PAST PRESIDENTS’ ANNUAL DINNER by Lisa Y. Settles In her waning moments as President of the Baltimore County Bar Association, Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Vicki Ballou-Watts, along with members of the BCBA Executive Council, hosted the 26 th Annual Past Presidents’ Dinner at the Baltimore Country Club on July 13, 2016. The balmy summer evening and picturesque setting provided the perfect backdrop for this year’s festive gathering. In addition to providing a time for laughter, gentle bantering, picture taking and story-
telling, the Past Presidents’ Dinner offered a unique opportunity for former presidents of the BCBA and current members of the Executive Council to reminisce about the organization’s past, discuss its current needs and trends and envision how it may best serve its members in the future. During dinner, Judge Ballou-Watts thanked each of the past presidents for their dedicated commitment to the organization, offering special gratitude to Stephen J. Nolan and Debra G. Schubert for their role in involving her in leadership in the Association. Judge Ballou-Watts also expressed her appreciation for the opportunity to serve as President and challenged everyone to continue their efforts to ensure that the BCBA remains collegial, embraces technology and lives up to its reputation of being “the best bar association” in the state, if not the nation. She ended her remarks with a reminder of the need for the BCBA to always provide a welcoming invitation to membership.
THE ADVOCATE
As the evening drew to a close, the mantle of leadership passed from Judge Ballou-Watts to Robert J. Thompson who officially had assumed the role as the Association President on July 1, 2016. BCBA presidents and Executive Council members attending the dinner included: (L-R) Robert J. Romadka, President, 1976; Retired Judge Lawrence R. Daniels, President, 1997-1998; Robert J. Thompson, President, 2016-2017; Lisa Y. Settles, Executive Council; Retired Judge J. Norris Byrnes,
President, 1995-1996; T. Wray McCurdy, President, 2014-2015; C. William Clark, President, 2009-2010; John G. Turnbull III, Executive Council; Judge Philip N. Tirabassi, President, 2013-2014; Michael W. Siri, Executive Council; William A. Hahn Jr., President, 1992-1993; Judge Keith R. Truffer, Executive Council; John B. Gontrum, President, 2004-2005; Stanford G. Gann Jr., Executive Council; Dana O. Williams, President, 2008-2009; Judge Vicki BallouWatts, President 2015-2016; Edward J. Gilliss, President, 2011-2012; Judge John J. Nagle III, President, 2000-2001; Alan R. L. Bussard, President 2007-2008; Retired Judge Charles E. Foos III, President, 1994-1995; Retired Judge John G. Turnbull II, President, 1993-1994; John W. Nowicki, President, 2003-2004; Retired Judge John O. Hennegan, President, 1998-1999; David D. Downes, President, 1979; Alexander C. Steeves, Executive Council; Stephen J. Nolan, President, 2002-2003; Magistrate C. Theresa Beck, President, 1999-2000; Myles F. Friedman, President, 1988-1989.
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November 2016