Library Board Welcomes New Trustees, Leaders

Dan Gallagher

John Martinez, Jr.

Mac Crawford

Tom Binnings

As published in the Red Rock News

At the June 15, 2021, Sedona Public Library (SPL) Board of Trustees annual meeting, the 2021-2022 Board was formally seated. As a private, nonprofit corporation that provides public library services through contracts with local government, the volunteer Board of Trustees is responsible for administering the affairs of the Library and envisioning the Library’s future.

While no current members of the Board are retiring, we do have a few changes in positions, along with three new Trustees.

Joel DeTar joined the Board in 2015 and served as President of the Board with aplomb since 2017. He will now hold the title Past President, as he continues to serve for several more years. The Library has benefited from his strong vision and leadership, and we are fortunate that he will now chair our Building & Grounds Committee as we move forward with exciting changes to our facilities.

I am pleased to announce that Dan Gallagher has been seated as the new Board President. Dan and his wife Brenda have been full-time Sedona residents since 2015, and he joined the SPL Board in 2018. A retired senior federal executive with 30 years of service in the Department of Defense and 10 years of experience as a consultant/contractor at the Scitor Corporation and the Camber Corporation, Dan brings strong strategic, analytic, managerial, and communication skills to our Board. His careful consideration and thoughtful leadership will serve us well as we plan for a vibrant future.

Trustee Scott Bradley will continue in his role as Treasurer, and Trustee Tom Martin has accepted the important role of Secretary.

In addition, we are pleased to welcome three new members to our Board of Trustees—John Martinez, Jr., Tom Binnings, and McCullough “Mac” Crawford.

John Martinez, Jr. is well known in Sedona, having served eight and a half years as a member of the Sedona City Council—four of them as Vice Mayor. John also filled the role of Council’s liaison to the Library, so his knowledge of all things SPL is substantial. He has a strong accounting background and a focus on bottom-line results. His deep knowledge of the Sedona and greater Verde Valley region will serve the Library well, as John joins both our Budget & Investment and Strategic Planning & Policy Committees.

Self-proclaimed “long time book nerd” Mac Crawford and his wife Kali Gajewski founded Sedona Beer Company in 2016. An engineer by trade and brewer extraordinaire, Mac brings a fresh perspective to the Library Board, and his experience in project management and controls as well as his passionate commitment to community as both a resident and small business owner make him an ideal SPL Trustee. Mac will serve on our Budget & Investment, Building & Grounds, and Technology Committees.

Tom Binnings and his wife Jane live in the Village of Oak Creek. Tom co-founded Summit Economics in 2008 and has more than 30 years of experience in applied economics, analytics, decision support, and strategic planning. His career has focused on promoting solutions for community and commercial development, solving complex problems, and managing risk. He also teaches graduate MBA courses for Webster University, while serving on numerous panels of economists making national regional forecasts. Tom will serve on our SPL in the Village, Budget & Investment, and Technology Committees.

The following Trustees are continuing their service to SPL: Sheila Hoffmeyer, Peter Wolf, Mary Kay DePoe, and Avrum Cohen.

The staff and Board thank our past and current Board members and look forward to an exciting and productive year at Sedona Public Library. We are here to serve!

Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, supported by the Friends Of The Sedona Library, the City of Sedona, Yavapai and Coconino Counties, grants, donations, and gifts from people like you. Your tax-deductible donation can be sent to 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336, or better yet, come in and talk to us about planned giving opportunities.

Sedona Public Library
Column for June 25, 2021
 Written by Judy Poe, Library Director