The NCA Board looked much different after the 2021 Business Meeting on July 13. One long-time member concluded her term, leadership at the top shifted, and three new people joined.
Foat Retires
Linda Adams Foat
Linda Adams Foat
Linda Adams Foat, a long-time NCA Board member and president of the NCA in 2018, concluded her term on the Board at the Business Meeting. Foat, owner of Camelot Costumes in Freeport, Illinois, had previously announced that this would be her last year on the board.
“I want to thank Linda for her many years of service to the NCA,” said outgoing NCA President Marion Bradley. “She was a great help to me and she served the NCA in countless ways over the years.”
Among many other accomplishments, Foat was a key player in maintaining NCA’s presence at the Halloween & Party Expo for years. She and her husband, Merlin Foat, were familiar, friendly faces at the NCA booth and lounge. She also regularly provided costumes for the auction at the event, and coordinated the delivery and sale of other costumes. As immediate past president – a post she held for two years – Foat handled board nominations, updated the NCA Policy & Procedures, and ran several committees.
“I remember meeting Linda for lunch when I first became involved with the NCA in 2014 and knew very little about the organization,” said Ed Avis, NCA executive director. “She generously gave her time and knowledge to me and Kathy (Furore, editor of Costumer) so that we could do our jobs, and she always cheerfully made herself available in the years since. Her knowledge of the industry and NCA history was very valuable to me, and I’m grateful for her service.”
New Leadership
Another change on the board was Pam Markel’s election president. Markel, owner of Illusive Skull Costume Castle in Fairmont, West Virginia, and a long-time NCA member, said she is looking forward to leading the NCA forward. “I am so excited to get started,” she said.
Markel replaced Marion Bradley, who served as president for two years. Bradley, owner of Discount Costumes in Warner Robins, Georgia, capably guided the organization through a change of administrators and the COVID crisis. She now assumes the duties of immediate past president.
Another change at the top of the organization’s leadership is that Janine Caufield is now vice president. Caufield, owner of Caufield’s in Louisville, Kentucky, previously served two years as vice president and six years as director.
Three New Faces
Finally, three new people joined the board.
Courtland Hickey, owner of Chicago Costume, and Terry Sinopoli, marketing director of Arlene’s Costumes in Rochester, New York, were previously nominated for the Board. Brandon Lilly, owner of Life of the Party in Ft. Collins, Colorado, was nominated from the floor during the Business Meeting. All three were elected unanimously. Stay tuned to the NCA website for future interviews with Hickey, Sinopoli and Lilly.
In addition to the above changes, four existing NCA board members were reelected. They are Gene Flaharty, sales support specialist for Mehron; Dwayne Ibsen, owner of Ibsen Costume Gallery in Omaha; Lori Hammes, business manager of Curtains Up Costumes in Keota, Iowa; and Louella Torrence, owner of Drop Me a Line Costume Shop in Allentown, Pennsylvania.