Conferences

SWACDA - Conference Location History - 1963-2024

In 1963, the Southwestern Region of the American Choral Directors Association met for their first conference.

1963-2024

1963 – Stephen G. Hobson – President
Conference – St. Louis, Missouri

1965 – Theron Kirk – President
Conference – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sheraton-Oklahoma Hotel

1967 – George E. Umberson – President
Colorado Springs, Colorado 
Broadmoor Hotel

1969 – George E. Umberson – President
Conference – St. Louis, Missouri
Chase-Park Plaza Hotel

1970 – Russel Mathis – President
Conference – Dallas, Texas

1972 – B. Jack Glover – President
Conference – Norman, Oklahoma
Forum Building – Univ. Of Oklahoma

1974 – Harrison Boughton – President
Conference – Dallas, Texas
Royal Coach Inn

1976 – Hugh Sanders – President
Conference – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Hilton Inn West

1978 – Wesley Forbis – President
Conference – Lawton, Oklahoma
McMahon Auditorium

1980 – Wesley Forbis – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas
Camelot Hotel

1982 – Jim Moore –President
Conference – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Sheraton Century Center

1984 – Melva Sebesta
Conference – Dallas, Texas
Dunfey Hotel

1986 – James Foxx – President
Conference – Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Westin Hotel

1988 – Duncan Couch – President
Conference – Wichita, Kansas
Century II Convention Center

1990 – Kenneth Cox – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas
Excelsior Hotel

1992 – Noel Fulkerson – President
Conference – Kansas City, Missouri
Bartle Convention Center, Folly Theater, Grace And Holy Trinity Cathedral

1994 – Rod Walker – President
Conference – Denver, Colorado

1996 – Glenda Casey – President
Conference – Dallas, Texas
Fairmont Hotel

1998 – John Yarrington – President
Conference – Corpus Christi, Texas

2000 – R Paul Drummond – President
Conference – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2002 – Sally Schott – President
Conference – Houston, Texas

2004 – Stan McGil – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas

2006 – Guy B. Webb – President
Conference – St. Louis, Missouri

2008 – Jeff Sandquist – President
Conference – Kansas City, Missouri

2010 -Galen Darrough – President
Conference – Denver, Colorado

2012 – Margie Camp – President
Conference – Dallas, Texas

2014 – D. Brent Ballweg – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas

2016 – Mark Lawley – President
Conference – Kansas City, Missouri

2018 – Tony Gonzalez – President
Conference – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2020 – Julie Yu – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas

2022 – Ryan Sullivan – President
Conference – Little Rock, Arkansas

2024 – Jeffrey Murdock – President
Conference – Denver, Colorado

In the Beginning...

ACDA was still a young organization when the first SWACDA conference was held in 1963, at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis. The first four conferences were held on “odd” years: 63, 65, 67, 69. The first independent National Conference (separate from MENC) was held in 1971 and the regional conferences continued on even years from that point forward. Since 1963 there have been thirty-two conferences held in thirteen different cities, in six states.