Who We Are
The Significant Others (SOs) of the American Bandmasters Association are the significant others of ABA members.
Mission Statement and Goals
ABA Significant Others Mission Statement
The mission of the Significant Others (SO) Committee is to provide communication, collaboration, and support to the SOs of the ABA members. The committee also assists the SO of the President of the ABA in the successful implementation of the annual convention.
ABA Significant Others Goals
(1) Assist the ABA President’s SO with the implementation of the annual convention.
(2) Increase social interactions during and between conventions which may aid in the development of life-long friendships.
(3) Improve the SO experience at the convention.
(4) Provide support to the ABA member’s SOs.
Welcome Message from
First Lady, June Holder
To our Significant Others:
Roy and I are truly excited about the 2026 ABA Convention, March 3-8 in Chicago! (“My Kind of Town”). Mark your calendar and get ready for a spectacular time! Along with Hosts Brian and Megan Covey, joined by Alex and Kathy Kaminsky, plus Scott and Janice Casagrande, we are all working to make this an unforgettable convention! Everything––from the hotel, the excursions, the theatre, the concerts, the camaraderie––will make you so happy to be in Chicago in March! The SOs are a friendly bunch and we will all get to know each other better and share some Good Times!
If I can answer any questions, just let me know. My contact information is below!
Thank you!
June Holder, ABA First Lady
Ways to Contact Us
Email: abasignificantothers@gmail.com (ABA Significant Others)
Join our Facebook Page: ABA Significant Others
June Holder: 703-470-6848
Teresa Francis: 817-480-8546
Nancy Colburn: 703-283-7261
Valerie Taylor: 512-569-5057
2025 ABA Convention Highlights
from Teresa Francis
Chattanooga Convention reflections…
Once again our ABA convention was fabulously fun and exhausting! A huge thanks goes to our host Randall Coleman and planning committee Roy & June Holder (now President and First Lady) and David and Cheryl Gregory. The convention was a huge success thanks to this team and their hard work! Didn’t you just love Chattanooga??? So charming and so much to do that I will have to go back sometime.
I hope all of you got to chat and spend some moments getting to know a new friend and reconnecting with dear friends from past years. My only regret is that there wasn’t enough time to do this with everyone but there’s always next year! Thinking of making new friends, I have included the link to the Biography Survey for you to update/send your biography be it long or short if you haven’t already done so. Do it NOW before you forget:)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KJzSOJ-_MTvLyXDqBTLeWUjuyjPTHMzv/view?usp=sharing
I hope those who attended our two Significant Others meetings enjoyed getting to meet our new members. A big WELCOME goes out to them! We are so happy to have you be a part of our very interesting (and stylish I might add) group. Thanks again to Laura Schofield for coordinating all of the new member introductions. There was everything at our meetings from Chattanooga Ghost Tales to some fabulous bluegrass music by Barefoot Nellie & Company that kept us on the edge of our seats and our toes tapping. In fact some of our SOs just couldn’t stay in those seats during the banjo pickin-Valerie and Dorinda I believe! June Holder (our new First Lady) worked hard to find some great entertainment and I am appreciative of that-thanks to June! Cheryl Gregory was the floral “guru” of the convention. She planned and made (with help thankfully) all of the floral touches you saw around and even thought of using the yellow roses as an homage to President and First Lady Francis and the great state of Texas.
Meetings went smoothly, the food at the Westin was first rate as was the service and of course each evening we were treated to great music performed by the guest groups. Kudos to ALL of those conductors for their fine work with talented musicians to execute memorable concerts! I am already thinking about next year’s convention in Chicago. It will be fun to see everyone again along with those who were not able to attend this year and experience inspiring performances!
A few high points concerning the Significant Others: I would like to thank Valerie Taylor for agreeing to help me in co-chairing the SO Committees. She has been a great resource and help during the past year. Please remember to join our Facebook page. It is a great resource for staying up to speed on things.. For information on the SOs and committees go to the American Bandmasters Association website, https://www.americanbandmasters.org click on Who We Are then Significant Others and you will find Significant Others information. If you want to be added to any of the committees just let me know or any other executive board member or committee chair.
Hope to see everyone in Chicago in 2026!
Sincerely,
Teresa Francis, former First Lady
SO Committee Leadership and Subcommittees
SO Biographies & Directory
The ABA SO Committee is in the process of gathering and updating our member’s biographical information. We invite you to answer as many of the questions as you want, even if you completed a biography years ago. At a minimum, please provide basic contact information so we can communicate information relevant to all SOs. Please click on the above link and let’s start getting to know each other better.
2026 Chicago Convention Information
AmericanBandmasters.org
Other pages will be active soon:
News
History
Tribute to Founder of the Significant Others, Ann Bloomquist
Convention Highlights and Pics
Recent Comments