American Council of the Blind
51st Annual Conference and Convention
Theme: ACB Full Steam Ahead
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" - Bradley Mann, Louisville, KY
• Welcome to Kentucky - Bill Deatherage, 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 Coordinator, 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 Award and Robert S. Bray Award - Chelle Hart, Member, Awards Committee, Sioux Falls, SD
• Presentation of Ned E. Freeman, and Vernon Henley  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, Norwegian 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 - Kathy 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  

• River 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 AM  

• 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, Takoma 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, St. Paul, 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, Co-chair, 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