[TheForge] Blacksmithing and ABANA

[MARK GARDNER]

 In the Summer, 1999 Anvil's Ring there was an article, "The Past Preserved", by George Dixon.  In it Dixon told of acquiring the Samuel Yellin Tool Collection, graphics and various examples from his then employer, Clare Yellin, grand-daughter of Samuel Yellin.  He also wrote of his effort to fulfill a promise made to Ms Yellin, to find a recipient for the collection during his life time and of his donation of the entire collection to the Touchstone Center, in PA as fulfillment of that promise.

   The following quotes are from emails regarding "ABANA business", exchanged between ABANA Board members after "The Past Preserved" article was printed by Anvil's Ring editor Jim McCarty:

"Lou, we need to talk about the latest issue of the Anvil's Ring."  ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, to ABANA President Lou Mueller, 9-23-99.

   "Dear Publications Committee, Lou and Jim,
   I am VERY DISPLEASED with the latest issue of the Anvil's Ring.  I am referring to the article George Dixon wrote..... What I would like to know is why this article was allowed to be published without anyone contacting me...." ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, to ABANA President Lou Mueller 9-23-99.

        "Hello Clare, I have not received my copy of the 'Ring. I do not know what was printed,but I thought we had all agreed that things from Mr. Dixon would not appear in the 'Ring without the approval of the entire Publications committee.  At the very least, you should have been notified as it apparently pertained to you and your private business.  This is a serious breach of Board ethics in my opinion.  I am very sorry that this has happened."  ABANA Board member in charge of Publications, Dorothy Steigler to ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, CC to ABANA Board, 9-24-99.

    "Clare,
   This is past justifying and all parties should make a full accounting." ABANA Board member, Will Hightower to ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, CC to ABANA Board, 9-24-99. 
   
        "Jim,
   I was disappointed to see the misleading information on the Yellin tools, etc, published in the magazine without any warning.  I thought I had asked you to give a heads-up on anything to be published regarding Geo and the ABANA Board, of which Clare is a member, so we could respond at the same time if needed."  ABANA Board member Scott Lankton to Editor Jim McCarty, CC ABANA Board, 9-20-99. 
      
        "To all:
   Like everything, this too has more than one side.  There are time honored ways to correct publishing errors (if such exist).  The next issue can correct them. There are NO libelous statements in the article. If any of it's inaccurate, it is merely a matter of interpretation, something that is not ABANA's or the Board's affair.  I understand Clare's points and the biased opinions of Scott and Dorothy who have lost ALL perspective when it comes to matters involving GD.  The Board needs to tend to its true business.  Those who can't need to consider doing something else." ABANA Board member Andy Quittner (an attorney) to the ABANA Board, 9-27-99.

  "Andy,
   Are you in bed with George or what?  I hope he's good.  That's as nice as I can put it. I vote that the Ring be held.  You are the most, oh what's the use...insulting an attorney is like pouring water on a duck." ABANA Board member Scott Lankton to ABANA Board member Andy Quittner, CC ABANA Board, 9-27-99

     "Clare,
   As to the article in the Anvil's Ring...  It  did not contain anything that was negative, slanderous or in any way could discredit you.  Your claim that there is and I quote you "possible mis-statements"   and if this is so and you can prove it, this is the time to clear up this controversy by making public what the real truth of the matter is. 
   Since elected to the Board you have contributed not a thing constructive, the reason being that you are so consumed with your personal agenda about George Dixon.  All of the issues you have raised along with Dorothy's last two page commentary {about the Dixon/Steigler/Kagele confrontation at the 98 ABANA Conf Auction} are nothing more than personal.  And that has been the problem...personal  agendas were brought into Board business."  ABANA Board President Lou Mueller to ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, CC to ABANA Board, 9-27-99.

   ABANA Board member Clare Yellin has not responded in the Anvil's Ring since. 
Should ABANA  Board members bring their personal or business issues into ABANA Board actions?  As his ex-employer and having business dealings with Dixon years before her election to the ABANA Board, should ABANA Board member Clare Yellin have participated in discussions and votes regarding Dixon?  Why did ABANA's Board allow such apparent conflicts of interest to go on?

   In late 1999, Anvil's Ring editor Jim McCarty told Dixon that his business ads in the Anvil's Ring were being reviewed by a few ABANA Board members prior to being printed.  No other members ads were reviewed in this manner.  Regarding GDs ad: "Clare, read this from Jim McCarty and let me know if you have any problems with this before I let it run." ABANA Board member Dorothy Steigler to ABANA Board member Clare Yellin, CC to members of the ABANA Board, 1-15-00. 
The ad was for Dixon's "how-to" magazine.   With Jim McCarty's OK, Georgee Dixon presented the evidence to the ABANA Board, which did not respond.     
   An ABANA Board member asked:
        "How did George Dixon receive copies of the email between Clare, Jim McCarty and myself regarding Publications {committee} business?"  and "I would like the Off Board Committee {Dr. Mark Williams, Ernie Dorrill, Dan Nauman} to receive the truth."  ABANA Board member Dorothy Steigler to members of the ABANA Board in emails, 5-27-00.
  "At the November Board meeting, it was agreed that all information Mr Dixon wanted printed {in the Anvil's Ring} would be checked for accuracy if it involved any member of the Board..especially if it involved Clare.  What about the leak of information  What's your take on that?"                  ABANA Board member Dorothy Steigler to members of the ABANA Board, 5-28-00.
                                                    -------
   What about the ABANA Publications and Central Office contractor bids?  Who gets theses jobs and how does the ABANA Board oversee the bid process?
     "I noticed that some people have applied for the Central Office job.  How can this be before the {official public notice of the job in} Ring came out?  Dorothy, I hope you are not doing the same thing that happened in November (1998) with people being solicited and coming to Memphis {ABANA Board meeting, Nov 13, 14, 1998, National Ornamental Metals Museum} for the Hammer's Blow editor job before it was ever announced.  I think this is an injustice to all involved."  ABANA Board member Lou Mueller, in an official ABANA Board exchange, 3-10-99.

   Anvil's Ring editor Jim McCarty was told by the ABANA Board that a Publication meeting at the Flagstaff ABANA Conference (July, 2000) would only be a fact finding meeting and that the bids would not be decided on until the November 2000 ABANA Board meeting.  However, the ABANA Board did not honor that pledge.  Instead, the ABANA Board voted to take the Publications contract and give it to Rob Edwards:
     "Rob's proposal...will give ABANA a savings of about $30,000 a year despite increases." ABANA Board member overseeing the bid cycle, Dorothy Steigler, in an official ABANA Board exchange.

   Why does one set of Minutes from the Flagstaff ABANA Board meeting read:
"Motion #10:
Discussion ensued that showed acceptance of Rob Edwards' bid would result in the addition of a  color signature to the Anvil's Ring and a savings of approximately $25,000 during the 2001 fiscal year."  However, the "same" minutes posted by the ABANA Board for the membership read:
"Motion #10:
 Discussion ensued that showed acceptance of Rob Edwards' bid would result in the addition of a  color signature to the Anvil's Ring and a savings."
   ABANA Board member Dorothy Steigler announced in the Summer, 2000 issue of the Anvil's Ring "the ABANA Board decision to have Rob Edwards edit and publish the Anvil's Ring and to print the Hammer's Blow" citing a savings for ABANA.
    "I though Jim McCarty  was doing an outstanding job as editor of the Anvil's Ring, but as a result of {ABANA} Board action he is out of a job after this year.  It is easy to say what savings will be gained by shifting the publications.....but what if these savings do not materialize?  What happens then?" Norm Larson, ABANA member, on theforge, 10-5-00.


   Why, after the decision which ABANA Board member Dorothy Steigler announced in the Summer, 2000 Anvil's Ring, did the ABANA Board ask the same two bidders to submit their bids again at the November, 2000 LaCrosse, ABANA Board meeting?  Why no explanation in the Anvil's Ring?
   Why, at this writing, do the ABANA Board Meeting Minutes, published for the membership on the ABANA Web Site, go from the Flagstaff 2000 ABANA Board Meeting Minutes to the Seattle, 2001 ABANA Board Meeting Minutes, omitting the LaCrosse, 2000 ABANA Board Meeting Minutes?
   Why did ABANA Board Member Bill Fiorini firmly state, on the official ABANA  discussion site (theforge), that he had not received Jim McCarty's 2nd bid, on behalf of the ABANA Board. Why did ABANA Board Member Bill Fiorini publically reverse himself during questioning by ABANA members on theforge and acknowledge that, indeed, he had signed for the McCarty bid.  He further stated that the McCarty bid was passed to ABANA President, Doug Learn.  (Mr Fiorini's ABANA Board, McCarty - Anvil's Ring Bid exchange is archived and available on ABANA's "theforge").
 
     "I contacted Doug {then ABANA President, Doug Learn} and he told me that he and Dorothy did receive the FedEx"  {McCarty Bid}.   The letter was addressed to the Board, but not read to or by the Board.  With the difference in bids of $13,000 along with a discrepancy in postage, I think the Board should have asked some questions......everyone on the Board should have all information, not just the Executive Committee" {group within the ABANA Board}.  ABANA Board member Lou Mueller, in a letter to the ABANA  Board, January 25, 2001.  Was this $13,000 saved or more cost?

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