Our Association

The founders of the Michigan State Association of Parliamentarians met in Detroit under the chairmanship of Gladys Richardson (who became the first president) and resolved to form an association, which was chartered May 4, 1968. The president of NAP, Mrs. Allen H. Dawson, presented the charter to MSAP during the first convention, which was held in
Kalamazoo.

MSAP celebrated its 50th year at the Annual Meeting held in Frankenmuth Michigan on April 14, 2018. The celebration included cake and a wonderul presentation by Second Vice President Gretchen Denton who visited the MSAP archives at the Michigan Library and compiled entertaining and historical references from past meeting minutes.

MSAP includes the following Local NAP Units:

The Detroit Unit, chartered in 1963, was initially called the Emma Fox Unit. It was named after a Detroit resident who was the author of a widely used parliamentary authority. The unit meets all year on the fourth Saturday of each month except December, when they meet on the third Saturday, at the Employment and Training Building in Detroit. 

The Kalamazoo Parliamentary Law Unit was founded in 1946 by seven women leaders of the area as the Kalamazoo Parliamentary Club. They asked a professor at Western Michigan University to teach parliamentary procedure. Chartered on October 6, 1967, they meet quarterly in February, May, September, and November.

The Parliamentary Unit of Oakland was founded in August 1976. The first assignment was to write bylaws, which were subsequently adopted in November. The charter was issued in April 1978. The name was changed to Louise Saks Parliamentary Unit following the founder's death on April 24, 1990. The unit meets on the third Tuesday of each month, September through May, at the First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham. 

The Michigan Unit of Registered Parliamentarians (MURP) was chartered in 1989. The unit was founded by Leona Meyer, it's first president. The unit meets quarterly at the call of the president. 

The Redford Unit was founded by longtime Detroit Unit member Grace Banks and chartered in 1994. The unit formerly dissolved in 2020.

The Mid-Michigan Unit (formerly known as the Genesee Area Unit) organized in May 2002, with Dr. Gail Knapp elected as the unit's first president. The charter was issued on January 29, 2003. The unit's name was changed to Mid-Michigan to better describe the coverage area for the unity. 

MSAP PAST PRESIDENTS

1968 – 1970 Gladys Richardson*
1970 – 1972 Vera Ganschow*
1972 – 1974 Dr. James A. McMonagle*
1974 – 1976 Gertrude Schramek*
1976 – 1978 Janice vanBlaricom
1978 – 1980 Elizabeth White
1980 – 1982 Lucille Gove*
1982 – 1984 Leona Meyer*
1984 – 1986 Grace Banks
1986 – 1988 Claire Harter*
1988 – 1990 Dr. Leonard M. Young
1990 – 1992 Betty Berg Drew*
1992 – 1994 Nola Pursiful*
1994 – 1996 Mr. Roger K. Harter*
1996 – 1999 Mr. Lyle A. Kleman
1999 – 2001 Josephine Horne
2001 – 2003 Connie M. Deford
2003 – 2005 Patricia Dolan
2005 – 2007  Rosa L. Williams
2007 – 2009 Maurice S. Henderson
2009 – 2011  Joyce A. Brown-Watkins

2011 - 2013 Carolyn Stubbs

2013-2015 Edna Arrington

2015-2017 Judy Edwards

2017-2019 Julie Pioch

2019-2021 Steve Britton - Current President

*deceased