, director of business and brand development at Galloway Group LLC.; Brace “Trey” Godfrey III, principal strategist at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber; Leah Marchand, WBRZ production director; Michael Nelms, realtor with The W Group; Amanda Spain Wells, partner at Baker Donelson; and Lauren Tarver, attorney at Jones Walker. They join returning board members Em Cooper LeBlanc, Dianne Eysink, Heather Kleinpeter, Sherri McConnell, Robyn Merrick, Micheline Millender, J. Patrick Mulhearn, Courtney M. Scott, Robert M. Stuart III, Jennifer Tormo and Bubba Willis.