Foreward

On October 13, 1919 J. Lee Nicholson, the first president and founder of our Association the ‘National Association of Cost Accountants’ made this opening charge to the Charter Members. I will paraphrase it slightly so as to apply to Wild West Council Members.

“It may be well at this time to point out that the simple forming of an organization, with the highest ideals possible, will mean little or nothing unless the Officers, Directors and Members are willing to devote and give their best to it, and also to make sacrifices which will be so necessary if the Council is to accom plish its purpose. Therefore, I trust that every member who accepts an assignment will do so with a feeling of their deep responsibility to the Council and to the work to which they have been assigned.”

These are words for our members to take seriously and apply to our efforts for the Wild West Council to achieve its goals.

History

The council was started in 1961 by the Los Angeles Chapter to plan and have a hospitality function at the National Conference. It was called the Southern California Council.

A change was made in 1968 when the council was converted to a group of members of area chapters getting together to assist chapters in the Southern California area to better serve their members and facilitate the exchange of information between chapters. It was originally called the Southern California Council. The president of the council was the chapter president whose chapter had achieved the highest standing in the national Stevenson Trophy competition the previous year. The first president was Robert Sobraske of the Orange Coast Chapter for the 1968-69 year. This procedure was changed around 1980 when the president became an elective office voted on by the council voting body. The council holds seminars for its members to gain continuing education credits. Dinners and other social outings are often included on the agenda. The council was the first in the Association and then the Texas Council later the same year 1969.

One of the major projects and expense yearly was to fund a hospitality suite at the national conference. Much of the funds were raised through donations of money and products from organizations throughout the council chapter areas. At one time, for a few years it was necessary to possess a wooden nickel to gain access to the council suite. In later years this was changed to a nominal fee. Badge stickers and pins also were a very popular function at the conferences as a means to meet and make friends with members across the country. This started in our council with Bob Chapman’s red carnation stickers, Boston’s lobster and the checkered flag from Indianapolis. It exploded over the years to literally hundreds of different pins and stickers from chapters throughout the country. Badge ribbons sometimes were extended to lengths of several feet. The “Queen of hospitality suites” Louise Lewis from the Los Angeles chapter actually developed a pamphlet distributed nationally on “How to Run a Hospitality Suite.”

The Southern California Council also is credited with introducing wine in 1974 to hospitality suites. Wine was donated to our council by California vintners and soon became a standard item in most hospitality suites. In earlier year’s beer, bourbon and branch water and other liquors had been the traditional items. WWC also introduced Margaritas about 1975 when “Sal” Forzano roamed Miami for hours searching for margarita mix. Councils usually got a basic supply of liquor, mix and snacks from the host hotel and then the council brought in the rest. It was a tradition on the final night to roam the hotel visiting all the hospitality suites drinking and celebrating banner winners. For several years George Nicholas and Rex Soutar always manned the council bar the last night from midnight til whatever. They monitored people who didn’t need another drink. After many, many years hospitality suites faded from popularity due to cost, hotels complaining of excess noise and the disturbance of non conference guests.

Almost all of the new chapters formed in the WWC were spinoffs of the Los Angeles chapter. The Los Angeles chapter was chartered in 1921 as chapter #15. San Diego was chartered in 1950 with Tucson and Salt Lake Area following in 1952.

In the mid 1970”s it became necessary to change the name of the council when it expanded to include chapters outside the Southern California area. This is when the Wild West Council name was adopted. The bucking horse and rider was chosen as the council logo. The council continued to grow to as many as 24 chapters to include Las Vegas and the three Arizona chapters. A few years later in 1979 the Rocky Mountain Council was formed made up of several chapters in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming border. The Salt Lake Area chose to join the WWC. In the last several years due to many factors some chapters closed and had their charters withdrawn and some remerged with another chapter. Due to this several chapters were retitled with new names. At present there are thirteen chapters in the council, two in Arizona, Salt Lake Area, Las Vegas and nine in Southern California.

The WWC was the first active council with a planned agenda of purpose and activities aimed directly toward serving the members of all the chapters in the council. Councils in their early years were hardly recognized or respected by the national office and the national governing body. However councils rapidly formed in most of the nation and eventually existed in all 12 areas of the organization. In fact there were eventually 2 councils in each national area A through L. I.M.A. finally formally recognized councils in 1975 and issued 18 charters and they have become an integral part of I.M.A. The Wild West Council and the Texas Council charters dates were made retroactive to 1969.

Over the years chapters in the council have achieved many high honors in the national competition. Among them the Los Angeles chapter won the Stevenson trophy in 1950. San Diego won the Stevenson in 1962. Los Angeles then won two consecutive Stevenson trophy’s in 1963 and 1964 and a second place Remington Rand trophy in 1965 when Albuquerque won the Stevenson. That was quite a run for WWC. Later on in 1994 the San Fernando Valley Chapter won the Stevenson.

The Remington Rand trophy was won by San Diego in 1961 and Los Angeles in 1982. In 1967 Pomona Valley (think Inland Empire) won the Carter trophy and in 1986, with Carolyn Reis as president, it was won by the South Bay chapter. The Carter trophy is awarded to the chapter making the most improvement in national competition compared to the previous three years average like the WWC Norberg trophy.

In 1970 the Scottsdale chapter won the Warner Trophy for 1st place in the Warner competition and the SCMS trophy in 1981 for 3rd place in the Stevenson division. West Los Angeles chapter won the Keller trophy in 1991 in the Warner division for most improvement in competition over the previous three years (again like the Norberg rules).

Over the years numerous banners have been won by many WWC chapters in both the Stevenson and Warner divisions of competition and there have been many other awards of excellence.

The council has had numerous members rise to top positions in the association. Bob Chapman, Colin Stillwagen, John Arme, Kim Wallin and John Pollara have been either President or Chair of the association. Over 45 WWC members have been National Vice Presidents or National Regional Vice Presidents. A list is included elsewhere in the WWC directory. Countless numbers have been National Directors and literally hundreds have served on national committees.

The council has been represented by Les Rogers, John Norberg, Burniel Swartzmiller and Wade Salisbury as SCMS Presidents. Otis Johnson and Kelli Niberger have been Vice President and Billie Drake is SCMS Secretary/Treasurer. At least 14 WCC members have been SCMS Governors. All these are listed in the directory.

The Wild West Council is widely recognized throughout the association for the achievements noted above and for the large number of members noted for their contributions in positions in which they served the association. This does not even mention all those who have served the Council and/or their chapters in many positions.

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NOTE: Many of the years mentioned, the organization changes and other comments and remembrances have been excerpted from “Proud of the Past”, a booklet produced by I.M.A. for the 75th Diamond Jubilee celebration at the 1994 national conference in New York City. This project was originated by Past National President John Arme. The booklet was compiled through the efforts of Grant U. Meyers, association President 1969-70 and Erwin S. Koval, long time publications manager of the association and is copyrighted by I.M.A.

I have received a great deal of information from IMA staff members. I owe my thanks to Pat Stefanczk, Lorraine, Jenna and some unnamed technical staff for their assistance and research. Other comments and remembrances are my sole responsibility, as I recall them. Many WWC members helped me with these, but don’t blame them. I apologize to all who may remember them differently or have comments or stories which I have not included

Respectfully, Rex D. Soutar, V.P. Administration, Wild West Council 10/30/10