Greetings from the San Diego Branch National Director

Dear San Diego SAG Members,

It was great to see so many of you at the last general membership meeting — a packed house! I wish I could say it was all for me, but I know in fact it was all about our very special guest, Ken Howard. Thank you for allowing me to pinch hit for your San Diego Branch President Marty Alvillar, who was called away for work. We have come to count on the jubilant camaraderie our annual December meeting provides, as we shared dinner, saw old — I mean familiar — faces, exchanged information, and partook of those wonderful door prizes.

Now about our very special guest: It was a great honor and pleasure to introduce our national president of Screen Actors Guild, Ken Howard. President Howard was very generous with his time as he spoke candidly about the important issues affecting all actors. He spoke about the G1 Group for One Union, and how we have progressed on the necessary steps to bring our two great unions, SAG and AFTRA, together, and answered every member's question. We are so very close to an important milestone in SAG’s history, as the opportunity for protection of all performers under one union approaches reality.

Soon, the national boards of both SAG and AFTRA will be presented with the details of the merger plan for approval. If passed by the boards, this information will then be passed along to you, our members. It is a very exciting time to be involved in this union! The membership will have the ultimate power over the direction of this union, and I know you’ll make the right decisions.

I hope you find this New Year full of optimism and good health. Once again, thank you for affording me the opportunity to act as your representative. I truly appreciate acting on your behalf. And while I’m at it, many thanks to your San Diego Council and Branch Executive Director Steve Clinton for all the hard work and continuous effort in serving and promoting the San Diego Branch.

Finally, I want to give a tremendous thank you to National President Ken Howard for his leadership and vision for the future for Screen Actors Guild, and for his visit to the San Diego Branch and foregoing other obligations during the very busy month of December. My gratitude!

Yours very truly,
Don Ahles
National Director, San Diego Regional Branch

 
Ken Howard addresses members.

 
First photo, Lorenzo Rodriguez, Lexie Wells and Leticia Cannon reading off the winners of the door prize raffle. Second photo, a winner claims her prize.

 
First photo, moment of silence at the meeting. Second photo, it was a full house of Branch members.