Board of Directors, Officers and Coordinators for 2024-25

Dear Members, Associates, Friends and Neighbors, It is with great appreciation for their sacrifice and service, we announce the retirement of Larry Johnson as President and Museum Director of the Mountain Empire Historical Society Stone Store Museum (MEHS), and Arvy Johnson as the Docent Coordinator. Larry and Arvy will continue to serve on the board of directors and participate at their pleasure. Larry will focus on the archives, and Arvy will still be involved in any functions of her choice. On 14 July 2024, I was elected by our members as the new President of the MEHS Board of Directors and selected by the Board of Directors as the new Museum Director. My background is twenty-four years with the Army Corps of Engineers, both enlisted and as a commissioned officer. I also just retired from twenty-three years of employment as a Project Manager, Superintendent for federal contractors specializing in heavy construction. I have been a member of the Board of Directors and held the positions of Vice President and Corporate Secretary for ten years. My interest in accepting this new position at MEHS has been partially motivated by my military service, which naturally piques my interest as a former military officer to the history of the U.S. Army in the local area. Camp Lockett and the "Buffalo Soldiers" are a rich part of our military history, of which I have studied along with many other U.S. Army historical topics over the years. Additionally, I am one of two historians within my own family, as we have traced our genealogy back to the Mayflower and beyond. History comes naturally as my father was also a historian and immersed me in the local history of the northern California Redwood Coast. It is with considerable pleasure and honor to be selected to serve our very capable MEHS and to help further the goals of the organization into the future. Below is a chart depicting our new structure and organization. If there are questions or comments. Please feel free to contact me at the undersigned. Wade D. Rowley, President - Museum Director Mountain Empire Historical Society P.O. Box 394, Campo CA 91906 wade.rowleymehs@gmail.com Ph: (619) 980-2013

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OFFICERS President - Wade Rowley Museum Director - Wade Rowley Correspondence - Maureen Phillips Corporate Treasurer - Jill Coryell Asst. Museum Director - Cherry Diefenbach Corporate Secretary - Maureen Phillips Vice President - Cherry Diefenbach

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARVY JOHNSON CHERRY DEIFENBACH WADE ROWLEY JILL CORYELL MAUREEN PHILLIPS RICK NORTHCOTE LARRY JOHNSON CLARISSA GOMES - OPEN - Review Committee JEAN FOX MICKIE HANSEN CINDY ROWLEY DUDLEY MILLS - OPEN -

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COORDINATORS Cultural Archivist - Clarissa Gomes Historical Presentations - Cherry Diefenbach Military Archivist - Clarissa Gomes Book Store - Maureen Phillips Heritage Editor - Cherry Diefenbach Membership - Clarissa Gomes Docent Schedule - Arvilla Johnson Archives and Website- Larry Johnson Facilities - Jessie Cabazuela

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