Chuck Parker Re-Elected To Art Directors Guild’s Top Post

David Robb
·3 min read

Chuck Parker has been re-elected national executive director of the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800. Three years ago, he ran unopposed, but this year four challengers were on the ballot.

With 391 votes, Parker handily defeated former guild president Thomas Walsh, who received 171 votes; former guild president Mimi Gramatky, who got 114 votes; Susan Largent, a member of the guild for more than 20 years, who received 91 votes, and Marcia Hinds, a former member of the guild’s executive board, who received 39 votes.

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In a surprise upset, Joel Cohen, the guild’s field rep for the past five years, defeated Parker’s ally, who goes by the name dooner, in his bid to be re-elected associate national executive director. In that race, Cohen received 421 votes to dooner’s 388.

The Art Directors Guild is unusual in that it’s the only Hollywood guild with national jurisdiction that elects its top executive officer – the result of a 2016 Department of Labor ruling that found that its national executive director is an “officer” and not an “employee,” thus requiring an election by the members. That’s how Parker first got elected to the post in 2016, defeating longtime incumbent Scott Roth, who had never before stood for election but was appointed by the executive board for 18 years.

In his campaign statement, Parker said he was running on his record over the past six years, and on his support for IATSE’s past two film and TV contacts, including last year’s narrowly ratified pact that was approved by two-thirds of the guild’s voting members.

“In both of those negotiations, we were able to significantly increase contribution levels into our benefit plans,” Parker wrote. “It was those increases achieved during the 2018 negotiations that allowed us to fund the critical, Covid-19 health insurance eligibility extensions. In 2021, we made historic gains in Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plan contribution levels for on-call employees as well as supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and health & safety initiatives that will change the industry. We built alliances with other locals that will serve us in future negotiations and beyond.”

“I am pleased ADG 800 members have recognized the accomplishments and leadership of national executive director Chuck Parker in this election,” said Nelson Coates, the guild’s national president. “I look forward to continuing our work together on behalf of our 3,100 members to build an even stronger guild. I also wish to thank outgoing associate national executive director dooner for his years of service and welcome incoming associate national executive director Joel Cohen to the ADG staff.”

In the guild’s other elections, Evan Rohde, AD Council chair and board member, Susan Bolles, Council vice chair, Nikki Rudloff, Council secretary, Oana B. Miller, treasurer; and Mark Worthington and Dina Lipton, ADG board members, and Korey Washington and Michele Yu as Council members, were named to serve on the Art Directors Council.

Members of the Illustrators, Storyboard Artists and Matte Artists Craft voted for Tim Wilcox as their Council chair, Jarid Boyce as Council vice chair, Casey Bernay, Council treasurer and Chris Brandt and Fae Corrigan as Council members.

Set Designers and Model Makers Craft members voted for the following: Kristen Davis as their Council chair and board member, Adriana Dardas as Council vice chair, Carol Bentley as Council secretary and Marco Miehe as Council treasurer. Member seats went to Rebecca Coulter and Sam Ogden.

Members of the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Craft voted for Clint Schultz as Council chair and Board member and TJ Searl as Council vice chair. Alex Maziekien and Eric Rosenberg were voted onto the ADG board, with Johnny LeBlanc and Anastasia Sergeeva elected as members of the STG Council.

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