The OUBAA will be holding its Fall 2020 general meeting on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at 11am Central! This meeting will be virtual only; due to heightened risk of COVID-19 spread there will be no in-person venue for this meeting.
Registration is recommended for the general meeting, via this link.
In addition, the election of OUBAA officers for 2021-2022 will occur online, and will close during the general meeting with the votes tallied and announced at the conclusion of the meeting.
The Zoom link and agenda for the general meeting will be sent to registrants on Friday, November 13, 2020.
The election will be open only to current members of the OUBAA. If you are an annual member, you must be current on your dues to participate in the election.
You do not need to attend the general meeting to participate in the election.
On the ballot will appear three questions: one officer election and two proposed constitutional amendments. Details of the officer slate and constitutional amendments follow.
Cindy Hawkins (unopposed)
Nick Nicholson (unopposed)
Ann Darnold (unopposed)
Chris Smouse (unopposed)
Randy Gibson
"Randy D. Gibson was privileged to be a Pride Percussionist from 1985-1989 and was a part of the 1985 Football National Championship season and the 1987 Pride Sudler season. He served as a sub-section leader for the bass drum line his last two years in Pride. A fall 1986 KKY pledge, he went on to be Delta Chapter Historian in 1988 and Delta Chapter President in 1989. During those two years, he and another KKY member worked together to form a chapter fundraiser by taking the photos and building the KKY-TBS chapter member board which brought in several hundred of needed dollars to the Delta Chapters which, in turn, were used for service projects benefiting The Pride. In 1988 he and the TBS Historian built the Delta Chapter display for District Convention which won first place and in 1989 joined with the TBS President to begin the Delta Chapter joint ritual at the end of each semester.
Since graduating in 1988 with a BA in Journalism-PR and in 1991 with an MA in Journalism-Media Management, he has had a very lucrative public relations career where he has served as the PR director for nonprofit groups in the environmental and oil and gas industries, led a large Texas nonprofit organization and has worked as the Communications Manager for his Native American tribe, the Cherokee Nation, where he developed health campaigns with the U.S. CDC. In 2019, he started his own public relations firm, RDG Communications, and has clients throughout the United States, and was honored to represent England’s Libera Boys Choir from London during their last U.S. tour, where he won an international communications award for the radio ad used to promote the choir for their Oklahoma City concert.
For the past three years, Randy has served as a voting member of the OUBAA Board as Communications Advisor then later was appointed to fill the vacant Vice-President’s seat. If elected, his plans are to bring the full history of The Pride and OU Bands to the OUBAA website and digitally archive available information, which will be made available to OUBAA members for generations to come."
Jonathan Still
"Hello Everyone, I am Jonathan Still. Originally from Midwest City, Oklahoma, I played the Tenor Saxophone in the Pride in 2001 and 2002 (which were Brian Britt's first 2 years as Director of the Pride). I initiated in the Delta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi in Spring 2002, and have had the opportunity to come back to participate in the Alumni Band in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2019.
I currently work for the Boy Scouts of America-Last Frontier Council as a District Executive, and proudly serve in the Oklahoma Army National Guard. I am a Minister in the OKC Metro, and have 2 sons (Jeremiah and Solomon) that are finding their own love for music as I did.
Since I was a boy, I have loved history. I have loved making history, and showing how history can help bridge generations. I grew up in very disparaging conditions, and dealt with many issues on because of what I looked like or the family I was born in. In spite of this, the common denominator was music. Music gave me the platform I needed to face injustices and show myself relevant in this life. Understanding my unique musical history within the African-American Culture gave me great encouragement during my time in the Pride of Oklahoma.
In short, I desire to maintain and enhance the historical narrative of the Pride of Oklahoma by showing all facets of its story. I want to see how our Band History has shaped musical and non-musical areas of life from those who played in it. I want to interview various eras of the Pride and identify common themes that will and can encourage future participation in the Pride. I believe sharing OUR Story can help in High School Recruiting, especially in attracting more diverse groups of Musicians. I want to honor what has already been done in this role, and I want create a living document that can chronicle OUR Band History for future generations to learn from.
The Pride of Oklahoma was a Door Builder for my life. I am forever indebted to the Pride for what it gave me as Man. Retired Army General Tommy Franks once said "There's a certain elegance to building doors where others seek to build walls." In my own way, I want to assist the Pride of Oklahoma in building more doors of opportunity for future and current musicians. Thank you for your consideration."
Steven Watson
"My name is Steven Watson and I am running for the office of Historian in the OUBAA. I was in the Pride of Oklahoma in the trombone section from 2007 – 2011 where I served as a squad leader my final year. I also served as a brother in Kappa Kappa Psi starting in 2008 and became a life member in 2015. Currently, I’m in my 7th year of teaching band with this being my 3rd year in Lindsay, OK.
As a band director I definitely have a busy schedule but I do live fairly close to Norman, which does mean that it would be easier for me to make it to OUBAA events. At least assuming we can have in person events in the near future. I love taking photographs and cataloguing events. It’s amazing what kind of memories can come flooding back to people when they see the right photograph so even digging through old records and finding things can also be very rewarding.
Overall, I know that I’m a very busy person but I always find a way to make time for everything so I’m not worried about this being too much on my plate. Thank you for your consideration for the office of Historian and I hope that whether I get the job or not I can continue serving in whatever aspect I possibly can!"
That Article III of The Constitution of the University of Oklahoma Band Alumni Association shall be amended to read as follows:
Section 1: Membership in the Association shall be extended to all former members of The University of Oklahoma Bands and supporters of the University Band programs.
i.) Regular Membership: Regular membership can be established by any person who has participated in any University of Oklahoma band ensemble, and who has paid annual dues, as established by the OU Band Alumni Association. Regular membership entitles an individual to the ability to perform at events, to vote at OU Band Alumni Association meetings, and to hold office in the Association.
ii.) Honorary Membership: Honorary membership in the OUBAA is generally bestowed to current and past leadership of the University of Oklahoma School of Music; including, but not limited to, current and former directors of the Pride of Oklahoma or other athletic, concert, or jazz bands, and current or former directors of the School of Music. Honorary members of the OUBAA are exempt from dues paying, but are ineligible to vote. Honorary membership may be offered by a majority vote of the Advisory Council to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the welfare of the University of Oklahoma Bands or the OUBAA. Honorary members must have participated in some way in the University of Oklahoma Bands to be eligible to participate in OUBAA performance events.
iii.) Life Membership: A life membership can be obtained by any person who has participated in any University of Oklahoma band ensemble. A contribution of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) to the OU Band Alumni Association, of which Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) is entrusted to a revolving scholarship fund for current members of the OU Band program, and Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) is retained for the general fund of the Association, is necessary for life membership. Life membership entitles an individual to all benefits of regular membership.
That a new Section 6 of Article IV of The Constitution of the University of Oklahoma Band Alumni Association shall be added to read as follows:
Section 6: An aggregation of standing rules is hereby established for the OUBAA Advisory Council. These rules shall provide for certain procedures to conduct the business of the Council. The standing rules may be amended by a majority vote of the Council.