History of NATS

The 2000s

President Roy Delp 2000-2002 (Pro Tem 1999-2000)

• Kathleen Spillane Wilson resigned as Editor of Journal of Singing. Richard J. Sjoerdsma named Editor in 2001.
• Edward Baird, President of the NATS Foundation and former NATS President, died on August 2, 2000. Louis Lerch elected President.
• ICVT V held in Helsinki, Finland, August 13-17, 2001.
• Susan Grizzard joined the NATS staff in November 2001. Susan Currently serves as Membership Services Coordinator.
• In celebration of former President Louis Nicholas’ 90th birthday and his extended service to NATS, a certificate for free lifetime convention registration was approved.
• William Vessels began as full-time Executive Director in May 2002 following his retirement from Jacksonville University.

President William McIver 2002-2003

• The National Executive Office moved to a newer, more secure, and larger facility.
• The board approved gradually adjusting the budget to allow for the hiring of a full-time Executive Director no later than 2006.
• Dues raised in two stages and by 2006 member dues became $80 for U.S. Members and $90 for Canadian and international members. Regional allocations were raised to $8 per member.
• McIver advocated stronger communication between the NATS Foundation and NATS.
• McIver submitted his resignation as President on September1, 2003 due to ill health. McIver died September 15, 2003 of pancreatic cancer.

President Pro Tem Roy Delp 2003-2004

• Past-President Delp assumed the role of President per the bylaws. He also served as Director of the Intern Program and Chair of the Nominating Committee.
• The board approved the process of the President-Elect submitting all appointments for his/her term of office for the board ratification at the convention board meeting.
• NATS membership surpassed 6,000!

President Jane Dillard 2004-2006

• William Vessels announced his retirement effective December 2005. A national search was conducted and Kandie K. Smith named Executive Director effective January 2006.
• Joan Adams joined the NATS staff as a part-time employee in March, 2006.
• A committee approved to investigate the purchased of an office space for executive officers.
• The NATS Young Leaders Program, jointly sponsored by NATS and the NATS Foundation, was established by president Dillard and designed to recognize, support, and assist young NATS teachers age 25-35 with no more than ten years of teaching experience in attending national conferences.
• E-mail voting policy approved by the NATS Board.
• Nashville was selected as site for the 50th NATS Conference.
• Board approved changing NATS Conventions to NATS Conferences.
• ICVT VI was held in Vancouver, BC.

President Martha Randall 2006-2008

• NATS undertook a major bylaws revision approved by the membership.
• NATS moved into new offices and for the first time owns its own facility.
• Kindie Smith resigned as Executive Director effective August, 2007.
• Secretary/Treasurer Allen Henderson appointed Acting Executive Director. Henderson was appointed permanent Executive Director effective July 2008.
• A Vocal Pedagogy Committee appointed by President Randall conducted a major study on how institutions are teaching vocal pedagogy.
• Committees revised the Student Auditions Guidelines and Regional Governor’s Handbook, and created the NATS Board Policy Manual.
• NATS collaborated with National Opera Association on a workshop in Los Angeles.
• NATS began using Asynchronous Email Board Meetings to conduct some Association business between annual board meetings.

President Scott McCoy 2008-2010

• President McCoy represented NATS in San Antonio at the 4th International Symposium on the Physiology and Acoustics of Singing, focusing heavily on choral pedagogy and voice use in ensembles.
• Allen Henderson, Carl Swanson, and the entire staff successfully established a new website: nats.org, as well as a sleek, contemporary user interface.
• NATS gained approximately 900 new members by the opening of the 2010 national conference due to the the online membership application process approved by the Board in 2009, supported by the tireless efforts of Linda Poetschke-VP‐ Membership, the national membership committee, and executive office staff.
• NATS increased the dues to maintain the solvency of the association due to the economic downturn
• NATS revised the policy to allow individuals to apply via the NATS website without the need for a letter of recommendation from a member in good standing. 
• McCoy presented a lecture on Vocology and the application of voice analysis to the teaching of singing at the NATS‐LA workshop, Chapman University, Orange, California.
• McCoy represented NATS and the singing community as a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, workgroup creating clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hoarseness in Alexandria, Virginia.
• President McCoy and Allen Henderson attended the 50th ACDA convention in Oklahoma City and presented them with a plaque to commemorate their historic achievement.
• President McCoy presented a lecture entitled “Establishing a Fact Based Voice Pedagogy” for the National Association of Negro Musicians at the Eastern Region Conference in New Rochelle, New York.