Longtime SAG-AFTRA Executive John McGuire Receives President’s Award

LOS ANGELES — John McGuire, SAG-AFTRA’s longest-serving staff member and a leader who has been extremely influential in the union’s evolution, has been named the recipient of the President’s Award. The award coincides with the announcement of McGuire’s retirement.

“John’s contributions to SAG-AFTRA are simply immeasurable. Over the years, he has served as an endless source of knowledge, wisdom, patience and vision,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “I can say without reservation that generations of members are better off because of John’s service.”

"There are no words to express the respect and depth of appreciation we feel for John McGuire," said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White. “After more than 50 years of exceptional stewardship and service to our members, employees, the industry and the labor movement, we can scarcely imagine SAG-AFTRA without him. John is an esteemed member of our executive team, and has been a wise counselor and generous mentor to so many staff and members over the years. His shoes are impossible to fill and it is with great reluctance that we wish him a fond farewell to pursue his many other interests."

The SAG-AFTRA President’s Award celebrates someone who has given meritorious service, dedication and commitment to the membership of SAG-AFTRA and the American labor movement. McGuire is the third recipient of this honor and the first staff member to have received it.

McGuire began his tenure at the union in 1969, working as an assistant to Screen Actors Guild New York Branch Executive Director Harold Hoffman, and took over for his boss when Hoffman retired in 1975. He continued to distinguish himself, this time in a national leadership role, as SAG’s associate national executive director from 1982 to 2001.

In 2001, McGuire was named SAG senior advisor and was instrumental in negotiating the union’s contracts, duties he continued after the 2012 merger with AFTRA. On the occasion of the merger, McGuire was presented an honorary membership card — the final card issued by the Guild — as a way to honor his service. He would collect his second membership card at the SAG-AFTRA national convention in 2017 — this time a gold one — in the form of the George Heller Memorial Award for service above and beyond the call of duty. In 2018, McGuire was one of five recipients of the 2018 DGA Honors for his tireless work on behalf of all entertainment and media industry workers. 

McGuire has also served as a trustee of the SAG-AFTRA Health Plan and the SAG-Producers Pension Plan; a board member of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and the Industry Advancement & Cooperative Fund; a vice president of FIA;  the vice president and founding director of the Museum of the Moving Image; the president of the Council of Motion Picture & Television Unions of New York City; the secretary of the Motion Picture Players Welfare Fund; and the general vice president of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, among others.

Past recipients of the President’s Award are former Screen Actors Guild President Richard Masur and New York Local President Mike Hodge.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other entertainment and media professionals. SAG-AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. A proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA has national offices in Los Angeles and New York and local offices nationwide representing members working together to secure the strongest protections for entertainment and media artists into the 21st century and beyond. Visit SAG-AFTRA online at SAGAFTRA.org.