SAG-AFTRA Celebrates Ken Howard, Dedicates Membership Center In His Honor

SAG-AFTRA has dedicated its membership center in honor of its late president, Ken Howard. In an April 21 ceremony, the union’s leaders marked the dedication of the Ken Howard Membership Center at SAG-AFTRA Plaza. Howard's widow, Linda Howard, attended the dedication along with SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris, Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon, Secretary-Treasurer Jane Austin, National Executive Director David White, National Honors and Tributes Committee Chair Jenny O’Hara and committee vice chairs Kevin Scullin and Don Ahles, and National Board members.

The Ken Howard Membership Center is a resource center created for the union’s members, where they can use computers, get their questions answered and find out about upcoming events.

“Renaming the center after Ken Howard was the perfect tribute to a leader who was dedicated to his members,” said Carteris. “Ken’s vision and hard work in uniting SAG and AFTRA helped pave the way for many of the accomplishments we have achieved today.”

Howard’s widow recalled how much her husband loved the union, calling it “the finest work he’d ever done.” White and Carteris also spoke at length about Howard’s dedication to the union’s members as well as his love of mentoring young people.

Howard, who died March 23, 2016, while serving as the merged union’s first elected leader, was instrumental in the merger of Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA.

From left, SAG-AFTRA National Honors and Tributes Committee co-chair Don Ahles; Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Ilyssa Fradin; Vice President, Los Angeles Clyde Kusatsu; National Executive Director David White; Linda Howard; Vice President, New York Mike Hodge; SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris; Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon; Vice President, Small Locals David Hartley-Margolin; Secretary-Treasurer Jane Austin; Vice President, Broadcasters Catherine Brown; Committee co-chair Kevin Scullin; and Committee Chair Jenny O’Hara attend the Ken Howard Membership Center Dedication on April 21, at SAG-AFTRA Plaza in Los Angeles. Photo by Arayna Eison/SAG-AFTRA.

From left, SAG-AFTRA National Honors and Tributes Committee co-chairs Don Ahles and Kevin Scullin; National Executive Director David White; President Gabrielle Carteris; Committee Chair Jenny O’Hara; Linda Howard; Executive Vice President Rebecca Damon; and Secretary-Treasurer Jane Austin participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony during the dedication of the Ken Howard Membership Center. Photo by Arayna Eison/SAG-AFTRA.