American Council of the Blind
51st Annual Conference and Convention
Theme: ACB Full Steam Ahead
July 6 - 14, 2012

Audio/Visual Services Sponsored by Google

Sunday, July 8 - Grand Ballroom

6:30 PM  Entertainment: Barbara Henning and Adelle LeJeune, violin and piano, Louisville, KY

7:00 PM Call to Order - Mitch Pomerantz, President, American Council of the Blind, Pasadena, CA
Invocation - Ben Cross, Minister, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY
Presentation of Colors
Pledge of Allegiance - Donald Franklin, ACB Life Member and Chair, 1980 ACB Convention Local Host Committee, Louisville, KY
"The Star-Spangled Banner" and "My Old Kentucky Home" - Bradly Mann, Louisville, KY
Welcome to Kentucky - Bill Deatheridge, Chair, Kentucky Host Committee Chairperson and President, Kentucky Council of the Blind, Louisville, KY; Kevin Minor, President, Bluegrass Council of the Blind, Lexington, KY

7:20 PM  President's Report - Mitch Pomerantz

7:50 PM  Welcome to Louisville - Greg Fischer, Mayor, Metro Louisville

8:00 PM  Keynote Address: Reading the River - Dr. Tuck Tinsley, III, President, American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, KY

8:20 PM  ACB First-Timers - Allen Casey, Chair, DKM Committee, Graham, NC

8:30 PM  Access to Major League Baseball - Michael Hoffman, Vice President, Front End Development, MLB, New York, NY

8:45 PM  Life Membership Presentations - Mitch Pomerantz

9:00 PM  Presentation of New Charters of Affiliation (ACB Students, Blind LGBT Pride International, ACB Families) - Mitch Pomerantz

9:10 PM  First Credentials Report - Jean Mann, Chair, Credentials Committee, Guilderland, NY

9:15 PM  Roll Call of Affiliates - Marlaina Lieberg, ACB Secretary, Burien, WA
 

Monday, July 9 - Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM  Entertainment - Deanna Scoggins, piano, Louisville, KY

8:30 AM  Pledge of Allegiance - David Trott, Member, ACB Board of Directors, Talladega, AL
Invocation - Rabbi Avrohoom Litvin, Anshe Sfard Synagogue, Louisville, KY

8:35 AM  ACB Business
ACB Sponsors - Margarine Beaman, Advertising and Sponsorship Co-ordinator, Austin, TX
Emerald Sponsor Presentation: Google
Final Credentials Report - Jean Mann
Adoption of Standing Rules and Adoption of Program - Mitch Pomerantz
Constitution and Bylaws - John Huffman, Co-chair, Indianapolis, IN
Presiding Officer - Kim Charlson, ACB First Vice President, Watertown, MA

9:15 AM  Presentation of Affiliate Membership Growth Awards and Robert S. Bray Award - Chelle Hart, Member, Awards Committee, Sioux Falls, SD
Presentation of Ned E. Freeman, Vernon Henley and Hollis Liggett Awards - Paul Edwards, Chair, ACB Board of Publications, Miami, FL

9:40 AM  A Driverless Car in Your Future - Naomi Black, Engineering Program Manager, Accessibility, and Laura Palmaro, Accessibility Specialist, Google, Mountain View, CA

10:05 AM  Blind People in Norway and the World - Arnt Holte, First Vice President, World Blind Union and Assistant General Secretary, Noregion Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted, Oslo, Norway

10:30 AM  Break

10:45 AM  Hearing From the New NLS Chief - Karen Keninger, Director, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, DC

11:15 AM  Progress Toward Providing Sound for Quiet Cars - David L. Strickland, Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC

11:45 AM  ACB Recreation Zone - Oral Miller, Former ACB President, Washington, DC

11:55 AM Announcements
 

Tuesday, July 10 - Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM  Entertainment - Cathy and Tom Arnold, folk singers, Louisville, KY

8:30 AM  Pledge of Allegiance - Visually Impaired Veterans of America
Invocation - Dr. Lee Bond, Minister, Baregrass Christian Church

8:35 AM  ACB Business
ACB Sponsors - Margarine Beaman
Ruby Sponsor Presentation, HumanWare
Nominating Committee Report - Patrick Sheehan, Chair, Silver Spring, MD
Constitution and Bylaws - John Huffman
Resolutions - Judy Jackson, Chair, Resolutions Committee, Austin, TX
Presiding Officer - Brenda Dillon, ACB Second Vice President, Hermitage, TN

9:15 AM  2012 ACB Scholarship Presentations - Patty Slaby, Chair, Scholarship Committee, Winona, MN

10:30 AM  Break

10:45 AM  Rirer City History - Allan M. Steinberg, former Executive Director, Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation, Louisville, KY

11:10 AM  Update on Developing Regulations Following Passage of the Communications and Video Accessibility Act - Mark Richert, Panel Moderator, Director of Public Policy, American Foundation for the Blind, Washington, DC; Melanie Brunson, ACB Executive Director, Arlington, VA; Brian Charlson, Director of Technology, Carroll Center for the Blind, Watertown, MA; Paul Schroeder, Vice President, Programs and Policy, American Foundation for the Blind, Washington, DC

11:55 AM  Announcements
 

Wednesday, July 11 - Grand Ballroom

Sponsored by NIB

8:00 AM  Entertainment - Mike Tindell, country and gospel, Prattville, AL

8:30 AM  Pledge of Allegiance - Ken Stewart, ACB Board of Publications, Warwick, NY
Invocation - Alta Burnett, Unity Minister, Louisville, KY

8:35 AM  ACB Business
ACB Sponsors - Margarine Beaman
Ruby Sponsor Presentation - Verizon Wireless
Constitution and Bylaws, Resolutions.
Presiding Officer, Marlaina Lieberg, ACB Secretary, Burien, WA

9:15 AM  Keeping It in the Family - Jack and Jill Fox, Talking Book Narrators, American Printing House for the Blind, Louisville, KY

9:45 AM  ACB in the Regulatory Trenches - Eric Bridges, ACB Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Arlington, VA

10:15 Break

10:30 AM  Accessible TV Within Our Reach
Richard Orme, Head of Accessibility, Royal National Institute of Blind People, Birmingham, England

11:00 AM  The Video Description Research Center - Josh Miele, Smith Kettlewell Institute, Inc., San Francisco, CA

11:30 AM  Update on ACB's Audio Description Project - Joel Snyder, President, Audio Description Associates, Tacoma Park, MD

11:55 AM  Announcements
 

Thursday, July 12 - Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM  Entertainment - Dave Trevino, guitar and trumpet, Louisville, KY

8:30 AM  Pledge of Allegiance - Cindy LaBon, DKM First-timer, Gaithersburg, MD
Invocation - Father John Sheehan, Jesuit Priest, Xavier Society for the Blind, New York, NY

8:35 AM  ACB Business
ACB Sponsors - Margarine Beaman
Ruby Sponsor Presentation - Vanda Pharmaceuticals
Constitution and Bylaws, Resolutions
Presiding Officer - Carla Ruschival, ACB Treasurer, Louisville, KY

9:15 AM  Executive Director's Report - Melanie Brunson, Arlington, VA

9:45 AM  National Conference/Convention Report - Janet Dickelman, Chair, ACB Convention Committee, Minneapolis, MN

10:15 AM  Break

10:30 AM  Treasurer's Report - Carla Ruschival, Louisville, KY

10:50 AM  ACBES Report - Michael Garrett, Chair, ACB Enterprises and Services, Missouri City, TX

11:10 AM  ACB Walk and ACB Auction Reports - Dan Dillon, Cochair, Resource Development Committee, Hermitage, TN; Marsha Farrow, Chair, ACB Auction Subcommittee, Summerville, GA

11:25 AM  ACB Business

11:55 AM  Announcements
 

Friday, July 13 - Grand Ballroom

8:00 AM  Entertainment - Bradley Mann, piano and vocals, Louisville, KY

8:30 AM  Pledge of Allegiance - Adam Ruschival, ACB Life Member, Louisville, KY
Invocation - David Wright, Minister, Meighs Avenue Church of Christ, Jeffersonville, IN
ACB Sponsors - Margarine Beaman

9:00 AM  ACB Business - Resolutions

10:00 AM  Elections

10:30 AM  Break

10:45 AM  Elections, Resolutions

12:00 PM  Break

1:15 PM  ACB Business

2:45 PM  Break

3:00 PM  Old & New Business

5:00 PM  Adjourn
 
5:30 PM  ACB Life Member Reception - Nunn
Sponsored by Vehicle Donation Processing Center

6:30 PM  Pre-banquet entertainment - Archibald

7:00 PM  ACB Banquet - $32 ($35) - Archibald
Master of Ceremonies - David Trott
Invocation - Deb Trevino, Master of Divinity Graduate, Presbyterian theological Seminary, Louisville, KY
What Thou Liv'st, Live Well - a one-man play performed by Micheal Hudson, Director, APH Callahan Museum, Louisville, KY
Presentation of Durward K. McDaniel Ambassador, Olsen Distinguished Service and George Card Awards - Cindy Van Winkle, Bremerton, WA
 

For additional Conference and Convention information contact:

Janet Dickelman, ACB Conference and Convention Coordinator
janet.dickelman@gmail.com
(651) 428-5059
or the ACB National office:
(202) 467-5081 or (800) 424-8866

* As information becomes available this page will be updated.  Please visit often to read the latest Conference and Convention news. Last updated June 16, 2012