Sigma Alpha Iota

SAI-NATIONAL.ORG SUMMER 2015 PAN PIPES 5 OUR NORTH CAROLINA HOME I n addition to great regional classical and opera companies, Asheville is home to the SAI National Headquarters., which celebrated ten years at its Tunnel Road location on June 12, the 112th anniversary of SAI's founding. SAI EXECUTIVE OFFICE From Sigma Alpha Iota, A History by K Marie Stolba: Sigma Alpha Iota had no central office until 1926 when National President Gertrude Stein set up an administrative office in her home. A National Executive Office was formally established by the fraternity in 1931, and the "Executive Secretary" position was added to the roster of national officers. ere was a "Secretary" also. Since 1931, the fraternity has had only three National Executive Secretaries: Mildred Odell Sale (1931–56), Dorothy Cooke Whinery (1956–92), and Ruth Sieber Johnson (1992–present). In addition to having considerable business experience, all of those ladies were endowed with exceptional musical talent and had become members of Sigma Alpha Iota when they were in college. is was an added boon for they knew and understood all aspects of the fraternity. In 2002, the "National Executive Secretary" position was renamed "Executive Director." Only the title of the position was changed; the responsibilities and duties of the position remain the same. Ruth Sieber Johnson is Sigma Alpha Iota's Executive Director. During the first six years of Sigma Alpha Iota's existence, Alpha Chapter retained all important papers and all materials pertinent to the fraternity in general. Items of concern to the individual chapters were kept in the respective chapters' files. When Sigma Alpha Iota attained national status, the preservation of items of national significance was considered the responsibility of the National President and National Secretary — by design both officers were chosen from the same chapter — and the National Treasurer handled all financial and bookkeeping matters. e fact that between 1909 and 1922 the elected national officers served for one-year terms and the offices rotated among the chapters meant that the national files, ledgers, and other records had no permanent home but were moved annually to the residence of the current National President. Over the years, as the fraternity expanded, the National President's workload increased. e extent to which Hazel E. Ritchey involved herself in SAI national and regional affairs—e.g., visiting existing college chapters, installing new chapters, developing philanthropies, promoting good working relations with other music organizations—and the constantly increasing size of the national files, supplies, and materials caused her to request secretarial assistance. It was evident that a central location was needed to house membership records, installation equipment, supplies, etc. with some clerical personnel to dispense those supplies and to keep a record of day-to-day transactions. At the 1926 convention held at Appleton, WI, on October 9–13, the delegates voted that an Executive Office was to be established wherever the National President is located and that all national supplies and materials would be kept there. Accordingly, in October 1926, Miss Ritchey rented (for $50 per month) a small upstairs apartment in the house in which she and her mother lived, equipped it as an office, and hired a part-time secretary. (at secretary, Alice Waite, was not a member of Sigma Alpha Iota. Her salary was $90 per month.) us, a "National Central Office" was established at 310 S. Fieenth St., Lincoln, Nebraska. Miss Ritchey frequently referred to this as the "'National Administrative Office." … Aer Hazel E. Ritchey's unexpected death in 1931, Mildred Odell Sale … was appointed National Executive Secretary. She and National President Gertrude Evans traveled to Lincoln to inventory the SAI fraternity materials, to box them for shipment, and to arrange for their transfer to Mildred's home at 3601 N. West 19, Oklahoma City, OK. ere Mildred set up the fraternity's first "National Executive Office." … From 1931 until autumn 1956, Mildred was SAI's National Executive Secretary. At first, the Executive Office was in the Sale home in Oklahoma City. In the 1940s, the Sales moved to Texas so that [husband] Clarence could teach mathematics at Texas Christian University and later at Southern Methodist University, and the SAI Executive Office moved with them — to their residence at 7612 Bryn Mawr in Dallas. … When Dorothy Whinery became National Executive Secretary, the National Executive Office was moved to the basement of her home in Des Moines: 1447 57th Street. ere was an office staff of three in addition to the Executive Secretary. As the fraternity continued to expand, larger business quarters were needed, and in 1967 the office was moved to [leased office space] 4119 Rollins Avenue in the Roosevelt Shopping Center opposite the Des Moines Community eatre. [When Dorothy Whinery retired] e office moved to Asheville on Aug. 15, 1992 upon the hiring of Ruth Sieber Johnson as SAI's executive director. ... e new national office functioned out of downtown Asheville's Public Service Building before relocating to its own structure on February 12, 2005. ... A dedication ceremony was held June 12, 2005, including representatives of both the National Executive Board and the Philanthropies Board; ... and Dr. Carl Mumpower, the vice- mayor of Asheville. e event was a culmination of the efforts by the SAI building search committee; Daryle J. Gardner-Bonneau, Virginia A. Johnson, Meliné & Dr. Berge Markarian, Jerry Anne & Tom Singletary, and Arlene Veron. The History of SAI National Headquarters

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