ABC Officers/Directors

The Association for Business Communication is governed by the Board of Directors, which includes the Executive Committee, a Vice President from each of the nine regions, and six Directors at Large.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is comprised of the President, the Vice President, the Immediate Past President, and the Executive Director of the Association.

President, Patricia Harms

Vice President, Christopher Toth

Past President, Judith Ainsworth

Executive Director, Kathryn Rybka

ABC Past Presidents at the
2023 Annual Conference

Regional Vice Presidents

The Regional Vice Presidents are responsible for representing the best interests of members from their regions at all meetings of the Board and for fostering the objectives of the Association among members from their regions.

Asia and the Pacific, Misa Fujio

Canada, Valerie Creelman

Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America,
Ana Lucia Magalhaes

Europe, Africa, and Middle East,
Marlies Whitehouse

Eastern U.S., Nancy Mahon

Midwestern U.S., Marcy Orwig

Southeastern U.S., Barbara Bolt

Southwestern U.S., Lindsay Clark

Western U.S., Ann Springer and Scott Springer

Directors at Large

The Directors at Large are responsible for representing the best interests of members at all meetings of the Board and for executing the objectives of the Association by serving on ad-hoc committees and spreading awareness of the Association.

William Christopher Brown

Greet Angèle De Baets

Christina McDowell

Leslie Ramos Salazar

Leslie Seawright

Lisa Gueldenzoph Snyder

Leadership History

Executive Directors

2011–2021James M. "Jim" DubinskyVirginia Tech

2006–2011Betty S. JohnsonStephen F. Austin State University

1994–2006Robert MyersBaruch College

1990–1994John D. Pettit, Jr.University of North Texas

1984–1990Robert D. GieselmanUniversity of Illinois

1957–1984Francis W. WeeksUniversity of Illinois

1935–1957Chester R. "Andy" AndersonUniversity of Illinois

Past Presidents

ABC Presidents (1985–current)

2023–2024Judith AinsworthMcGill University

2022D. Joel WhalenDePaul University

2020–2021Geert JacobsGhent University

2019Marcel RoblesEastern Kentucky University

2018Lisa Gueldenzoph SnyderNorth Carolina A & T University

2017Deborah RoebuckKennesaw State University

2016Bertha Du-BabcockCity University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2015Peter W. CardonUniversity of Southern California

2014Kathryn RentzUniversity of Cincinnati

2013Nancy SchulleryWestern Michigan University

2012Hiromitsu HayashidaChuo University, Japan

2011Gerry HynesSam Houston State University

2010Deborah ValentineEmory University

2009James M. "Jim" DubinskyVirginia Tech

2008Roger ConawayUniversity of Texas at Tyler

2007Jacqueline HarrisonUNITEC Institute of Technology

2006Marsha BaylessStephen F. Austin State University

2005Randy BarkerVirginia Commonwealth University

2004Linda BeamerCalifornia State University at Los Angeles

2003Marie FlatleySan Diego State University

2002Barbara ShwomNorthwestern University

2001Iris VarnerIllinois State University

2000Lamar ReinschGeorgetown University

1999Josephine ChargoisHoward University

1998Betty JohnsonStephen F. Austin State University

1997David VictorEastern Michigan University

1996Daphne JamisonCornell University

1995Kitty LockerOhio State University

1994Jeanette GilsdorfCalifornia State University at Long Beach

1993Bernadine BranchawWestern Michigan University

1992Ray BeswickSyncrude Canada Ltd.

1991Bob MyersBaruch College

1990Gretchen VikSan Diego State University

1989John PenroseSan Diego State University

1988Glen PearceVirginia Commonwealth University

1987David BatemanSouthern Illinois University

1986Lois BachmanCommunity College of Philadelphia

1985Patricia WellsOregon State University

ABCA Presidents (1984–1969)

1984Phillip V. LewisAbilene Christian University

1983Herbert W. HildebrandtUniversity of Michigan

1982Larry D. HartmanZenith Data Systems, Chicago

1981E. Rennie CharlesRyerson Polytechnic Institute, Canada

1980Lilian O. FeinbergIowa State University

1979John D. Pettit, Jr.North Texas State University

1978Lucian SpataroOhio University

1977Arno KnapperUniversity of Kansas

1976John W. GouldUniversity of Southern California

1975Jean VoylesGeorgia State University

1974William J. Lord, Jr.University of Texas at Austin

1973Leland BrownEastern Michigan University

1972William A. DamerstPennsylvania State University

1971Morris P. WolfUniversity of Houston

1970Karl M. MurphyGeorgia Institute of Technology

1969Richard S. PerryEastern Oregon University

American Business Writing Association Presidents (1968–1937) · Chairman (1936)

1968Michael PorteUniversity of Cincinnati

1967Robert D. HayUniversity of Arkansas

1966Homer CoxUniversity of Colorado

1965Virgil HarderWashington University

1964Norman B. SigbandDePaul University

1963Dorothea ChandlerSyracuse University

1962Frank DevlinJohn Carroll University

1961Raymond V. LesikarLouisiana State University

1960Doris SponsellerOhio University

1959E. Glenn GriffinPurdue University

1958Erwin M. KeithleyUniversity of California, Los Angeles

1957R. C. GerfenNorthwestern University

1956K. B. HorningUniversity of Oklahoma

1955Sally B. MayburyUniversity of Vermont

1954C. W. WilkensonMichigan State University

1954John BallMiami University

1953Lyda McHenry ChamberlinWayne State University

1951J. H. MenningUniversity of Alabama

1950J. H. MenningUniversity of Alabama (served 2 years when changing to calendar year)

1949J. H. JanisNew York University

1948A. L. CosgroveUniversity of Oklahoma

1947C. C. ParkhurstBoston University

1946L. W. McKelveyNorthwestern University

1943–1945W. H. ButterfieldUniversity of Oklahoma (served 3 years during WWII)

1942Roy DavisBoston University

1941Alta Gwinn SaundersUniversity of Illinois

1940W. P. BoydUniversity of Texas

1939R. R. AurnerUniversity of Wisconsin

1938E. J. KilduffNew York University

1937C. R. "Chesty" Anderson (chairman)University of Illinois

1936C. R. "Chesty" Anderson (chairman)University of Illinois