SAM Statement

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE FRIENDS OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS

It is my honor and pleasure to accept the Fort Worth, Texas - Bruce Chadwick SAM Assembly 138 nomination to be the next Second Vice-President of the Society of American Magicians. My magic career began when I was eight years old, and the ride hence has been incredible. I joined the SAM when I was in college and have been a proud continuous member ever since. Magic has always been my fulltime profession. With the exception of part-time jobs I held in high school and my part-time work as a Minister of Youth while in college and graduate school, I have never held a "real job." I have had the joy and honor of playing professional magician day after day from about 1980 to the present.


	A STAGE MANAGER'S PERSPECTIVE During the past couple of decades we have seen many great changes in our beloved SAM organization. One simply needs a cursory examination to see the incredible improvements over the years in our annual national magic conventions. The 1982 Houston, Texas convention under Brad Jacobs' incomparable leadership was the first convention produced by the SAM Convention Planning Committee. Conventions from that moment on have made the steady ascent into the slick, professional, clock-work machines they are today. Some seventeen years ago, it was my honor to begin working


		with the unparalleled Hank Moorehouse as Stage Manager for our conventions. Having finished my Master of Arts degree in Theatre Arts, I assumed the role as Stage Manager from Dr. Steve Schoolar and the incredible journey began.


Trying to make Paul Fox proud


My friend, Assistant Stage Manager, and now SAM First Vice President Mike Miller will attest, there have been many times where we have stopped to ask ourselves "Why are we doing this?" The answer has always come back that we do this silent work to make our conventions sparkle. In turn our steady attention to detail has put polish on our annual convention theatre evening shows. Through Hank Moorehouse's and Brad Jacobs' direction, and subsequently the leadership of Convention Chairman Michael Douglass and Talent Chairman R. G Smith, we have seen some of the finest magic conventions in the history of magic. Certainly as John Apperson now takes the reigns as Convention Chairman, our conventions will continue to prosper.

			Age Eight




	The Illusion Warehouse

CHANGING TIMES FOR THE SAM

Through my many years as a member of the SAM, I have carefully watched how our organization has functioned. It has survived times of trial and tribulation as unique personalities and sometimes headstrong characters have impacted our National Council. As with any major organization, sometimes these times have been turbulent. Fortunately the result is that our organization is stronger.

It has been many years since we have seen such camaraderie between the International Brotherhood of Magicians and the SAM. We have seen Editor John Moehring take an increased budget and his many years of experience with Stan Alan at MAGIC magazine and build on the steadfast and dependable work of David Goodsell to produce M-U-M magazine. We have watched the SAM grow and mature as a truly international magic organization, and an organization with unique brotherhood with the prestigious The Magic Circle.

The SAM has grown in many ways, but progress is never static. Continuing to evolve are events like this summer's combined IBM/SAM



	Store Interior


	National Convention and the unique functions of the caucus and National Council Meetings. As well, just a couple of hours south of my home in Fort Worth, the new Austin, Texas Magic Center Foundation Headquarters has been established. The future holds great promise for both pride and accomplishment.

THE PULSE OF MAGIC

The SAM continues to develop as magic itself evolves. Having been in magic professionally all my life as a magician, magic dealer, and illusion fabricator, I know where magic has been over the past 30 years and where it is going. I have performed thousands of magic shows for everything from corporate industrial events, banquets, meetings and parties, to church work and even an occasional child's birthday party. I have designed and fabricated some of best illusions ever created in magic. I continually guide magicians to make proper choices to aquire the latest and greatest in magic apparatus. I like to think that I have a pretty good handle on the pulse of magic.




	Chadwick Illusion Fabrications Workshop

As well, the SAM has a good sense of where magic needs to go and I want to be a part of helping it get there. With proper leadership, the SAM will continue to be an influential guiding source for magicians. When elected as Second Vice-President, I am absolutely certain that I can provide intellectual leadership, leadership with congeniality, and foster communication.

The SAM must be an organization that provides resources to those who love the art of magic. We should uphold proper ethics regarding magic exposure, and provide protection to those who create, innovate, manufacture, and distribute the props and effects so dear to our art. We need to provide the tools that newcomers need to grow and mature into

seasoned entertainers. We need to provide seasoned entertainers with continued insight and challenge them to climb to new heights in the magical arts.


THE BIG BACK DOOR Like any big organization, and especially one surpassing 7,000 members, the SAM faces challenges. The biggest challenge is membership retention. Basically the SAM has a big back door. We tend to have as many new members join the SAM as we have members who do not renew their membership within the first couple of years of their affiliation. We desperately need to address this growth issue. We need to ensure that the SAM is meeting the needs of new members. This is a top priority when I am elected to the National Council leadership .



			117 Feet Under Cozumel
		THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SYM


	I am totally dedicated to promoting the Society of Young Magicians as teens become involved in magic. We need to make a renewed effort in our literature, magic publications, and at our annual magic conventions to provide the best and most comprehensive help to young magicians. I am proud of Jann Goodsell and share her devotion to young people and the SYM. We need to do everything in our power to continue to uphold the SYM, enhance its work, and acknowledge the fact that young people are the future of our art..

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony SAM Magic Center

THE CONVENTION CHALLENGE

As mentioned above, our annual magic conventions are incredible. We have led the way over the years to bring in fresh and new talent to our conventions. I support Hank Moorehouse and R. G. Smith as they continue to make this a hallmark for our annual conventions.

What is not positive is the fact that convention attendance is not consistent. We seem to have one great year with many in attendance, while the next year minimal attendance causes our conventions to barely break even. Sometimes they even go in the red. Since we do such a great job with our annual conventions, there really isn't a good reason why we shouldn't always have sellout crowds. I have some ideas that will help this issue. Granted no person knows all the secrets, but it is something that requires careful attention.



		Dad's Old College History Book

Of course there will always be convention obstacles. It is increasingly difficult to find venues that have the magical combination of great destination city, hotel, and theatre. Magic conventions are increasingly expensive to host as well as attend. There are also many competing conventions. The Society of Americian Magicians must increase its efforts to make its convention the best bang for the buck. The SAM convention product must continue to evolve. It must be unsurpassed in value and excitement for magicians all over the world. My primary goal as the Second Vice President will be to work steadily with R. G. Smith, John Apperson, Mike Miller, and the Convention Plannng Committee to make this so.




	Hold up the Dollar

A CONVENTION PLANNING GUIDE

I am not a newcomer to leading successful magic conventions. For example Arthur Emerson, Arthur Moses, and I hosted the unique Magic Collector's Association convention here in Fort Worth just a couple of years ago.

Way before that however, I am a Past President of the Texas Association of Magicians and led the very successful and profitable 1988 TAOM convention. Since that time I have continued to serve on TAOM convention planning committees.

The TAOM convention is always three full days with attendances up to 1200 magicians and guests. Attendance has rivaled the IBM and SAM national conventions, and budgets are often in excess of $100,000.

Take a look at the TAOM Convention Planning Guide that was formed under my auspices. This guide can be viewed at www.taom.org. My vision was to create

a written testament so that subsequent TAOM convention planning committees would have a way to reflect on previous experiences. I wrote much of the initial testament reflected in the document. Planners of subsequent TAOM conventions have added their experiences. This guide has become a monumental TAOM document on how to execute successful magic conventions. This guide helps TAOM convention planning committees build on the positive, and keep from repeating the negative. The SAM should have a similar text.

I know how to plan successful magic conventions. I know how to pull together the right combination of talent, facility, and promotions that make them successful. One of my big goals when elected to the National Council as Second Vice-President is to seek ways to excite our SAM membership and motivate them to attend our conventions with prejudice.

A HUMBLE REQUEST

I want to serve the SAM as Second Vice-President. While multiple candidates are vying for the same office, you must look at the extent of my experience. My credentials are unparalleled.

For many years I have worked closely with the SAM leadership. All Past National Presidents know me, and I am well known in the National Council. Recently I offered my services as National Administrator to succeed Richard Blowers. I have the experience and proven track record as a solid leader within our organization. I possess the tact, willingness, and ability serve our organization as a great leader. I sincerely petition your vote to be the next Second Vice-President of the Society of American Magicians.




		The Jack Gwynne Suspension


	Magic by Bruce Chadwick PO Box 12345 Fort Worth TX 76110 USA Cell 817-832-6062 mail@brucechadwick.com


	Click Here to Download the contents of this webpage via a PDF file.