Bradford Little Theater (BLT) named Diane Kerner Arnett as the
new president during the group’s annual meeting Tuesday.
Volunteers and retiring board members were honored at the
“You’re a Star” party held in the Family Life Center of Hill
Memorial United Methodist Church.
Arnett will be replacing outgoing president Chris Mackowski of
Limestone, N.Y., who is now the “president emeritus” and will serve
in an advisory capacity to the BLT board.
He is a founder of the Pennsylvania Association of Community
Theatres, and has served on the boards of directors for the Theatre
Association of New York State and Eastern States Theatre
Association. He is also active in Olean, N.Y., Community Theater
and is a professor at St. Bonaventure University. He has written
plays and two non-fiction books about community theater.
At the annual meeting, Bradford residents Dr. Richard Frederick,
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford professor, and Charles Church
were elected to the board. The new officers are Frederick as vice
president, Eric L. Van Druff of Port Allegany as vice president for
development, Richard Marcott of Bradford as treasurer and Nanci K.
Garris of Bradford as secretary.
The board honored Betsy Matz, the only continuously serving
board member since BLT was founded in 1997. The longtime BLT
treasurer from Allegany, N.Y., is chairman of the Division of
Management and Education at the University of Pittsburgh at
Bradford. Also recognized was longtime board secretary and public
relations chair Sharie Radzavich of Bradford, also employed at
UPB.
Both women stepped down from their posts.
Volunteers recognized with Star Awards for outstanding efforts
during the past season were Richard Blair, honored by the Education
Committee chaired by Marcott; Elmer and Ann DeLucia by the
Hospitality Committee under volunteer Jan Frederick; and Charles
Church by both the Technical Committee under Rebekah D. Blair and
the Public Relations Committee under Radzavich.
Those attending also received a sneak preview of BLT’s upcoming
10th season, a look back at the ninth season, TANYS awards and the
Communicator Award for Pottsy’s “War of Worlds” commercial.
