Officers
Joe has had careers as a social worker, a travel agent, and an Art Deco enthusiast. Joe traces his interest in Art Deco back to 1985 when he first attended the Art Deco Weekend in Miami Beach and was mesmerized by the architecture and unique colors of the Art Deco buildings in South Beach. He became a member of CADS upon his return. Joe joined the CADS Board in 2001, was elected Vice President in 2003, and President from 2007-2015. Upon stepping down, the CADS board honored him with the title of President Emeritus. When his successor was unable to continue due to a job change, Joe again served as President from November 2016 until April 2019. During this period, he oversaw the many phases of producing the CADS book from original research to final distribution by the prestigious Yale University Press. The highly acclaimed book Art Deco Chicago – Designing Modern America, edited by Robert Bruegmann, is in a class of its own compared to other city books on Art Deco. Joe has also had an important role in the development of the International Coalition of Art Deco Societies (ICADS). From its founding in 1991 and for the next 25 years, ICADS existed as an unincorporated association. In 2016, under Joe’s leadership, ICADS was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in the state of Delaware and quickly received IRS 501(c) (3) status. Joe served as the first Chair of the newly created ICADS Board of Directors from April 13, 2016, to November 28, 2021. During his tenure, ICADS welcomed several new member societies, began the redefinition of its role in setting standards for future World Congresses and created World Art Deco Day as an annual event. The COVID pandemic was a major bump in the road for many nonprofit, cultural organizations including the Chicago Art Deco Society. In the Fall of 2021, Kevin Palmer and Joe came forward to form an interim board or directors to guide the organization’s recovery. Under Kevin and Joe’s leadership as Co-Presidents, CADS has been making progress. CADS future looks bright with the possibility of CADS hosting the World Congress on Art Deco in Chicago in 2027. David is a life-long Chicagoan who made his way to the Chicago Art Deco Society through a roundabout path, originally a gift of membership by friends who thought that his interests would mesh, which they did. David is known for dressing the part for CADS functions in interwar style outfits, which is his favorite era of menswear. David is an architect by training and is particularly obsessed with apartment buildings, one of the golden ages of which was, of course, the Art Deco flourishing of the interwar period. This also meshes with being involved with CADS preservation committee. | Kevin’s interest in art deco began over 25 years ago when he and his husband began collecting art deco pottery, art, statuary, and furniture. Kevin has been involved with CADS for several years as a board member and has been actively serving on the Social Committee to plan many of CADS’ social activities. Kevin is a retired high school social studies teacher, having taught for 33 years. Kevin has a B.A. in Political Science and an M.A. in History, both from Indiana University. Besides serving on the board of CADS, Kevin is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Swedish-American Museum of Chicago and VP of the Palmer Square Park Advisory Board. Scott Grubczak was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently works in banking. Scott leads the Finance Committee in his capacity as Treasurer and manages and monitors CADS finances. His passion for Art Deco took roots and grew throughout his childhood with every family visit to downtown Chicago. |
Directors
Ann Marie Del Monico is currently a member of CADS and serves on the board. Art Deco has appealed to her for as long as she can remember and greatly influenced her career in interior design. She enjoys sharing all things "Deco" with our members. Ms Del Monico served on the condominium board of the Art Deco styled building where she resides. She spearheaded the Design Committee and worked to preserve the Art Deco style in their planned renovations. Ms Del Monico also served on the board of the American Society of Interior Designers for 5 years. She was President of the association during her final year of service (2019-2020). During her tenure as President, she promoted the Art Deco style to the membership through articles published in their biannual magazine and by holding events in several Art Deco spaces in Chicago. Born and bred in Chicago, Andi was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by the architectural beauty of Chicago. She can trace her love of deco to trips as a young child to downtown Chicago with her grandmother, and her parents love of everything Erte. As a retired retail executive who specialized in technology for the fashion industry, Andi is enthused by the fashion, jewelry and accessories of the Deco period. Steve's interest in Art Deco was sparked by late night viewings of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. While he appreciates Deco in many forms (architecture, furnishings, clothing, etc.), Steve finds the most exciting expression of the era in vintage transportation: trains, airships and most of all, ocean liners, whose apex happily coincided with the height of the Art Deco movement. Growing up in a suburb of Detroit, Michigan, Amy Keller always had an admiration for the Art Deco style (hands-down, the Guardian Building is her favorite building of all time). It wasn’t until attending college at the University of Michigan, and being appointed to a committee that would provide recommendations to the university’s president on how UM’s residence halls should be restored, that Amy began to appreciate the importance of historic preservation. After college, Amy attended the John Marshall Law School in Chicago and is now an attorney at Wexler Wallace LLP pursuing consumer protection and product safety, while also advocating for the preservation of Chicago’s beautiful Art Deco structures as Chair of CADS’ Preservation Committee. Ms. Smith's bio is currently being prepared | Since Doug Doolittle grew up in Buffalo, NY down the street from a Frank Lloyd Wright House and taking a architecture history class from Franz Schultz at Lake Forest College he has always had an interest in architecture. He joined CADS in 2009 helping to work on a fabulous event at the previously closed Chicago Automobile Association building. He has enjoyed CADS touring Art Deco houses, buildings, attending lectures, picnics and meetups He is retired after nearly 40 years in the Printing business in Chicago and was proud to have been the printer of the CADS magazine for many years. Richard is a managing member of the Chicago law firm of Neal & Leroy, LCC, where he concentrates in land use law, litigation, municipal law and historic preservation. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urban-Champaign and the University of Chicago Law School. Richard has a special interest in the 1933-4 A Century of Progress International Exposition and is a fan of Art Deco Archtecture. He joined CADS soon after the organization was formed. He has been active in supporting historic preservation, having served on the Board of Landmarks Illinois for six years, and also as its General Counsel and Secretary. In addition Mr. Friedman teaches Historic Preservation Law in the graduate program of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Chicago Law School. Karen enjoys exploring cities, their architecture, art, music, dance, and historic organs. She is a longtime member of CADS and Design Evanston and a docent for the Chicago Architecture Center which has heightened her interest in historic preservation. Karen is a retired association executive and event planner. Mary is a returning member of the CADS Board and served as Treasurer from 2007-2017. Mary is a native of Cincinnati, OH and grew up with notable art deco buildings in and around the city. She has continued her interest in preservation and education related to the built environment of all genres, not only deco but also Victorian, 18th Century, Frank Lloyd Wright and contemporary/modern. This has led to an interest in the decorative and fine arts of these eras. Mary is a retired CPA and a volunteer with CADS on the Finance Committee. She also is an active volunteer at the Art Institute of Chicago. Jackie Vossler is retired as founder and president of Core Group, a product design and marketing company specializing in outdoor products. A graduate of The Ohio State University, Jackie has had a career and interest in design with Art Deco as a special enthusiasm. She has been a member of the Chicago Art Deco Society since 2009. As a Board member, she has coordinated and participated in several programs involving CADS and other regional cultural organizations including an award-winning program between CADS and the Elgin Area Historical Society exploring Elgin’s Art Deco Heritage. Jackie is a member of the Union League Club’s Library Committee and involved with several other libraries and book-related organizations. She has served the Caxton Club as its Secretary, a two-term Vice President, two-term President and now its emeritus President. She is a member of the Smithsonian Institution’s Regional Council in Chicago and of the Advisory Board of the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, where she co-chairs its Development Committee. |
Copyright 2015 Chicago Art Deco Society