Department Executive Committee

The American Legion Auxiliary Department of Michigan Department Executive Committee, per Article IV, section 1 of the Department Constitution, consists of the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Chaplain, Historian, National Executive Committee member, and District Presidents.

Request a Department President’s visit to a Unit or District event. Complete this request form.

Julie Becker
Department President
Email: jlbeckeralami@gmail.com
Dawn Gramza
Department 1st Vice President
Email: nursevna@aol.com
Anita Mennel
Department 2nd Vice President
Email: anita1919ala@gmail.com
Shannon Werner
Department Executive Director/Secretary/Treasurer
Email: info@michalaux.org
Christine Merlington
Department Chaplain
Email: chrismsu63@yahoo.com
Dawn Gilbert
Department Historian
Email: dawngilbert21@aol.com
Ellen Jackson Department Parliamentarian
sleepy1960@yahoo.com
Kimberly Champion
Michigan National Executive Committeeperson
Email: kimberlychampion@att.net
2nd District President
Penny Wright
3rd District President
4th District President
Penny Overholt
5th District President
Pat Lozano
6th District President
7th District President
Marcy Jorae
8th District President
9th District President
Charly Mathews
10th District President
Bonnie Taylor
UPAA President
Pam Globke
16th District President
ShyLynn Jones
18th District President
19th District President      

What is the chain of command for local Units?

Local unit presidents who have questions should contact their district presidents first. District Presidents have experienced most of a unit’s situations and can assist.  

Officer Roles

Department President: The Department President shall preside at all meetings of the Department Convention and the Department Executive Committee, appoint members of Standing Committees, the Parliamentarian, and create such other committees as are deemed necessary, with the approval of the Department Executive Committee, appoint the Convention Chairman (Convention City), Sergeant-at-Arms and Color Bearers for the Department Convention, and perform such other duties that are usually incident to the office. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees with vote and shall be counted in the quorum on these committees except on the Joint Legion/Auxiliary Committees.

Department First Vice President: The First Vice President shall act for the President in the absence or disability of the President or when called upon by the President. The First Vice President shall accept an appointment to a Department Committee and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.

Department Second Vice President: The Second Vice President shall act in the absence of the President and First Vice President. She shall accept an appointment to a Department Committee and perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President.

Executive Director/Secretary/Treasurer: The Department Executive Director-Secretary-Treasurer shall record, or have recorded, proceedings of the Department organization in Convention assembled, the  Department Executive Committee meetings, and keep all records of the Department organization. The Executive Director-Secretary-Treasurer shall transmit reports and calls of meetings; shall be the custodian of the funds of the Department organization and shall account for same. The Secretary-Treasurer shall co-sign all checks in disbursing the funds of the organization. In the event of the physical inability of the Executive Director-Secretary-Treasurer to sign checks, they may be signed by the Finance Chairman and the Department President. The Secretary-Treasurer shall make reports of the condition of the Department Treasury when called for by the Department President and shall perform such other duties as are usually incident to her office. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also be an ex-officio member of the Finance and Personnel Committees with voice only.

Department Chaplain: The Chaplain shall offer prayer at the daily opening of the Department Convention and all Executive Committee meetings; cooperate with The American Legion in planning the Joint Memorial Service; keep an accurate record of the deaths which may occur among the members of the Units and shall perform such other duties as the Department President may direct.

Department Historian: The Historian shall compile the historical records of the Department’s organization, make a report to the Department Convention and shall perform such other duties as the Department President may direct.

National Executive Committee person: The National Executive Committee member shall attend and report the proceedings of the National Executive Committee.

District Presidents: District Presidents shall serve on the Department Executive Committee. Between Conventions, the government and management of the Department shall be entrusted to the Executive Committee, and all proceedings of said committee shall be presented to the membership at the next Convention for approval. District Presidents shall serve as delegates to the National Convention representing the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Michigan.

Support of Local Unit Officers

The My Auxiliary Member Portal contains many resources, manuals, booklets, and other material on the different roles at the unit level.

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