

### SCANDAL IN THE AMERICAN ORCHID SOCIETY

### Treachery and Betrayal at Alamo Town

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### By Luis Valdez and Ken Levi

### Copyright 2020 Luis Valdez and Ken Levi

### Smashwords Edition

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### Smashwords Edition, License Notes

### This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of these authors.

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### Cover Credit

### Cover Work: Rita Toews at http://www.yourebookcover.com

# Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Amada G. Garza and Ellen Murphy for reviewing earlier copies of this manuscript, and for providing us with invaluable advice.

The orchid on the front cover is - appropriately - a Cattleya Alamo. It was hybridized by Ed Wright, a one-time President of the Alamo Orchid Society. He named it, and in 1989, entered it into the register of the Royal Horticultural Society, London.

# Table of Contents

1. Scandal

2. Historical Background

3. An Orchid Lover's Journey

4. First Hispanic President

5. Tom et al

6. Events Leading to the Offense

7. Reaction

8. The American Orchid Society

About the Authors

Video

# 1. Scandal

In January, 2020, the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Alamo Orchid Society (AOS), San Antonio, Texas, voted to expel two of its members. The vote was five to one. The expelled members were me, Luis Valdez, and my partner, Ken Levi.

The expulsion of members had never happened before in the AOS, not once in its 65 year history. Stranger still is the particular nature of the members expelled. I was not just a member of the AOS. I was the immediate past President. Likewise, Ken was not just a member. He was the immediate past Vice President. Both of us had been elected and re-elected by a unanimous vote of the members.

Not only were Ken and I popular leaders during our time in office, but, significantly, I was the Orchid Society's first Hispanic President.

Most noteworthy is the sneaky nature of the BOD action. AOS President Tom Dunlap did not issue any advance notice that the question of expulsion would be on the BOD agenda. So, neither Ken nor I was present on the day of the vote. Both of us were on vacation in Mexico. Neither of us was given an opportunity to defend himself. Neither was afforded due process. The vote was taken behind our backs.

Moreover, the motion to expel two past officers - a President and a Vice President - was never put up for discussion before the full Society. The vote was taken behind the backs of the membership. One might suppose such a momentous and precedent setting action would require full disclosure and participation. But that never happened.

The full membership was only formally notified by a small paragraph buried on page 3 of the February, 2020, newsletter. It said:

"A motion was discussed and proposed to remove Louis [sic] Valdez and Ken Levi as members based on their actions detrimental to the society over the past year. The motion passed as stated by a five to one vote."

The BOD minutes were signed, "Tracey Davis, Secretary."

Such revenge by a current President on the prior President is not a common occurrence in advanced, democratic societies, governed by the rule of law.

In third world dictatorships, however, such arbitrary spitefulness is a common practice. History is replete with the jailing, and even execution, in nations such as Sudan, Congo, Bangladesh, Burma, Panama, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Guatemala. Such behavior is SOP - standard operating procedure - for a Banana Republic.

In the expulsion of myself and Levi, the rule of law was notably absent. In a letter to Tom Dunlap, a lawyer, consulted by us, put it this way:

"I did not see a basis for removing members in our by-laws or in Robert's Rules of Order - the two authorities that govern our society. The by-laws state that, upon payment of dues, a person applying for membership 'shall be accepted as a member.' See Bylaws Art. III, sec. 1. The only requirement for membership is payment of dues. The bylaws do not outline why or how a member may be expelled, although there are procedures setting forth why and how officers, or board members may be removed from office. See Bylaws, Art. VI, sec. 5. The bylaws thus contemplate that officers and board members may be removed - but not members.

"According to Robert's Rules of Order, our society may 'make and enforce its own laws and punish an offender,' including punishment by 'expulsion.' See Robt's Rules, Art XIII, para 72. Our 'laws' are our bylaws. We may punish an 'offender' who has violated our bylaws - Robert's Rules do not provide an independent basis for expulsion of a member, including why and how a member may be removed. _But, as the bylaws stand now, members may not be removed from the society_ " [italics mine].

In other words, the BOD acted unlawfully. They acted in contravention of their own "laws," which included the AOS Bylaws and Robert's Rules of Order. Indeed, the AOS Bylaws state in Article XI, the final article in the document,

"The guide for parliamentary procedures of meetings of the Alamo Orchid Society shall be Robert's Rules of Order, revised."

This book is about mismanagement in a voluntary society. It's about foolish decisions. It's about how one foolish decision after another built up over the course of a year to a disastrous blowout in the end.

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# 2. Historical Background

Why is the American Orchid Society (AmOS) in any way implicated in the AOS scandal? To put it simply, the AOS is part of the American Orchid Society. It's as if a McDonald's outlet served tainted beef. Who do you blame? Just that one outlet? Or, McDonalds as a whole?

The American Orchid Society was founded in Boston a hundred years ago, in 1921, as an offshoot of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MHS). A small group of orchid lovers, consisting of 35 men and one woman, launched the Society for the purpose of the education, conservation, and research of orchids. By 2001, the AmOS had grown to be the largest special interest horticultural organization in the world. Today it encompasses over 400 affiliated societies, including the Alamo Orchid Society in San Antonio.

Dating back even earlier, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, which gave birth to the AmOS, was itself founded in February 1829. This occurred during the waning days of the John Quincy Adams administration, just before Andrew Jackson ascended to the Presidency.

A signal event in MHS history came in 1901, when they constructed Horticulture Hall, an imposing brick and marble Renaissance Revival edifice, at the corner of Huntington Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, across from the Boston Symphony. They celebrated their grand opening with a ten day floral exhibit, featuring a special display of 1000 orchids.

In 1924, the newly founded orchid society held their own, first show from May 8 to 11. Open to the public in Horticulture Hall, it was dubbed "The Great Orchid Exhibition in Boston." In June of 1932, the AmOS launched their first periodical, the AOS Bulletin, which subsequently became _Orchids_ magazine. Then, in 1946, the AmOS established the Cleveland Orchid Society as their first world-wide affiliated organization.

By 1984, however, after 60 years in residence, the AmOS had to move. Horticulture Hall was undergoing a $4 million renovation, for the purpose of commercializing the property. So, the orchid society uprooted itself, and established a new home in West Palm Beach, Florida. The local neighborhood association, however, objected to their presence, and eventually got them to move again, this time to Delray Beach.

That stay was also short-lived. Financial pressures led the AmOS to form an alliance with the Fairchild Botanic Garden in Coral Gables, Florida, which is their current location. This final move was occasioned by a loss of funds, due to a steep decline in membership. It slid from 29,000 members in 2001, to 10,000 in 2011.

In 1921, the first President of the American Orchid Society was Albert Burrage, whose impressive ancestry stretched back to 1636, when his forebears arrived on American soil. Having graduated Harvard Law School, he became first an attorney and later an industrialist, founding American Amalgamated Copper. His passion for orchids made him, at the age of 61, the AmOS first President, just after serving as President of the MHS.

Burrage died in 1931, at the age of 72. His estate, at the time was valued at $6 million, the equivalent of $90 million today. Predictably, his heirs squandered the fortune.

Flash forward 90 years, and Burrage's successor, is President-elect Robert Fuchs. In 2012, he became the first orchid grower elevated to the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame. Before that, he graduated Florida State University, taught in Homestead Junior High School, and presided over the commercial nursery, R.F. Orchids.

Currently, the American Orchid Society has over 400 affiliates throughout the United States and the world. They range from the "Acadian Orchid Society" in Louisiana to to The "Yakima Orchid Society" in Yakima, Washington. They include such exotic outposts as the "Asociacion Acostenade Orquideologia" in San Jose, Costa Rica; to the "Gympie and District Orchid Society" in Gympie, Australia; to the "Brazos Valley Orchid Society" in College Station, Texas; to the "Bulawayo Orchid Society" in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

What are the advantages for a local orchid society to affiliate with the AmOS? Perhaps the main advantage is judging. Whenever a society holds an orchid show, participants are drawn to the show by the prospect of winning an award, which subsequently will appear on the official AmOS register, and ultimately take a place of honor in the list of the Royal Orchid Society, Kew Gardens, London.

The main awards include HCC, Highly Commended Certificate; AM, Award of Merit; and best of all, the FCC, First Class Certificate. Once bestowed, the proud recipient has the privilege of naming the exalted orchid, and gaining a slice of immortality by having the uniquely named plant entered into the three official databases, Orchid Pro, Orchid Wiz, and Orchid Plus. For inveterate orchid growers, these awards are the ultimate accolade. But they are only bestowed by accredited orchid judges. And these judges only show up at shows run by affiliated AmOS societies.

The second main advantage of affiliation is speakers. The AmOS runs a speaker circuit. Leading orchid experts from around the world sign up to join the circuit. They then travel, at local society expense, to affiliated organizations where they give lectures, demonstrations, and, most important, offer their own orchids for sale.

Finally, the AmOS offers a smorgasbord of other advantages. These include webinars, a calendar of orchid shows, marketing tools, listing and contact information in the directory of member societies, and educational publications. Mainly, however, affiliation makes your society part of the larger orchid community, and connects you to a worldwide web of people with common goals and interests.

Affiliation, however, does have its responsibilities. As Article VII, par. 7.1 of the AmOS Bylaws states, "To preserve such status, the Affiliated Society or Organization shall fulfill such requirements as the Board shall set forth for these memberships." These "requirements" include any that the Board "shall from time to time set forth." Finally, "The Board may terminate the affiliation between the Society and an Affiliated Society or an Affiliated Organization at any time and for any reason."

As long as a Society carries the brand of the American Orchid Society, therefore, their behavior reflects upon the parent Society of which they are a member. Otherwise, they can be removed.

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# 3. An Orchid Lover's Journey

a. The Orchid Show

I first became serious about orchids in 2013. Ken and I were shopping at a local nursery when we saw a flyer for a San Antonio Orchid Show. Since it was free, we decided, why not check it out. It was a weekend in April, 2013. The Show took place in the San Antonio Garden Center, a spacious, elegant venue, which usually hosts marriages, quinceaneras, floral society meetings, and the like. We walked through the door and were immediately blown away by the overwhelming sight of blooming, exotic orchids everywhere.

After we signed in, an elderly gentleman, Olie Dangerfield, greeted us with a broad smile, and offered to give us a little tour of the Show. In one large meeting room, we saw special displays by local area societies and also by individual members. In the next room we saw about eight or nine orchid vendors, all with their own booths.

Even under normal circumstances, it's hard for me to make the acquaintance of a beautiful plant, without wanting to buy it. But here, amidst this profusion of exotica, the temptation was irresistible. Somehow, I made my feelings known to Ken. So, naturally, he obliged me by buying a Paphiopedilum "Oriental Jewel." That was my first orchid, and I still have it today.

Before leaving the show, carefully cradling my new acquisition in my arms, Ken and I signed up to become members of the Alamo Orchid Society of San Antonio. In retrospect, it was not only the beauty and allure of the flowers themselves, but the kindly helpfulness of the gentleman Olie that made us feel this is a place where we could feel welcome.

## b. Eagle Pass

I was born in 1973, in Eagle Pass, Texas. This is a small border city, population about 24,000, just across the Rio Grande River from Piedras Negras, Mexico. My mom raised me, my two brothers and three sisters as a single parent. But she and I always had a unique bond.

When I was around 10 years old, my mom began to include me, when she went out to tend to her plants. It made me feel special. It was just me and my mom, and she taught me the love of gardening. You might almost say she was fanatical about plants. She raised roses, gladiolas, all kinds of herbs, fruit trees, vegetables, and many others.

I loved to watch her, and I remember being captivated by how fast our banana tree was growing. I actually measured it, and it came out to a few inches a day. I also was fascinated watching how bees pollinated our peach tree, seeing the flowers dry up and fall off; then finding the peaches start to emerge. Eventually I learned enough to create my own garden in our front yard.

Perhaps my first sight of orchids happened in church. My mom was a regular worshipper. And every year, the church would present all the ladies with their own orchid corsage. My mom loved it. And because she did, so did I.

My mom passed away several years ago. But I still have her ponytail palm at my place, and I think of her whenever I see it.

## c. Bonsai

At the age of 21, I enlisted in the Navy. Suddenly I found myself catapulted from Eagle Pass, Texas, to the world! The most memorable part of that experience was being stationed for three years in Yokosuka, Japan. Somehow - by hook or by crook - I managed to acquire a baby Ginkgo tree. I don't remember whether I bought it, or, maybe dug it up in the park. A friend had an apartment in town, and he let me keep the tree there, and raise it as a bonsai.

My naval career lasted from 1994 to 1997, active duty; and from 1997 to 2000 in the naval reserve.

After returning to Texas, I joined the local Bonsai Society. It was my way of continuing the interest I acquired overseas, but also to stay connected, in some way, to my love for Japanese culture. While in the Society, I won a first place award for my crepe myrtle bonsai.

I stayed with them for a couple of years. So, I always liked plants. But I hadn't yet hit the one that would really kind of wow me.

At the same time, I was continuing to pursue a college degree. Eventually, after a lot of fits and starts, I got my diploma! I graduated from Our Lady of the Lake University, in San Antonio, in 2012, with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a core concentration in biology. As I recall, my favorite class was "Vascular Plants."

## d. The Botanical Gardens

Ken and I joined the Alamo Orchid Society, about 6 months after I earned my college degree. As a result my life-long fascination with plants took a new twist. I left the Bonsai Society, and turned my attention to orchids. Slowly, my collection grew, mainly through AOS raffles and auctions. I also received gift orchids from friends.

Of course, in the beginning, I was doing everything wrong. So, at least half of my collection died within the first two years. But then, after that, I started getting better, and my success rate - especially in having them bloom - has risen exponentially.

When it comes to plants, I have always been hands-on. So, when I discovered an opportunity to work directly with orchids, I jumped at the chance. Years earlier the Alamo Orchid Society had formed an alliance with the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. The AOS agreed to provide volunteers to help cultivate the Botanical Gardens' orchid collection, exclusively housed in Greenhouse No.3, which contained some 2000 plants. The Gardens, for their part, consented to allow AOS to store its own collection in that greenhouse, and to raise them alongside the others.

At first, Ken and I showed up at the Greenhouse once a week for menial chores like watering and cleaning up. But eventually, we learned about repotting, fertilizing, pest control, and much more. On average, there were usually about three or four other volunteers, besides us, helping out.

When we first began working at the Gardens, the Curator was retired Air Force Major, Wayne Marine. Then, he was succeeded by a crusty old codger, John Verstegen, whose storied career included medical school in Belgium, World War II pilot, and manager of a book bindery here in San Antonio. John guided us with strict oversight for about three years. One of the other volunteers was Cathy Eignus, who had moved here several years earlier, after living the wealthy ex-pat life in San Miguel Allende; a lifestyle with which she soon became disgusted. So, at around 60 years old, she abandoned Mexico and moved back here.

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say we loved both Cathy and John. Eventually, we became guests at their homes, shared meals with them, inspected their greenhouses, and talked endlessly about the ins and outs of cultivating orchids. In addition to the plants themselves, people like John and Cathy made us value our membership in the AOS.

In his mid-eighties, John began suffering from arthritis in his hands. So, he backed away from volunteering at the Greenhouse. At that point, Cathy took over. Her style had often clashed with John's, while they were both there. When it came to re-potting, Cathy's approach was brutal. She would yank the poor orchids out of their pots, cast a disgusted look at their root system, grab a set of cutters, then mercilessly sheer almost all of the roots away. John, on the other hand, was more forgiving, and was even inclined, on occasion, to spare a sickly looking root, if it seemed like it had some chance of recovery.

Sometime in 2017, Cathy decided it was time to pull up her own roots, and move again. She really didn't care for San Antonio's scorching summers. So, with help from Ken and me, she loaded up her rental van, left behind some plants for our collection, then headed off for the prospect of a new life in Asheville, North Carolina.

With both John and Cathy having gone, I became the new Curator of the Botanical Gardens Orchid Greenhouse. It was my job to recruit new volunteers, tell them what to do, and teach them the many skills, such as re-potting and fertilizing, that John and Cathy had taught us. Eventually, we had about six or seven members dropping by to help us out. Also, Ken and I were going to to the Gardens not once, but twice a week, every week, for about three hours at a time, to make sure the thirsty orchids were well watered and cared for.

## e. Orchid Displays

When Ken and I joined the Orchid Society, the first President was Dan Tappmeyer. Having retired from his engineering job, Dan's infatuation with orchids led him to establish a greenhouse business in Guatemala, where he spent part of his time every year. Dan is a tall, white-haired gentleman in his seventies, and we became as close to him, as we were with Cathy and John. Seeing our interest, Dan invited us to help him out with community relations.

He decided that the best way to attract new members and educate the public was to assemble large, bountiful orchid displays for other societies and organizations. The three of us would set out early in the morning to prepare. We would gather as many blooming Cattleyas, Oncidiums, Dendrobiums, Brassavolas, Encyclias, Epidendrums, Vandas, and many others from the Greenhouse and from private collections. We would transport them to the venue site, and, as artfully as we could, arrange them in tiers atop a spacious table - usually about eight feet long by three feet wide. Inevitably, our displays were the hit of every show.

The flower show that most monopolized all our energy was, of course, the Alamo Orchid Society's own Orchid Show, which took place once every eighteen months. Why eighteen months? Different genera of orchids would be in bloom. So, we held one show in October and another, in March or April. That way, we could treat the public to a diversity of plants.

Dan was President from 2013 -2014; he was succeeded by Richard McNatt, another very tall, retired gentleman, in 2015-2016. Richard's particular obsession was Vandas, which he grew in profusion. Practically, every Society meeting he would appear at "Show and Tell" with stunning specimens - yellow, pink, fuchsia, etc. - from his private collection.

This would never fail to befuddle Ken and me, because Vandas were our nemesis. John Verstegen had once given us one of his prize Vandas, around 2015. Since then, it has consistently sprouted large, healthy leaves, but not a single bloom. I can even glance out from where I'm writing, just now, and see it hanging there, spitefully soaking in the morning sun.

Anyway, I digress. Assisting Dan with orchid displays for other people's shows definitely helped us when it came to doing our own. We participated in our first AOS Orchid Show in September, 2014. It was called "Orchid Equinox." For any Society, their own exhibit usually takes center stage. So, Ken and I assisted Dan in designing and creating the AOS Show exhibit. It's a "floor" exhibit, as opposed to a table top. And it consists of a ten by ten foot area topped with benches, tiers, and other props, filled to the brim with blooming orchids.

The next show called "Fall in Love with Orchids," came in October, 2017. This time I was in charge, with Ken and others as my assistants. Using what I had learned from Dan, I re-imagined the whole design, gave it a Japanese theme, and placed it smack in the center of the exhibit room floor. That way, anybody entering the show would almost have to go through our display to get to the vendors on the other side.

It took weeks of preparation. The Botanical Gardens graciously lent us two Ginkgo trees. We gathered copious blooms from the Greenhouse. Plus, we also borrowed heavily from our members' plants and garden decor. These included a Japanese lantern, bonsai trees, bamboo trees, and a small wooden bridge, going over a goldfish pond I created. Thanks to Klaus and Diane Collinsworth for their generosity. As a result of our efforts the AOS design won "Best Society Floor Exhibit." More importantly, it also won the American Orchid Society "Show Trophy for Most Outstanding Orchid Exhibit."

The following Show, "March Madness" occurred in the spring of 2019. Our members had voted on the name beforehand, and, for some reason, they chose basketball as our theme. Once again, I was in charge of the exhibit. Tom Dunlap, by then the Society President, had limited me to a $100 budget. So, my creative juices throttled into high gear. Not only did I have to figure out what to do with a basketball motif, but I also needed to determine how to pay for it.

I came up with two solutions. First, during the month before the Show, Ken and I scoured the "free" section on Craigslist, looking for portable basketball hoops. Miraculously, we eventually discovered three. For each one, we drove out to their houses, and loaded the hoops onto our truck.

My second solution was to fashion paper mâché basketballs by hand. Eventually, I created about fifteen of them, but it kept me awake at night doing them all, right up to the last minute. Finally, the Show arrived, and our exhibit took people's breath away. After all, who expected to encounter three towering, outdoor basketball hoops, with fifteen hanging paper mâché basketballs, festooned all over with blooming orchids?

Once again, not only did we win the AOS best floor exhibit, but, for the second year in a row, we also got best American Orchid Society "Show Trophy for Most Outstanding Orchid Exhibit" - a high honor!

## f. Awards

As I mentioned before, what true orchid lovers strive for are awards. Raising a prize winning plant not only gives you the satisfaction of the plant itself, but also recognition as an expert grower. Local awards consist of ribbons bestowed during shows and exhibits. Usually, the blue ribbon is first place; red is second; and white is third. But far more important are the American Orchid Society awards, which are judged by professionals, and are held to the kind of exacting standards you might expect to find at the Westminster Dog Show.

The judges themselves have to undergo a grueling six years of training before they are fully accredited. And the main awards, as I've outlined, are the FCC, First Class Certificate; AM, Award of Merit; and HCC, Highly Commended Certificate. Plants are scrutinized for such qualities as color, number of blooms, size of blooms, symmetry, and balance. Each judge awards points based on these qualities. Then, they confer among themselves to arrive at a final score. For 75-79 points, you get an HCC; 80-89, AM; and 90-100, FCC. Perhaps only ten plants a year achieve the crowning glory of an FCC.

Receiving any one of the three top AmOS awards buys you a little slice of immortality. You get to give the vaunted specimen a name, which, along with its picture and your name are entered into the official registry of prize winning orchids world-wide.

Over the years, I have submitted many plants for both local and national judging. Locally, I've collected my share of blue ribbons, along with a few whites and reds. But nationally, I have two distinctions to my name. In 2016, I submitted a Brassia gireoudiana, with forty-two flowers, having sepals and petals chartreuse overlaid with cinnamon brown spots. With 80 points, it earned an AM.

I then had a few days to figure out what to name it. I didn't want to be immodest and name it after myself. So, I was stuck. But then John Verstegen dropped by the Greenhouse, just to visit. He looked at the plant, then at me, and commanded, "Call it 'Luisito SABG,' " The SABG stands for San Antonio Botanical Gardens. So, I named my award winner "Luisito SABG." It is what this plant, and any of its offspring or clones will be called from now on.

The next year, 2017, I re-submitted the same plant, because it got bigger. It earned 84 points, and won me another AM award.

## g. The Orchid Greenhouse

At any given time, we had about 80 members in the Society. That's on paper. However, in terms of people who actually showed up at meetings and actively participated, the number ranged from 30-40. Of those members, maybe half had their own greenhouse. And I was jealous.

Greenhouses are generally considered a rich person's plaything. The cost can reach into the thousands, not only for the structure itself, but also for all the heating, cooling, and watering utilities that have to be installed in it. I am not rich.

But I am resourceful. After all, didn't I manage to acquire three, full-size basketball hoops for free? So, following that same strategy, Ken and I scoured the Craigslist ads to see if we could find a deal.

Then, one day, our friend and fellow AOS member Tracey Davis told us that her boss at work had not one, but two small, unused greenhouses she wanted to get rid of. She'd be willing to sell them for a reasonable price. So, we made an appointment, rode out to the lady's ranch, and inspected what she had.

There was a big one and a small one. I called them the "mother baby house" and the "baby baby house." Their dimensions were 9 by 12, and 6 by 9, respectively. They were both in a state of neglect and disrepair, but clearly salvageable. We chose the big one.

It took a while for all the wiring to be shut off and disconnected. And it wasn't until July, 2018, when Ken was away on vacation, that the greenhouse was ready to be moved. Tracey and I piled into my truck and drove out to the ranch. Over the course of two days, in the glare of the summer heat, she and I took it apart, painstakingly disassembling the larger structure, panel by panel. Then we drove the parts back to my house.

Another two months went by. But in September, after the San Antonio heat managed finally to seep below 100 degrees, Ken and I went out and put it all together.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have my own, personal greenhouse, which currently houses a large part of my 350 plant orchid collection. Not only did I join the ranks of serious growers, but - critically - I no longer had to haul all my plants indoors every winter, and then cart them all back out again every spring.

Now, I visit my greenhouse every day.

## h. The YouTube Channel

Many of us like to post funny pictures on Facebook. But one day I came across a sight that seemed to deserve wider exposure. One Saturday morning, Ken and I were just walking back from a sumptuous meal of "huevos rancheros" at the nearby Milagrito Cafe. As we rounded the corner into our street, we saw two cats, facing each other off. They were emitting low "mrowww mrowww" sounds; their backs were arched; their tails were high and stiff.

I got out my cell phone and began to record, just as the cats broke their standoff and flew into a brawl. When I got home, I decided to do something special with this video. I decided to post it on YouTube. That required me to set up my own channel - no easy task. I posted my first two videos on that channel on April 30, 2016. The first was "Cats Meowing at Each Other," and the second was "Cats Fighting."

It wasn't until two and a half years later, that I posted the next video to that channel. It was called "Greenhouse." That's how my YouTube orchid series began. Since then, I have posted short - usually about six minute - videos on plants I had in bloom. These include "Laelia praestans," "Dendrobium aphyllum," "Eulophia petersii," Paphiopedilum exul," and "Angraecum leonis," to name a few. Then, as I advanced in my knowledge, I included instructional videos; for example, "What Is an Orchid," "Scale Pests," "Spider Mites," "Root Damage on a Cane Dendrobium," "Repotting a Phalaenopsis," "How to Mount an Orchid," and "Orchid Black Rot."

All this time I was still posting pictures on Facebook. In response to one of them, my friend and erstwhile Society member, Rocky Leonides, commented, "You are the Orchid Whisperer!" I saw that, and it hit me. That's what I should name my YouTube channel. So, now, it is "Luis Valdez, Orchid Whisperer." To date, I've posted 55 little videos, 53 of them on orchids. The clips cover such topics as a wide variety of species and their hybrids, how to repot them, what media to use, how to deal with plant diseases, and so forth. Over the past month, I've received 406 views and 18 subscribers. They look up to me as the expert.

## i. The Journey to Date

Now, you know about my journey. From the time I was a little boy by my mother's side, breathing in her love for plants; to my exposure to Japanese culture and the art of bonsai, while in the Navy; to Ken and I attending our first orchid show in 2013; to our hands-on participation as volunteers at the Botanical Gardens, where I eventually became Curator; to helping out with large scale orchid displays at local floral societies; to creating two national, first-prize winning show-room orchid displays for my own Society; to winning American Orchid Society official awards for my own orchids, which placed me in the national register; to ultimately becoming the YouTube "Orchid Whisperer," whom many orchid enthusiasts today look up to as the ultimate authority on how to raise their plants.

You will no doubt notice that I have left out a significant chunk of my story. I have not yet talked about my two years as Alamo Orchid Society President. For that part of the story, however, I am devoting a special chapter, all to itself. But, outside of those Presidential duties, the tale of my "Orchid Lover's Journey" has now been told.

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# 4. First Hispanic President

a. Election

In November, 2016, members of the Alamo Orchid Society elected me President and Ken Vice President for the coming year 2017. I became the latest in a long line of AOS leaders, stretching back to February 4, 1955. That is when a group of 26 individuals met at Grimm's Nursery in downtown San Antonio and founded a new Society. One month later, in March, the American Orchid Society accepted the fledgling group as an affiliated organization.

The first AOS President was Tom King, a local attorney. Ironically, history has repeated itself, because the current President is also named Tom, and he considers himself a king.

Since 1955, over the past 65 years, the AOS has had 37 Presidents, not including me and Tom. Of those 37 individuals, 12 were women and 25 men. But none of them - not a single one - was Hispanic. And then there was me.

In a city that is 63 percent Hispanic, that's fairly remarkable. All past AOS Presidents were Anglo, with names like King, Williams, Baird, Tannenberger, Wright, Morgan, Taylor, Richards, and the like. I was the first Valdez.

Moreover, in examining the initial 26 AOS founders, all of them were Anglo, too. No Latino names among them.

I was also perhaps the youngest, being in my low-forties at the time of election. And, possibly because of that, I felt a special need to prove myself, and make my presidency outstanding.

Not only did I aim to perform my routine duties correctly, but I also wanted to go above and beyond. But let's start with the routine. These are chores that all Presidents and Vice Presidents have to do.

The AOS has meetings the first Wednesday of every month, with the possible exceptions of January and July. The meetings start at 6:30 PM and usually end around 9:30. During the first half hour, from 6:30 to 7:00, we have a small reception, during which people socialize with each other, catch up on the latest gossip, and circulate around the room, grazing on tasty refreshments, provided by our members.

At 7:00, the formal meeting begins, and everybody takes their seats. The President then welcomes everyone and makes announcements, followed by "Show and Tell." This is the part when - usually about five or six - members proudly display their currently blooming precious orchids. Everyone applauds.

Then, the Vice President introduces the speaker. Our speakers come from the speaker circuit provided by the parent organization, the American Orchid Society. The AmOS tries to enlist orchid experts and professionals from around the country and the world. So, our members are very eager to hear from these individuals, ask them questions, and, especially, purchase their plants. Some, but not all, of our speakers bring items for sale.

For each speaker, the local orchid society pays for their airfare and hotel. In addition, we make their hotel reservations, chauffer them wherever they need to go, and take them out to a fancy restaurant. The entire bill usually comes to about $500 per speaker. We split the airfare with orchid societies in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Brownsville, the other Texas venues where the lecturer is also scheduled to appear.

During the monthly meeting, when the speaker has concluded his presentation, the members then participate in a raffle, and, when available, make purchases from the speaker.

So, as a routine matter, the President and Vice President are responsible for everything that happens. We take care of the speaker, make all his arrangements, do all his driving, ensure that he's paid. We work up his bio, both for the meeting and for our monthly newsletter. We organize the refreshments, and set up the raffle table. We host the speaker's dinner and invite members to join us. And we clean up at the end.

Those are our routine duties.

## b. 2017, Beginning

Now, lets talk about the non-routine. As I have mentioned, my goal was to go above and beyond. We didn't meet in January, because people were usually either on a vacation, or recovering from one. But right away in February, we made a few small changes. We created a mass email list of all the members, and used that list to notify people of the upcoming meeting, and to invite them to join us for dinner with the speaker. No such advance notification had ever been done before.

At the meeting, we introduced a triangle. In the past, getting people to stop milling and get them to be seated was like herding cats. The President would rise to the fore and try to make some comments, while at the other end of the room, members would still cluster in groups, obliviously chatting, shopping, and snacking. After several false starts, and many "shhhhhhh" "shhhhhh"es from around the room, things would finally settle down.

Having witnessed this awkward scene many times as regular members, Ken and I decided to take matters in hand. We went out and purchased a music triangle. We thought a cowbell would sound too harsh, but the melodious tinkle of a triangle would be both attention getting and amusing. And so it was. At 7:00 PM, Ken stationed himself in front of the hall, raised the triangle expectantly, and struck it several times. Immediately, the meeting came to order.

We also shifted things around. In the past, the "Show and Tell" portion of the meeting happened at the end. So, after having sat through 90 minutes to a hour's worth of lecture, and then released from bondage, people were expected to stay seated and politely hear other members bragging on their blooming orchids. It didn't work. Some left. Others got up and moved around. Few actually paid attention.

Ken and I moved the "Show and Tell" to the beginning, before the speaker, so that our members could get the attention they and their prized orchids deserved.

Perhaps the biggest change we made at the outset of our term, was to relocate to another venue. We had been meeting at Lion's Field, a public meeting house owned by the city. But the room they stuck us in was small and crowded. We had to set up and tear down our own furniture. And at nine o'clock on the dot, the ex-Gestapo lady who managed the joint at night, stationed herself at our door, and demanded to know why we weren't gone yet.

Ken and I decided, enough of that. So, we made arrangements with the Garden Center, that elegant and spacious venue where we usually presented our Orchid Shows. And from then on, we held our meetings there. The room was huge. They did all the setting up and tearing down for us. But, best of all, we no longer had to meekly lower our heads, rush to put everything away, and leave, under a stentorian barrage of abusive threats.

So, that's how we began.

## c. 2017, Middle

Moving into the spring and summer, many more changes were to come. For starters, I set up our first Facebook web sites. They were called the "Alamo Orchid Society Group" and the "Alamo Orchid Society Page," respectively. The Group was private, for members only. And the Page was for the general public. I set them both up under my personal profile.

From that point on, and practically every day, I posted primarily orchid pictures, and invited our members to do the same. Facebook was also a good way to let members know about about upcoming meetings and special events.

While I was doing that, Ken was revising the Bylaws. We felt we needed to broaden active participation among our members. Too many people just showed up at meetings, and passively sat and got lectured to. We wanted involvement. So, at our first meeting of the Board of Directors, we proposed creating eight new chairmanships, and two assistant chairmanships, for everything from publicity to new member recruitment. The Board agreed. And we set out inserting those changes into our Bylaws.

But there was a problem. No one had a digitized copy of the Bylaws. They must have existed at one time. But they had since disappeared. All we had were paper handouts. So, Ken painstakingly re-wrote the Bylaws on his computer, including the new chairmanships that we had created. Once finished, he emailed out electronic copies to every AOS member. Plus, we placed a separate copy in the Facebook Group, under "Files."

One of the chairmanships we created was "New Member Ambassador." Lorenzo Sanchez agreed to serve in that capacity. At our direction, he created twenty new member packets, which contained information about our Society, along with cheat sheets on how to grow different genera of orchids. At each meeting Lorenzo would personally welcome each new member, hand them one of the packets, and, as a special inducement, give them a small, free orchid.

From the outset, Ken and I wanted to not just expand our membership, but to diversify it, and to make everyone feel welcome the way Olie had made us feel the first time we stepped into an Orchid Show. The packets were part of that effort.

And so were "Grower's Groups." In addition to our monthly meetings, the AOS had also been hosting events at individual member's homes. This usually occurred on the third weekend of the month. People would volunteer to host these Grower Groups, in order to show us their greenhouses, their blooming orchids, and their methods of cultivation. But it was also a social event - a chance for people to get together, outside the formal setting, enjoy some refreshments, and have some fun.

So, Ken and I created a "Grower's Group Chairman," whose job it was to contact the members and recruit volunteers to host the events. We wanted to ensure every month was filled.

While all this was going on, Ken and I continued volunteering at the Botanical Gardens twice a week. Caring for 2000 orchids was an important job.

## d. 2017, End

One nagging problem that every orchid society faces is what to do when you run out of speakers. Usually, the circuit provides, at most, six speakers. That leaves six other months with nothing to do. In the past, those gaps were partially filled by a big auction in September, a Christmas party in December, and no meetings in January and July.

But Ken and I wanted new ideas. Plus, we wanted to give our members more opportunity for active participation. So we created two new events: a "mini-auction" in July, and a "Distressed Plant Forum" in August.

In our big September auction, we usually have 100 plants for people to bid on. But in our mini-auction, we decided to do 50. In addition, we added a "silent auction" component, in which a number of plants were set out on tables, with a piece of paper next to each plant on which people would write their bids. In the end, after the formal auction was over, we announced the silent auction winners. It was a great success.

About a week before the mini-auction took place, we made good use of Ken's new AOS member email list. We sent out the names of all the plants to be auctioned off. That way people could study ahead of time and decide which orchids they really wanted. This had never been done before.

Another innovation was the "Distressed Plant Forum." It gave us another opportunity for member participation. In contrast to our usual "Show and Tell," we invited people to bring in their bad plants, the ones near death or dying. They would place these plants on a table at the front of the meeting room, and a team of our local "experts" would advise them - and everyone else - how to revive their ailing flora.

The Forum took place in August, followed by our major auction in September. But, all along, we had something even more critical on our minds. Our big, every-18-month Flower Show was due to occur in October. The theme was "Fall in Love with Orchids." So, in addition to being President, and running a couple of auctions, I also had to plan, design, and construct the huge Alamo Orchid Society exhibit. In the end, we pulled it off, drawing record crowds, and winning first prize for our display.

Ken and I added two unique features to the Orchid Show. The Gruene Orchid Society is a small group of orchid lovers who meet in New Braunfels, halfway between San Antonio and Austin. We personally began attending their monthly meetings, to fold them into our wider community, and specifically to involve them in our Show. Often, Tracey Davis would accompany us. As a result, the Gruene Society participated in the festivities, and put up a beautiful display.

In addition, we also personally showed up at meetings of the San Antonio College (SAC) Art Society. We got the idea of broadening the appeal of the Show, to include orchid works of art, in addition to orchid plants. So, on the weekend of the big Show, talented Art Society students joined us, embellishing our venue with original paintings, sculptures, and even a do-it-yourself silk screening booth.

The fall of 2017 was also the time for elections. So, a nominating committee came up with a list of names for all the officers - President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer - plus a new member for the Board of Directors. President and Vice President are term limited to two years in a row. Secretary and Treasurer are not. As a result, Nancy Canavera had been Secretary for three years, so far, and Eric Shepherd had been Treasurer forever. But Ken and I would be running for our last year in office.

On the day of the election, Tom Dunlap had submitted his name as President. This struck many of us as bizarre, since he had only become a member of the Society about six months prior.

At the appointed time, we announced that the voting would begin. Before anyone could say another word, however, John Verstegen, sitting in the back of the room, rose to his feet, and announced, "I make a motion." Everyone twisted around to look at him. Ken and I glanced at each other, wondering what on Earth John was about to do. "I move," he said, "That the current slate of officers be re-elected."

The motion was seconded, and a roll was taken. Ken and I, along with Nancy and Eric, were unanimously voted back in. Tom Dunlap, as a consolation prize, was supported for the Board of Directors.

So ended our first year in charge.

## e. 2018, Beginning

As the new year began, Ken and I turned our attention on a long simmering problem. Our Society was losing money. It all started about seven years prior. In 2011, the Alamo Orchid Society had hosted the biggest Orchid Show of all - "Orchid Fandango," The American Orchid Society Show. According to our brochure:

"The Alamo Orchid Society is pleased and proud to welcome you to the Orchid Fandango! We are excited to be hosting members of the American Orchid Society, The Southwest Regional Orchid Growers Association, the International Phalaenopsis Society, the Slipper Orchid Alliance and the Pleurothalid Alliance."

Orchid lovers flew in from all over the country, and spent like crazy. As a result, our Society wound up with a windfall profit of about $10,000.

Be careful what you wish for, however. That influx of cash made us complacent. So, for the next six years, no one worried about expenses, because we all just assumed our accounts were flush.

What Ken and I came to realize, however, is that every year, since that big Show, our bank account was bleeding funds. So, we went to work. We initiated several projects in an effort to turn things around.

The first effort was, once again, to capitalize on our mass email list. Every couple of weeks, we would mail out pictures of twenty plants, and sell them to people on a first come first served basis. We raised net $620 that way.

The second effort was the mini-auction, gaining us net $1474.

Our third effort was Fiesta medals. San Antonio is famous for hosting its own version of Mardi Gras. It's called Fiesta, and, instead of French, the theme is decidedly Latino. Every April, the streets come alive with cascarones and pinatas and balloons, and decorative banners, and parades, parades, parades. There are night parades and day parades and river parades and street parades. Great tons of beer are consumed, along with tacos and fajitas, and cardiac inducing heaps of deep fried dough, known as funnel cakes.

One key feature of every Fiesta are medals people wear on their shirts. Societies, companies, and civic clubs, plus the local Air Force bases compete with each other to come up with the most creative designs. Then, they offer their medals for sale. Business is booming.

San Antonians are eager to purchase as many medals as they can get. Throughout Fiesta, people sport their medals on their chests like four star generals. They compete for the size of their collections.

So, Ken and I figured, why not us. We created an Alamo Orchid Society design, with a metal emblem hanging from a yellow ribbon. Then, we invested $831 having hundreds of medals produced by a local company. The AOS had never done this before.

Once the medals were ready, we distributed them among our members for them to sell. Ken and I did our part, going to local medal sales events, and dropping by different businesses. At one point, we were in a store and tried to sell a medal to a customer. He said, give me a bunch and I'll sell them for you. We gave him about 20, and watched in astonishment, as he went off and persuaded one person after another to purchase everything he had.

Our star salesperson, however, was our friend Tracey Davis. We would give her two packets of medals to sell, and a week later, she would come back for more. Thanks to her efforts, and that of others, we made $1371 in profit.

In all, for 2018, our total expenses were $6961. And our total Income - $8820.

## f. 2018, Middle

During the spring and summer of 2018, we continued raising money through a mini auction, through Fiesta medal sales, and through email plant sales. We also embarked on four new initiatives.

First, having tackled the issue of finances, we next turned our attention to membership. On paper, we had about 100 AOS members. But we'd be lucky if as many as 35 of them actually showed up. Of the others, several of them had stopped paying dues, or had long since lost interest in the Society. So, Ken and I sat down with our Secretary and friend Nancy Canavera to devise a way to revamp our membership list.

We spent several days sitting around her kitchen table and devising spreadsheets. From that point on, we would track who showed up at gatherings and who paid their dues. At meetings, Nancy would have the complete list of members spread out on a table, and she would check off the ones who showed up. Then, she would report to us the results.

After that, the three of us would contact the recalcitrant individuals. Of those who refused to pay dues, we sent them warning emails, and if they still held out, we'd "suspend" their membership. Of those who flat out told us, they no longer considered themselves part of the AOS, we omitted them from the list. It was, after all, their choice to go.

Ultimately, we paired down the list to about 80 members. We didn't consider it a loss of membership. Rather, we saw it as finally acknowledging reality. Some people were on our rolls who had stopped attending years ago.

Our next initiative was to give two of our most valued members special recognition. _Orchids_ , the American Orchid Society's flagship magazine, offers the "Orchid Magazine Diamond Award" for exceptional service to the Society. Their policy is to grant each Society one award a year.

But in the AOS it had been about five years before anyone had thought to petition for an award. So Ken and I prevailed upon the magazine editor to let us have two. Then, during our next scheduled meeting we surprised Carole Gage and Eric Shepherd with two beautiful glass trophies with their names etched on the surface. Carole had been our Newsletter editor for about the past eight years. And Eric, as I say, had been our Treasurer forever - perhaps fifteen years.

A year and a half later, Eric would repay our act of kindness by voting to expel Ken and me from the Society.

Our third initiative actually originated with a suggestion from Tom Dunlap. Having recently moved to San Antonio from up North, he recounted during one of our meetings, how his former Orchid Society in Minnesota would sponsor an annual bus ride to Illinois to participate in the Chicago Orchid Show.

We liked the idea. And since Houston would be having its own Orchid Show in the spring, we polled our members to see if anyone would be interested in a bus trip. In the end, eight people signed up. So, Ken and I rented a mini bus, and I drove us all to the Houston Show.

Oddly, one person who opted out of going with us was Tom Dunlap. And it was his idea in the first place!

Finally, our fourth initiative was "Orchid Roulette." This was a novel twist on the "Depressed Plant Forum" that we had introduced the year before. Instead of having our "experts" sit up front, while members approached them with their critical care plants, we did something different. We set out five large round tables over the meeting room floor. Each table had six chairs. One of the chairs would be occupied by an "expert," and the rest by regular members. Every 20 minutes, the members would stay seated, but the experts would rotate. So, in the end, everyone had an opportunity to consult - face to face - with every expert.

We had one more idea during the spring-summer term. Things had been going so well for us, that we decided to do a group photo. On the appointed day, Thirty-eight people showed up in their finery, and smiled broadly for their picture. It was a moment in history, captured for all time, of a happy and successful Orchid Society family.

## g. 2018, End

My term as President was drawing to an end. Our Bylaws limited me to two years in office. So, in the fall of 2018, we held a meeting of the Board of Directors. They appointed a nominating committee. Right away, Tom Dunlap advised the committee that he wished to be a candidate for President. He also advanced the name of his friend and neighbor Susan Coyne for Vice President; plus another ally of his Liz O'Toole as a member of the Board of Directors.

Meanwhile, we had a major orchid auction to hold in September. Much of our time was spent with Nancy Canavera and Tracey Davis planning how to set it up.

But our signal achievement during these final months was the AOS Christmas party. In the past, we would celebrate at a local restaurant. These affairs were not always a great success. For example, in the fall of 2016, Ken and I were in charge of making a reservation for about 40 people. We had decided to choose the Mexican restaurant Tomatillos.

But Liz O'Toole changed our minds. She owned and operated San Antonio's upscale orchid nursery, E.D. Huntington Orchids. Her clientele tended to be the super rich, like members of our fabled San Antonio Spurs basketball team. So, a Paphiopedilum that might cost $20 elsewhere would cost $120 there. We actually considered ourselves lucky to purchase a wine colored Paph. from her for a mere $80. It later died.

On the day we visited Liz, we told her about our intention to hold the Christmas party at Tomatillos. She strenuously objected. "No one likes that place," she declared. Instead, she strongly urged another locale - Soluna. She knew the owner, she told us, and would convince him to give us a good deal.

So, regrettably, Ken and I let ourselves be convinced. We cancelled Tomatillos, and made a reservation at Soluna. It was only later we discovered that Soluna was one of Liz O'Toole's business clients. By steering our Society business towards Soluna, she was also steering their business to herself.

In the end, Soluna was a mistake. With drinks, most of our members wound up paying about $40 per person. For that price, we got a customized list of options, with skimpy offerings. And the dessert was a pathetic pair of churros, because they claimed they didn't have the chocolate flan listed on our set menu.

With past failures, such as the one at Soluna, on our minds, Ken and I decided to revolutionize Christmas. No more restaurants, we determined. Instead, we held our big dinner at the Garden Center, and catered it ourselves. We had a buffet table spread out with home-made turkey, ham, a wide variety of veggies and desserts. Some of our members volunteered to be in charge. Tony and Diana Sanchez, John and Linda Maldonado had experience catering large events, so we turned over preparations to them.

As for expenses, the Society would pay for everything. For our members, it would be free.

On the day of the party, the Maldonados and Sanchezes outdid themselves. Not only did they lavish the buffet table with delicious entrees and appetizers, but, incredibly, they also decorated each table with a miniature Christmas tree centerpiece, fancy tablecloth and napkins holders. Plus, they set out real china and glass dinnerware.

Members were also encouraged to add their own potluck dishes to the buffet table, and many of them did. Ken and I brought customized cookies, each with the AOS logo and frosting orchid on top.

Before sitting down to eat, we dedicated the first half hour to socializing. Ken circulated among the guests and wet their appetites with champagne. A piano player provided a background of Christmas music.

That piano player was another one of our innovations. We had searched for weeks on the internet and Craigslist for a candidate. Finally, we called the music department at San Antonio College, and they recommended a young exchange student from China. We contacted her, and she agreed to play.

By the day of the Christmas party, the new slate of officers had been elected. Since Tom Dunlap, Susan Coyne, Nancy Canavera, and Eric Shepherd were the only nominees, they were, of course, voted into office. Even Ken and I voted for them. In addition, Liz O'Toole was chosen for the vacant position on the Board of Directors. Little did we realize that we were being set up.

Yet, at this point, things didn't look so bad. The November 2018 Newsletter reported these comments from the new President. "Tom expressed appreciation for the amazing work that all volunteers under the direction of Luis [and] Ken have been doing to take care of the large collection."

The next month, I, as the departing President, gave my final address to the members. In the December 2018 Newsletter, I wrote:

"Our upcoming Christmas Dinner is a fitting capstone to all the great things we have achieved together over the past two years. We have added about 20 new members. We have increased our financial account by about $5000. We have had three successful auctions, two distressed plant forums, one road trip to Houston, a Fiesta medal sale, an online Ecuagenera plant sale, an Orchid Quiz, and society displays at four flower shows sponsored by outside groups. In addition, we have held our own well-attended Fall Orchid Show, and are already preparing for our next Show in the Spring. We have formed an alliance with the Gruene Orchid Society. We have created public and private Facebook sites, to keep our members and the wider community well informed of our activities. And we have sent out email reminders to all members for all upcoming events. We have maintained some 2000 orchids at the Botanical Gardens, there twice a week, and have recruited several new volunteers to help us with that task. Finally, we created

eight new chairmanships, added them to a newly revised set of Bylaws, posted those Bylaws online, and sent them out by email to every member in the group. We have done all this in addition to our normal round of speakers, dinners, refreshments, show and tells, and grower's groups. So, it has been a wonderful experience and a great opportunity for me to serve as your President for the past two years, and I thank-you for everything we have achieved together."

"Luis V."

One year later, Tom would be kicking us out.

## h. Summing Up

Overall, during our two years in office, 2017 and 2018, Ken and I achieved the following:

1) Finances: For the first time in seven years, we wound up with a profit. We made a substantial net gain in our AOS bank account. We stanched six years of financial loses, and finally turned things around.

2) Membership: We added twenty new members, many of them Hispanic.

3) New Events:

a. mini-auctions

b. table-top silent auctions

c. email auctions and sales

d. distressed plant forum

e. orchid roulette

f. orchid quiz night

g. Fiesta medal sales

h. Diamond award presentations

i. Houston bus trip

j. group picture

k. Christmas party at the Garden Center, with piano player and potluck

4) Other Innovations:

a. new venue, moving from Lion's Field to the Garden Center

b. mass email list with advanced notice for meetings and events

c. a Facebook Group and a Facebook Page

d. eight new chairmanships e. two new assistant chairmanships

f. new member packets g. free orchid to each new member

h. revised Bylaws

i. mass distribution of the Bylaws

j. revised membership list k. outreach to the Gruene Orchid Society l. outreach to the SAC Art Club

m. the triangle

### Back to Top

# 5. Tom Et Al

a. Tom

Tom Dunlap arrived at the Alamo Orchid Society in the spring of 2017. He had just moved down from Minneapolis, where he'd retired from an engineering firm. Once here, he settled down in the semi-rural town of Canyon Lake, which is located in the Texas Hill Country, about 50 miles north of San Antonio. The ride from his new home to the Alamo City takes about 90 minutes over some one-lane, very roller-coastery roads. But having served as a long-time member of the Minnesota Orchid Society, he determined to re-establish himself in the equivalent Society down here.

Perhaps he was destined to eventually become our Society's President. He is a tall - about 6'2" - white, wealthy male. That fits the mold of both our past two leaders, as well the AOS's original President, Tom King. In addition to those qualities, he is also paunchy - without being fat, and semi-bald, with close cropped gray hair on the sides.

No sooner than he arrived, he began making a big splash at the AOS. In his booming voice, he spoke up frequently at meetings, and rarely hesitated to give advice. But he really drew attention to himself at our big auction in September. In all, he spent about $900, a sum that, for my part, I was pretty happy to collect. But many of our other members resented it. They were the ones who bid against him for specimens they really wanted to add to their collections. But, again and again, he outbid them, leaving those members both frustrated and annoyed. They felt he was the self-centered, brash newcomer, with little consideration for other people's feelings. Ken and I heard a lot of complaints.

The next month we held our 2017 "Fall in Love with Orchids" flower show. And once again, Tom's insensitivity was on full display. He took it upon himself to take ice bags out of the Garden Center's refrigerator, even though they had someone else's name on them. Plus, he confiscated one of the large, room dividers, by first removing plants that the Ikebana Society had placed there. Three years later, in 2020, these rude behaviors were still fresh in the mind of Ikebana members, who wince at the memory of what he did.

Tom was on his way to becoming something of a legend.

After our big Show in October, we then turned our attention to the 2018 elections. This was when John Verstegen, to our surprise, pre-empted the voting by moving that all 2017 officers be re-instated for the coming year. This came as upsetting news for Tom, who, as I've already described, felt he was entitled to the position of President. Instead, he was given the consolation prize of a seat on the Board of Directors.

With the advent of the new year, Tom continued to make suggestions. One of them was the idea of a bus trip. He regaled us all with the tale of bus trips he organized back in Minneapolis. Once a year, they would rent a bus, pile in their members, and head for the Chicago Orchid Show. There, Tom told us, they would compete for who would make the most purchases. So, guess who the winner always was? Tom! Time and again, he would out-buy everyone else, and be declared King. He positively glowed at the memory. They even gave him a crown.

Ken and I actually thought the bus trip was a good idea. So, as I've already described, we organized one. We thought Tom would be pleased that we were adopting his suggestion. But, as it turned out, he didn't even go.

By the end of 2018, Tom finally got his wish. The AOS elected him President. I still remember the day he showed up at the Garden Center Society. The ladies who belong to this Society are actually the proprietors of the Garden Center venue. They have their own meetings the first Wednesday morning of every month. Because of our love for plants in general, Ken and I had become regular attendees at their events.

Well, at their first meeting in 2019, Tom himself showed up. His pretext was to invite the Garden Center ladies to our own AOS meeting later that evening. So, he sat himself in the front row, raised his hand to speak, then got up and took over the podium. There, as a preface, he introduced himself as the new AOS President. Then, he announced, "Many of you have asked me about my background, where I come from, and what is my education." He then proceeded to describe himself in some detail.

Ken and I, sitting at the back, looked at each other in befuddlement. Did any of the GC ladies actually ask Tom to take up their meeting time by talking about himself?

After the meeting, we asked around. We asked the GC President. None of them had ventured to make such a request.

One year later, Tom would propose that Ken and I be expelled from the AOS. Joining him in that motion were four other Board of Directors members. These include Susan Coyne, Nancy Canavera, Tracey Davis, and Eric Shepherd. So, now, let's talk a little about them.

## b. Susan

As the newly elected Vice-President, Susan Coyne is Tom's sidekick. Privately, he has referred to her as "difficult." Others, more bluntly, have described her as, "That horrible woman."

Like Tom, Susan was a recent arrival. She had moved to San Antonio from San Diego, California, in the summer of 2017, and she joined the AOS in September. Also like Tom, she settled in Canyon Lake, only a few streets away from him.

Currently retired, back in San Diego, she had worked as a nurse administrator. From that job, and perhaps also her previous two husbands, she had amassed a considerable sum of money.

In appearance, she is in her early 60's, with an average figure, about 5'7" tall, and with straight, long, blondish-gray hair. Overall, she looks a little like Carol Baskin, from the TV show "Tiger King." Now that she was free of her prior entanglements, she was on the lookout for another mate.

I had my first encounter with her, shortly after our big annual Orchid Auction. Susan had purchased several items during that event. But when she got back home, she claimed that she tested them for plant virus, and five turned out to be bad.

At that time I was doing double-duty, both as AOS President and as Botanical Gardens Greenhouse Curator. So, I was at the Greenhouse one day, shortly after the auction, when Susan showed up. She informed me that five of her auction plants tested positive for virus. Then, she made an offer. If she donated five virus test strips to the Greenhouse, could she have replacements for the five bad plants?

I said OK. But right away I was a bit puzzled. Of the five supposedly bad plants, Susan only brought back two. Where were the other three? Oh, she said, she threw them away. So, I was supposed to give her five new plants in exchange for the two she brought with her, and the three that she said she left in the trash at home. Now, I know that if you go to, say, Walmart, and ask for an exchange, they require you to actually bring with you the item you want exchanged. They don't just give you something for nothing.

Nevertheless, I said OK. But then the next thing Susan did really threw me for a loop. I gave her five fresh plants, and she showed me her five virus test strips. But instead of handing over those strips, as she had offered, she proceeded to use them to test each one of the five new orchids I just gave her! So, what kind of deal was that? She "donated" five test strips for five fresh plants, but then used those strips for herself. And virus test strips can only be used once. After that, they're no good.

That experience left a bad taste in my mouth. It also gave me the impression that Susan thought she could always manipulate people to get her way. After all, she'd just manipulated me.

A few months after that incident, Susan hosted one of the "Grower's Groups" at her lovely Canyon Lake home. Before that, the group of us first stopped at Tom's nearby place to look over his own greenhouse. His orchids were blooming and appealing, but his hosting left something to be desired. For one thing, he greeted us in a soiled work shirt. Plus, there were no refreshments, not even water. And when one of our elderly ladies needed to use the restroom, she was forbidden from entering Tom's house.

We then caravanned from Tom's to Susan's Her attractive new home featured a wide verandah overlooking the eponymous Lake. There, Susan took Ken and me on a little tour. She brought us inside and showed off her prize. It was a fancy bottle of wine inside a display case, and there was an emblem attached. It announced that Susan was a member of the Beaujolais Club of America. It is, she informed us, a "very exclusive" club. They don't just let anyone join.

Weeks later I was reminded of this pretentiousness, when Susan again dropped by the Greenhouse unexpectedly. She arrived a half hour before we were intending to leave. Tracey Davis was also volunteering with us at the time. It was our custom for the three of us - Tracey, Ken, and me - to have breakfast together at Milagrito Cafe, after we were through with our work. There we would gossip, catch up on our lives, and talk about goings-on at the Society.

When Susan showed up, however, it was my fear that somehow she would manage to join us afterwards. So, I kept a wary eye on her, as she wandered among the orchids. I held my breath. But when Susan approached me with a question, I feared the worst.

And sure enough! Susan asked me what our plans were for afterwards. I told her. Then Susan offered, "I'll come, too."

So, the four of us wound up in a booth at the Mexican restaurant. We gave our orders. But when it arrived, Susan eyed the little margarine container suspiciously. She hailed the waitress to come by our table. "Is this real butter?" Susan demanded. No, the server said. It's substitute. "Well I don't want that," Susan announced, "Bring me real butter, instead."

## c. Nancy and Tracey

The subtitle to this book is "Treachery and Betrayal under the Shadow of the Alamo." If Tom and Susan represent "Treachery," Nancy and Tracey represent "Betrayal."

Both of them were not only our friends, they were our best friends within the Society. I'll talk about each of them separately.

## d. Nancy

Nancy and I were close, even before I became President. Ken and I would visit her home, and admire the latest developments in her greenhouse. In addition, we would exchange plants. I gave her some of my Dendrobiums, or "Dens," as she calls them. She gave me a variety of orchids and some cactus. Often, when I ventured out to a remote nursery in the Texas Hill Country, I would call Nancy first, to ask if there's anything she wanted me to buy.

A long-time San Antonio resident, Nancy originally hailed from St. Louis, and she would return there every year to visit with her family. In appearance, she is in her mid-fifties, fairly tall, maybe 5'8", slender, with a long neck, and streaks of gray in her once dark hair, which she normally wears short, Rachel Maddow style. Rarely will you see Nancy without her trademark scarves and gauzy shawls, draped over her shoulders. Her favorite color is celadon green.

As I said, we were friends with Nancy even before I became President, but after my election, we got much closer still. Typically, Ken and I would make the drive to Nancy's suburban home to discuss business. But always the first item on the agenda would be her greenhouse. She wanted to show off her latest blooms, and ask my advice on how to deal with the sickly ones. Usually, we'd spend at least 30 to 45 minutes with her plants, before we ever got down to business. And then, Nancy would remind us that we're pressed for time.

Nancy was our AOS Secretary, and as such she took meticulous notes during meetings. These notes generally appeared in our monthly Newsletter, where they often took up a whole page, single spaced.

But, in addition to that, Nancy, Ken, and I worked together as a team, and collaborated over her kitchen table on a number of projects. These included the mini and maxi auctions, the membership lists, and the Orchid Shows.

For the auctions, she helped us with the planning, but she also hand-crafted paddles for us to pass out to the bidders. In addition, during the auctions, she would help keep track of who the winners were, what they purchased, and for how much. For us, her record keeping was invaluable.

Incredibly, Nancy also took it upon herself to create PowerPoint slides, with pictures of each of the hundred orchids we'd be putting up for bid.

For the member lists, Nancy created a spreadsheet of all AOS members we had on our books, along with columns for how current they were in dues and attendance. In this way, we found out who to cull from our rolls and who to keep.

For the Orchid Shows, Nancy and I were designated as co-chairpersons for the "March Madness" Show, and in the beginning Nancy, Ken, and I got an early start on planning. But then something really bad happened, and it all fell apart. I will detail that incident in the next Chapter.

For all the help Nancy gave us, Ken and I were extremely grateful, and thanked her profusely. We also thanked her publicly, on several occasions. Indeed, we urged her to run for President herself, but she always begged off, citing domestic responsibilities.

As for her attitude toward Susan and Tom, she told us she thought Susan was deranged, and Tom, she declared, "A bull in a China Shop."

## e. Tracey

Tracey Davis was not only our Society friend \- like Nancy - she was also our social friend. And it's her betrayal that hurts the most.

In appearance, Tracey is in her mid-forties, short - about 5'4" - and somewhat dumpy. She has medium length, dark brown hair, often with a touch of highlights. Because of her figure, she usually wears black, with a minimum of jewelry.

Even though she held no official position when Ken and I were in office, Tracey assisted us in many of our AOS projects. She volunteered at the Botanical Gardens Greenhouse, where she watered the plants, did re-potting and pest control. She also could be counted on to pitch in for the auctions, Orchid Shows, and raffles.

But her main contribution came about for the Fiesta medal sales. Tracey was a veritable powerhouse. We had the medals packaged five apiece in little plastic baggies. For starters, we gave everyone who volunteered, two baggies of medals to sell, at $7 apiece. Most sold fewer than both baggy-fulls.

But Tracey sold both baggies in a week, and then she came back for more. This must have happened about four or five times. Part of her secret was that Tracey was working two jobs. During the day, she labored at a check-processing center. But some nights and weekends, she served as a bartender at the Majestic Theater, which hosted live performances.

Tracey was well known and popular at both places. So, she was able to sell medals to many of her friends and acquaintances. In the end, we declared Tracey our star salesperson, and gifted her a free orchid as a reward.

So, Tracey gave us invaluable support at the Society. But we also were close as social friends. Every Saturday, after volunteering at the Botanical Gardens, Tracey would hop into her diminutive Mini Cooper, and follow Ken and me to breakfast at Milagrito Cafe. There, in addition to snarfing up their tasty "huevos rancheros," the three of us would gossip and catch up on our lives.

In addition, we went on road trips together. Usually, we ventured out to Miller's Tropicals, in the remote Texas Hill Country to shop for orchids. I would do the driving. But often, we'd be talking so much, I'd forget about the road, and we'd wind up getting lost in some obscure location. Ken and Tracey soon learned to cease all conversation, whenever we approached a critical intersection.

One day, Tracey bought her own greenhouse. But after it was finally erected, she still needed something for the floor. So, she called Ken and me and asked for our help. The three of us went out to a gravel company, and watched while a dumper poured a ton of pebbles into the back of my truck.

We then returned to Tracey's place, and spent the rest of the afternoon, shoveling pebbles into buckets, hoisting the buckets into wheel barrows, and hauling those wheel barrows 50 feet away to her greenhouse floor. It took us three hours, in the hot summer sun, and it was back-breaking work. But, after all, we were friends, and that's what friends do.

Of course, Tracey returned the favor. I've already detailed how she helped me acquire my own greenhouse. In addition, for two days she assisted me taking it apart and loading it onto my truck.

On another occasion, Ken and I joined with Tracey and her husband Sanford, and marched together in a local, San Antonio demonstration for gun control, after the horrendous school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Tracey and Sanford, in turn, helped take care of our house one summer, when Ken and I went on vacation. We gave them the key, introduced them to our kitty, whom they would keep from starving, and invited them to use the swimming pool, which, as it turned out, they enjoyed to full measure.

As for her attitude toward Tom and Susan, she referred to Tom as, "A male, chauvinist pig." But her feelings toward Susan were more ambiguous. It was Tommy, Susan's boyfriend, who built Tracey's greenhouse. And through Tommy, Tracey and Susan got closer.

## f. Eric Shepherd

The fifth person on the Board of Directors who voted to expel us was Eric Shepherd. We were never particularly close to him; so I won't go into much detail. All I will mention is that two years earlier, we broke the rules at Orchids magazine in persuading them to let us present both Eric and Carole Gage their coveted Diamond award for outstanding service. A year after that, when Eric's truck broke down, Ken and I drove out to Eric's house to pick him up and chauffer him to our 2018 Christmas dinner. Then we drove him home again after that.

We expected better from Eric.

### Back to Top

# 6. Events Leading up to the Offense

a. "Everyone gather around"

Tom's first year as AOS President was 2019. But even before then, he decided it was time to take matters in hand.

In September of 2018, Tom hadn't been elected yet. He hadn't even been nominated. I was President, and would continue to be for another three months. I was also BG Orchid Curator.

I was at the Greenhouse one day in September, along with several of my volunteers, taking care of their huge collection of orchids. Suddenly, to our surprise, in walked Tom Dunlap. I was watering orchids near the front, but Tom strode right past me.

He marched up to the middle tables, stationed himself there, and announced, "Everyone gather around." There were about six of us at the time. So, we formed a circle around him, wondering what was going on.

Tom then proceeded to outline his plans for the Greenhouse. There would be big changes. There would be a lot of virus testing. Many plants would get thrown out. He'd be writing down plant handling procedures and posting them in the front.

Not once, in the course of making these announcements, did he consult with me, or even acknowledge my existence. Ken and I had been volunteering at the Greenhouse for the past three years, and in all that time, I don't recall ever seeing Tom making an appearance. Yet now, he shows up for the first time, issuing demands, and rudely demeaning my authority.

And this wasn't the first time. Months earlier, at the "Fall in Love with Orchids" Show, we had a confrontation. It was the morning of the big Show, and we were all busily setting up our tables and displays. Tom came stalking up to me, a look of anger reddening his face.

"Where are the tables for my book sale?" he demanded. I had no idea what he meant. "What book sale?" I asked. "The one we talked about earlier." To me we never had that discussion. But whether we did or not, that still doesn't excuse the anger, or the condescending way he was treating me.

Nor was I the only brunt of his condescension. Mary, one of our members, reported asking Tom a question about orchids, and receiving a sarcastic response. A worker at the Garden Center complained about how Tom ordered her around, treating her like a servant.

Several people I've spoken to deny that Tom or any of the Board are racist. And perhaps they are correct. But I have to wonder - is it just a coincidence that all these people he has mistreated are Mexican-American? Would he be so condescending toward me if I were not Hispanic? Would he be so dismissive?

Is it just a coincidence that, a year later, the first President to be expelled from the Society - in fact, the first person - was the first and only Hispanic to hold that office?

## b. "Increase 2019 dues"

December 30, 2018, two days before taking office, Tom sent out an email to members of the Board of Directors. In it, he wrote,

"I would like to propose that we increase 2019 dues from $25 to $50 per person. Please send me your thoughts."

In considering all the events leading up to Tom expelling me from the Society, this issue of dues was out first major blowout. I thought it was a terrible idea. For one thing, Ken and I had managed to diversify our membership, bringing in more young people and Hispanics. Raising the dues would make it harder not only for these new people to remain in the Society, but also to continue to attract a mixed group of members in the future. To "coin" a term from Susan, the AOS would become more "exclusive".

Second, Tom's proposal was to charge $50 per person. But we currently were charging members $25 per household. Others may not have noticed the distinction. But for our many, two-member households, Tom's proposal would raise their dues from $25 to $100.

Finally, Tom's proposal rested on the premise that the AOS was on the brink of financial collapse. He seemed unaware of the fact that in 2018 I had turned things around, and had ended the year with a net gain.

Nancy Canavera, Secretary at the time, immediately responded to Tom's email. She wrote,

"I disagree with making that proposal unless there has been plenty of discussion. Also, it would seem to me that there needs to be a recommendation from the board."

She also added the following points:

"How much revenue will be brought in versus how many members we may lose."

". . . what other ways can we raise money?"

Tom agreed to bring up the issue of dues at our next BOD meeting. He further agreed not to raise the issue in the general AOS meeting beforehand.

Sure enough, however, at our AOS monthly meeting on January 3rd, Tom right away started talking about dues. Ken and I had decided beforehand not to raise the question of dues at the general meeting unless Tom did. But when he did, we felt we had to speak up.

Tom was talking about how much our Society was losing money, and what other societies were charging their own members. But, sitting in the audience, Ken and I raised our hands, and contradicted him. We noted that the AOS wasn't losing money. It was gaining. And we noted that the wealthy ladies who belonged to the Garden Society only paid $20 in dues, and part of that money went to their regional organization.

The meeting became contentious. And afterwards, a couple of people came up to Ken and me, and said we sounded "bitter." I think, in retrospect, that they didn't realize Tom's ulterior motive. They didn't realize he wanted to raise their dues.

## c. "You threw me under the bus!"

The Board of Directors met Monday, January 7th, at Liz O'Toole's place. We sat around a wooden table on an outside deck. As President, Tom was also Chairman of the Board. The first thing he did, once we were all seated, was to turn to Ken and, feigning a tone of regret, said, "I'm sorry. I made a mistake. When I sent you an invitation to attend this meeting, I didn't realize you're not a member of this Board. So, you can't really be here."

Immediately, Ken responded. Since he's the one who actually re-wrote our Bylaws two years ago, he knew what the rules were. So, he cut Tom off, saying,

"I wrote the Bylaws, and they say non-Board members are welcome to attend Board meetings and to participate."

Susan then chimed in with, "He can't." But Tom acknowledged, "Yes, the Bylaws say he can stay."

They then discussed various matters, before coming to the issue of dues.

For starters, Tom was interested in our social media. He acknowledged my two AOS Facebook sites, the Group and the Page. And he requested that I turn them over to him. I said no.

Then we all discussed our upcoming Orchid Show, "March Madness." Nancy and I were the Co-Chairpersons. We talked about attracting orchid vendors to the Show. That's always critical, because it's how we raise most of our money. We charge each vendor $150 per table, and some of them get three.

Liz O'Toole, who was a new member of the BOD, would be reserving two tables for her own business, E.D. Huntington Orchids. She complained that Society members didn't support her enough. I responded, "It's because you're too expensive."

Funny. It's the sort of thing everyone knows, but no one says out loud. I said it, and people gasped.

Finally, we got around to the question of dues. Tom bemoaned how much the Society had been losing money. Raising dues was desperately needed, he contended, to ward off financial disaster.

But then, Ken spoke up. As Vice President, he had been keeping careful records of our income and expenses. So, he opened his notebook, and began reading line items off the page. But barely had he begun, that Susan Coyne shot up from her seat. Staring reproachfully at Tom, she cried, "You threw me under the bus! You threw me under the bus!"

"You promised you wouldn't let him speak!" She wailed. Then, she turned and stormed out of the deck.

After that, calm was restored, and Ken continued reading line items from his notebook.

Carol Orozco, another member of the Board, later commented she'd been a member of the Society for about 20 years, and had never before witnessed such an incredible scene.

## d. "The Elephant in the room"

The afternoon of the infamous Board meeting, Susan Coyne sent out an email. In two paragraphs, she first gave some words of support to Liz O'Toole, and in the second paragraph, she discussed the flyer for our Orchid Show.

Incredibly, she made no mention of her emotional tirade in the middle of our meeting. I thought she was going to apologize for her behavior. But, since that never happened, I sent out an email in response. After discussing the issues she raised in her own email, here's what I wrote in paragraph no. 5:

"Finally, when I first saw the email from Susan, I thought she was going to address the elephant in the room. I thought she was going to address her temper tantrum during our meeting, her accusing Tom of 'throwing me under the bus," and her storming out of the meeting in angry tears proclaiming, 'I'm done! I'm done!'

I sent that email out to all the Board members at 8:56 PM, Monday evening. The very next morning, we received Susan's enraged response. Here's how she began:

"The Elephant(s) in the room are that your 1. 'leadership' lost significant money to the Society; 2. lost membership (according to Nancy's records) despite the low dues, and 3. you are responsible for the diseased orchids in the greenhouse.

"What could be worse for the society?! The 3 biggest revenue sources all losses on your watch."

Then, she launched into her full-scale attack:

"Tom and I have been trying not to go there, but you are forcing the issue! You and Ken are suffering from loss of importance derangement syndrome! You both are disrupters [sic]! Sore losers. No longer relevant? Full of undeserved feelings of grandiosity."

This, in effect was Susan's second tirade. Instead of apologizing for the outburst she unleashed during the meeting, she simply had a second one in an email.

Her flailing out included a host of untrue accusations, lots of school-yard name calling ("sore losers," "no longer relevant," "loss of importance derangement," "undeserved feelings of grandiosity," "disrupters"), and - since she couldn't actually scream over the internet - multiple exclamation marks (!). I count four.

Tom, becoming aware of these contentious emails later that Tuesday afternoon, wrote to everyone in response,

"Susan - If you had remained at the meeting for five more minutes you would have received the information that refutes your item #1. The information Nancy gave out on membership does not speak to timing of members leaving so you cannot state #2. Everyone has virused orchids in their collection! It is no ones [sic] fault and I disagree with #3."

So, even Tom, Susan's main ally, refuted all of Susan's so-called "facts." She probably felt, once again, he was, "throwing me under the bus!"

The issues, raised during this first, remarkable Board meeting of Tom's tenure as President, lay out the major conflicts that would unfold in the year ahead. These include: finances, conflict of interest, free speech, and Facebook. I will talk about each of these issues separately in the following sections.

## e. "Lost significant money"

Money, they say, is the root of all evil. In a way, that's what happened here. As I've explained, my differences with Tom actually began with the question of dues, and his assumption that Ken and I mishandled our finances so badly, that the Society was on the brink of disaster.

That assumption on Tom's part was the reason Ken accompanied me to the BOD meeting. Ken was, in fact, in the process of explaining our finances, when Susan interrupted us all with her tantrum. It was precisely the question of money which neither she nor Tom wanted Ken and I to talk about. That's why she accused Tom of "throwing me under the bus." And that's why she stormed away.

So, Susan never got to hear Ken going down - item by item - all the income and expenses from our final year in office. She was no longer at the table as Ken listed all the various ways he and I had devised to boost the Society's coffers. And she was absent, when Ken concluded that - based on the figures he presented - in 2018, for the first time in eight years - he and I had actually turned things around. We realized a net profit of $1900.

Instead, in her subsequent email, Susan charged that my " 'leadership' lost significant money to the Society."

Later in that same email, she even charged me as "the king of losing money to our society."

Tom, of course, set her straight in his response. He told her that if she'd only remained for five more minutes, she would have heard Ken's numbers.

Also at that meeting was Eric Shepherd, our Treasurer. Somewhat reluctant to accept all of Ken's figures, Tom asked Eric to conduct an audit, the results of which they would discuss at the next meeting. A month later, Eric was able to report that Ken was entirely correct. The Society had made money in 2018.

Indeed, the March 2019 Newsletter contained the following admission, "It was noted that while the Society had a negative net loss in the years 2013 -17, there was a net gain last year."

As it turned out, I was not "the king of losing money." I was the guy who turned things around.

Subsequently, Tom adopted some of the innovative ways Ken and I devised to boost AOS income. He did mini-auctions and silent auctions. But he didn't do the email auctions or the Fiesta medal sales. And he lost some of the vendors whom we had lured to our own Orchid Show.

Ironically, therefore, in his first year in office, Tom wound up losing money. In my final year, I began 2018 with a balance of $9239." I ended the year with $10,817.

Tom, on the other hand, started 2019 with $10,817 in the bank. But he ended, according to the January 2020 Newsletter, with $9162.44.

## f. "We need to support local orchid vendors"

Ever since Liz O'Toole persuaded me to reserve Soluna for our 2016 Christmas party, I had become suspicious of her motives. We learned that the restaurant was one of Liz's clients for her orchid nursery. So, in effect, she was using her influence with the society to help out her business. It left a bad taste in our mouths, especially after the poor service, limited menu, and high prices.

So, I was on the alert when, at our first Board of Directors meeting, the topic turned to vendors for our upcoming Orchid Show. As I've noted, vendors are how we make most of our money - up to $450 for three tables.

Liz had already reserved two tables for E.D. Huntington Orchids. Fair enough. But then, someone recommended "Brite Ideas," another vendor in San Antonio, who sells orchid supplies. That's when Liz spoke up. No, she said, don't invite Brite Ideas, because, "I sell the same items."

Wait a minute. Liz O'Toole at this point was more than just an ordinary member. She was an officer of the Board of Directors. She was a member of the governing board of the Society. And here she is telling us, during a Board meeting, to exclude her competition from the Show!

I objected, declaring a conflict of interest. But Liz complained not enough of our members were shopping at her establishment. She retorted, "I'm a long time member of the AOS. And I've done so much for this Society. It's time the Society started supporting me."

That's when I uttered those fateful words - "You're just too expensive." I committed the capitol offense of telling the truth. From that point on, Liz was not my friend.

The next morning, Susan sent out her email in support of Liz. In it she wrote:

"After thinking about the meeting and what was said I am not going to contact Brite Ideas as a vendor at our show. Liz made a good point about the fact that she carries the same items for sale."

To that I replied:

"In the first paragraph, Susan repeats almost word for word Liz O'Toole's rationale that we should support her business because she is 'a long time member of our society.' In other words, we should show favoritism to Liz.

"Incredibly, that favoritism even extends to excluding Liz's competition from our orchid show! This literally means that we would forfeit the money Brite Ideas might contribute as a vendor. Plus, we would forfeit the benefit of having vendors compete for our business. The result could mean higher prices for our members and our guests."

Tom then chimed in with his own email, and had the last word:

"We do need to support local orchid vendors," he stated, echoing both Susan and Liz.

So now, the three of them were in on it together. The President, the Vice President, and a member of the Board were upholding what I considered a blatant conflict of interest.

As it turns out, I'm not the only one who feels this way. According to the Bylaws of our parent organization, the American Orchid Society, Article 8.6 states:

"No part of the net income of the Society may under any circumstances inure to the benefit of any Officer, Trustee, Member, or other individual except as permitted by law."

Closer to home, similar concerns are found in the "Conflict of Interest Policy of the Alamo Orchid Society. Article I explains:

"The purpose of the conflict of interest policy is to protect the Alamo Orchid Society when it is entering into a transaction or arrangement that might benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the Alamo Orchid Society or might result in a possible excess benefit transaction."

It further defines "benefit" as, "direct and indirect remuneration as well as gifts or favors that are not insubstantial."

To me these policies are pretty clear. Liz was an officer of the society. She was not just receiving, but actually soliciting a benefit for her "private interest." And the very individuals who were supposed to be protecting our members from this kind of behavior, were actually her staunchest supporters.

As for Liz, Susan, and Tom's argument that we should support our "local orchid vendors," - i.e., Liz - does that mean that, in effect, we should turn the Alamo Orchid Society into a lobbying group for our doctors, lawyers, and real estate salesmen?

Speaking personally, like Liz, I also did a lot for the Society. Many of our members willingly volunteer their time and energy. But, unlike Liz, none of us ask for any special favors in return.

## g. "All email correspondence must be sent by Carole Gage only"

So far, I've talked about finances and conflict of interest. But another huge issue that germinated out of that first Board of Directors meeting was "freedom of speech."

My first glimpse of this issue came when Tom feigned crocodile tears at the beginning of the meeting, and regretfully tried to exclude Ken from the conference. Later on, Susan foolishly spilled the beans on what was going on, when in a rage she flew up from her seat and charged Tom, "You promised you wouldn't let him speak!"

In a later email, Susan actually exposed Tom once again -

"You should have reigned in Ken like you said you would."

Aha! So, Tom's "regret" at the outset of our meeting was actually part of a plot. It was a secret plot between Tom and Susan that, one way or another, Tom would keep Ken from opening his mouth. Of course, it didn't work. Ken stayed. And he spoke.

Ken and I thought that after Susan's inadvertent disclosure, Tom would feel some shame. He'd been exposed trying to stifle our voice. But, as it turned out, the opposite was the case.

A few days after the meeting, Susan sent an email to Tom outlining her "plan" for future BOD meetings. To us her suggestions were transparently kooky and bizarre. She wrote:

"Regarding the idea of a 'member' being able to speak/badger/harass/disrupt... No I don't think that should be allowed.

"If a 'member' wants to speak constructively at a Board meeting, that person should contact the President, request to speak (not badger/harass/disrupt) put them on the agenda with a time limit like 2-3 minutes. That is the respectful, considerate thing to do. Many of of [sic] have lives and cannot devote hours to waste time."

So, Susan was actually proposing that non-Board members "request to speak" ahead of time; then, be "put on the agenda." They should be limited to 2-3 minutes only (presumably, someone would be timing them). After that, they had to shut up and go away.

A couple of days later, Tom responded. Instead of rejecting the looniness of Susan's suggestions, he actually adopted them. He had a new policy: 1) non-Board members could not attend Board meetings; 2) before the meetings began, non-members could have their say; 3) but they would be limited to three minutes only; 4) even the Board members themselves, would have to raise their hands if they wanted to say something during the meetings; and 5) they could talk only if recognized by the Chairman (Tom). From now on, Tom declared, Board meetings would be held according to "strict Robert's Rules of Order."

When I was President, my policy was just the reverse. I invited all Society members to show up at Board meetings and have their say. Ken and I even sent out notices beforehand letting people know the time and place Board meetings would occur.

And that's not all. Tom's attempt to stifle alternative voices included: emails, Facebook, and other posts. In the March 2019 Newsletter, he let it be known that, "All email correspondence must be sent by Carole Gage only." Carole was our Newsletter editor, and she had the official mass mailing list. So, if Tom or Susan wanted to communicate with the members, they would go through Carole to do so.

As Vice President, however, Ken had painstakingly compiled his own mass mailing list. And it was this avenue of communication Tom sought to muzzle.

He also wanted to monitor what people said in writing. In that same March Newsletter, he declared, "Board members will write periodic articles, sent to Tom for editing [italics mine] . . ."

So, Tom wanted to control what people said in Board meetings, who could say it, and for how long. He wanted to control what they said in emails; and he wanted to control what they said in their writing.

But most of all, he wanted to control what they said in Facebook. In terms of future events, this one issue ascended in importance above all the others. So, Facebook is what I'll talk about next.

## h. "Executive decision: Only one Open page should exist"

One of my initiatives as President from 2017-2018, was social media. I created and managed a public Facebook Page, and a Private Facebook Group, for members only. The purpose was to have an online "Show and Tell." There's nothing orchid enthusiasts like more than to parade their latest blooms. So, if you were to log on to one of these sites, you would see reams and reams of glorious blossoms.

Tom decided, during our first BOD meeting, that he wanted to take over my Facebook sites. So, he demanded that I turn over to him the password and login information for the Page and the Group. I said, "No." I explained to him and the others that I couldn't do that even if I wanted to, because both sites were established under my personal profile. To do what Tom asked, I would be handing over to him my personal profile information.

So, we talked about all that for a while, until Tom finally slammed his hand down on the table and pronounced, "I'm making an executive decision." Ken and I looked at each other. He's doing what? Tom's ordered that I would have to hand over my sites.

The problem for him, however, was that I wouldn't do it. Two days after that regrettable BOD meeting, Ken and I headed off on vacation. But even while I was at the San Antonio airport, Tom peppered me with calls on my cell phone. I didn't answer any of them. I presumed he was trying to get me to change my mind.

Now, I've had experience with stalkers before in my life. And this felt exactly like that. Tom must have tried calling me at least twenty times. Ken and I were glad to get out of town.

The next BOD meeting was held in February at the home of our Treasurer, Eric Shepherd. The minutes of that meeting were subsequently reported in the AOS March Newsletter. They include the following excerpt:

"The consensus was that only one Open page should exist. Moving forward the society will have an Open Facebook Page with Lorenzo and Tom as administrators. 1) The current name on the Closed Page with Luis as administrator (Alamo Orchid Society Members of San Antonio) will change away from representing the Alamo Orchid Society. 2) The Open Page with Luis as administrator (Alamo Orchid Society of San Antonio) will change to Lorenzo and Tom as administrators. 3) The newest Open Page with Lorenzo as administrator (San Antonio - Alamo Orchid Society) will be closed."

A word of explanation: when Tom uses the terms "Open" and "Closed," what he really means is Public and Private. What he refers to "Closed Page," what he really means is Private Group. When he refers to "Lorenzo" as an administrator, that's whom he appointed as social media chairman. Lorenzo was one of our tech savvy members.

I attended the meeting at Eric's that the Newsletter cites. Ken came with me, but under Tom and Susan's new policy, he could no longer attend the meeting. Even though he was the past Vice President, he couldn't join in. So, Ken sat quietly in Eric's living room, while the rest of us repaired to Eric's dining room and assembled around the table.

When Tom continued to insist I turn over the FB sites, Carol Orozco, a Board member, responded, "But they're Luis's property." And she was right. The Facebook sites were mine. I established them under my personal profile. Technically, they didn't belong to the Society. So, when it comes to deciding what I should do with my own property, the Board does not have a say.

And I, facing Tom, in a quiet and measured tone, said simply, "It's not going to happen."

Later on, in desperation, Tom demanded that, if I wasn't going to turn the sites over to him, I should simply shut them down. But, of course, I refused. To do what Tom was asking would mean wiping out two years of beautiful pictures and Society memorabilia.

It was now months into Tom's Presidency, and his obsession with the FB sites continued unabated. If anything, it escalated. And to me, it was so unnecessary. After all, what harm was I doing? In providing an online venue for people to show off their orchids, I was not only offering a service to the members, but also giving free advertising to the Society. And I was doing all the work.

Then, Tom tried something else. He tasked Lorenzo, as the new social media guy, to convince me - either through persuasion or threats - to at least change the name of my sites. Maybe call them, "Luis Valdez's Orchids." And through several emails, Lorenzo tried. But in the end, he failed. I wouldn't do it.

Lorenzo, being squeezed in the middle of this conflict between Tom and me, finally quit. He rarely showed up at meetings after that.

One big reason I clung so strenuously to my Facebook sites is all the evidence piling up that Tom wanted to suppress dissent. He wanted to control the media. Like all authoritarians world-wide, he felt the only voice people heard should be his own.

This became clear from the outset. It was clear when Susan charged, "You promised you wouldn't let him speak!" It was clear when Tom ordered that emails could only go out through official channels. It was clear when he decreed that any articles members wrote would have to go through him for editing. And it was abundantly clear in Tom's single-minded pursuit of domination over Facebook.

As a result, Ken and I did just the opposite. If Tom so desperately wanted to stifle dissent - or even alternate voices - then we would use the Facebook sites and our mass email list to undermine him. We would become the AOS voice of truth. He asked for it!

In all, Tom badly mismanaged all three of the seminal issues arising from that first BOD meeting. He supported conflict of interest. He stifled free speech. And he shot himself in the foot with Facebook. Along with Susan Coyne and Liz O'Toole, he had fashioned a mini culture of corruption.

It was never inevitable that he would make Ken and me his enemies. We were two of his hardest and most knowledgeable workers. He could have taken advantage of our combined talents. But instead, he did the opposite. He blew it.

## i. "March Madness"

Looming ahead of us in the Spring of 2019 was our once-every-eighteen-months Orchid Show, perversely entitled "March Madness." Nancy and I were Co-Chairpersons for the Show. In addition to that I was in charge of the official AOS orchid display. Ken was appointed head of publicity.

Right away, however, Tom made trouble. On Dec. 20th, 2018, he sent us an email that included the following statement:

"Ken - I understand you are the publicity chair. What actions have you taken or planning to take? At the last show, we had very, very few people attending on Sunday. What are we doing to greatly increase traffic on Sunday? We had trouble getting some of our vendors to return because their sales were poor."

So, in this one short paragraph, he managed to do two things: first, micro-manage Ken's progress; and second, be rude and insulting.

Ken, in fact, had also been in charge of publicity during our last Show, eighteen months earlier. He worked very hard at it, physically going from store to store, handing out flyers and persuading new vendors to attend. As a result, we had record attendance that Sunday. Far from being "very few people," we had more guests show up than usual.

Ken reacted to Tom's email as one might expect. He quit. After all, no one was paying us to do this work. We were volunteers, doing it out of the goodness of our hearts. But if Tom was going to both micro-manage us and insult us, then let him find someone else.

And he did. Tom chose his wife. She would henceforth be the new publicity chairperson. And maybe that was the plan all along.

Meanwhile, Nancy, Ken, and I were meeting regularly at Nancy's house to discuss Show details. We were making pretty good progress on creating an official flyer. Plus, we were steadily adding to our list of vendors.

Nancy knew that Ken and I would be going on vacation at the beginning of January, but that we would take up where we left off after I returned.

When I did arrive back in San Antonio, January 19th, however, I received a shock. Tom had decided to fire me from the position. I would no longer be Show Co-Chairman. Instead, it would be Nancy and Tom.

His pretext was that I wasn't doing the job. But I suspect the real reason was Facebook. Two weeks earlier, during our BOD meeting, I had refused to give him my FB sites. And since then, I'd declined to answer his calls. In my mind, this was Tom's revenge.

Ominously, what Tom did on the Co-Chairmanship was an eerie foreshadowing of what he would later undertake in expelling Ken and me from the Society. He sprang both moves in January, behind my back while I was away on vacation. He denied me any opportunity to defend myself beforehand.

What kind of manager behaves like that?

Yet, I remained Display Chairman. Tom asked if I wanted to quit, but I said no. Notwithstanding the shabby way he was treating both me and Ken, I determined to accomplish the job.

Earlier in these pages, I described all the careful and back-breaking work Ken and I did to create the massive, 10 by 12 foot floor display, complete with three life-sized basketball hoops and paper mâché balls. We won first prize for that design, not only at the local level of the AOS, but also from the national American Orchid Society level, as well. As such, it was the highest recognition our Show received.

In the subsequent AOS Newsletter, issued in April, Tom congratulated himself. "What a Show!" he gushed. In that congratulation, however, he somehow neglected to mention my award winning display.

## j. "Cookies and a simple snack"

Tom and I butted heads on the four issues I've just described: free speech, conflict of interest, the Orchid Show, and Facebook. Added together, I would describe it as a culture of corruption. At the same time, the unholy trio of Tom, Susan, and Liz were looking out for their own interests, they were sabotaging the interests of the members.

It started, of course, with the issue of dues. Ken and I openly opposed raising member dues, which we thought would especially disadvantage young people and minorities. Because of our efforts, the dues were never raised.

But the trio found other modes of sabotage. In February, Susan proposed another one of her wacky ideas, and, as usual, it was adopted. The March Newsletter details:

"Refreshments - Susan related concerns from members that the refreshments have become so extensive that is becoming a burden in terms of time, transportation, and money. MOTION - (Liz, 2nd by Susan) 'Moving forward the Society will provide water and a simple snack (i.e. cookies), not requesting anything else from members.' Motion passed unanimously."

Ever since the Society began 65 years ago, the first half hour of every meeting was given over to a reception. Members would sample tasty food items from a generous buffet table, and circulate around the room snacking and chatting. Susan's proposal killed that opportunity to socialize.

All other local garden societies we are aware of, furnished their members with abundant appetizers. The Garden Center, for example, which meets from 9:30 AM to noon, lays out two tables: a long central table with sandwiches, canapes, and dips, plus a large floral centerpiece; and a smaller dessert table, loaded with tasty sweets. They also provide caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and juice.

The AOS used to do something similar. Two members at a time would supply the refreshment table with food. With one exception, I never heard anyone complain that it was a burden. When Susan cites "concerns from members," I presume it was that one member she's talking about. Of course, no one asked who those "members" were.

Susan's "water" and "cookies" proposal threw cold water on social time. More members started arriving later, when the formal meeting began. Another result was: less active member participation. Providing refreshments had been one good way to spur member involvement.

Here's another way Tom et al undercut the social life of our meetings. We used to do "dinner with the speaker." Before meetings began, we would take our guest speaker out to a fancy restaurant. Ken and I would send out an email beforehand, announcing the time and place for the meal, and inviting members to join us. Sometimes as many as twelve people would accept our invitation. During the meal we could not only enjoy each other's company in an informal setting; we could also get to know more about our illustrious star performer, and ask him or her our questions.

Tom put an end to that. To my knowledge, there was, at most, one such dinner after he became President. Instead, the hapless speaker would be picked up at his hotel, and whisked directly to the Garden Center for his talk.

But that's not all. Yet another way we had for members to get together and socialize with each other was "Grower's Group." The third week of every month, different members would play host. They would welcome people to their homes, show off their greenhouses, and educate us on their methods of cultivation. It was fun to visit them, see how they lived, and get ideas for our own orchids afterwards.

Tom pretty much ended that as well. I believe he had one Grower's Group at his own place in Canyon Lake. But after that the practice became dormant.

Ken and I placed a lot of emphasis on member participation. That's one reason we created eight new Chairmanships, plus two Assistant Chairmanships. Tom reversed that effort. He whittled the number of Chairs down to six. And, of those six, four were already officers. He didn't expand participation. He contracted it.

At the meetings, another activity members looked forward to was the raffle. Eric, ensconced at his table by the entryway, would sell raffle tickets for $5 per six tickets, or $1 per ticket. At the opposite wall, we had a table spread out with the raffle items, both blooming and non-blooming orchids. At the end of the meeting, we would call out the winning numbers, which was usually met by squeals of delight from the lucky ticket holders, who could then pick whatever orchid they wanted from the raffle table.

Of course, not everyone would win. But that's the chance they'd take.

Tom got the idea that if he couldn't squeeze money out of our members by raising dues, then, the next best thing was to shake them down in the raffle. So, he proposed, and the Board sheepishly agreed, to double the fee. From then on, tickets would sell for $10 per six, or $2 for one.

So, one by one, Tom and company used their time in office to disadvantage our members, and, in particular, to undermine the social aspect of their experience. He cut their refreshments, cut their participation, cut their Chairmanships, cut their Grower's Groups, cut their dinners with the speaker, and raised their fees for the raffle.

Ken and I looked on all of this with dismay.

But one event, in particular, ranked as a new low for Tom's leadership. Over the years John Verstegen had become our dear friend. He was Curator of the BG Greenhouse when Ken and I first arrived. But before then, he was an AOS member for decades, and a past President of the Society. He and his wife were in their eighties, when she became ill and then passed away.

So, it was proposed to members of the Board that the Society donate flowers to her funeral. Susan immediately shot it down. In an October 14, 2019 email, she wrote:

"I personally never met her, and barely know John. I don't think I'm the only one considering there are so many new members who also wouldn't know them either. My opinion is that those who knew her could take up a collection and go from there but not paid for by the society. As a society, a card maybe. I don't mean to sound unsympathetic. I would go with the group decision but want us to be aware of future other deaths and how they should be handled based on how we handle this one."

The Board members, under Tom, agreed with Susan. Spend money for John's wife? Too expensive!

By contrast, back in February, 2017, when Ken and I were in office, the husband of one of our dear, long-time members passed away. We didn't hesitate to make a generous donation to his favorite charity in his name. His widow wrote us this heart-felt note:

"Thank you for donating to Save Texas History in Jeff's memory. He would have been touched - as I am - by your support of this organization that was so special to him."

By her words, she showed how much this gesture of kindness meant to her in her time of grief.

Two years later, however, it appears Susan, the one-time nurse, had forgotten about "Compassion, Commitment, and Conscience," three of the five "C"s of nursing. To Ken and me, this callous ingratitude toward a long-time member was abhorrent.

It showed them up for the kind of people they were.

## k. "You are not welcomed here"

By the summer of 2019, the hostility that Tom, Susan, and Liz felt toward me reached a fevered pitch. But it hit an altogether new high during our Board meeting in August.

Once again, the meeting took place at Liz O'Toole's nursery. Tracey and I drove up together in my truck. Earlier, Carole Gage, our Newsletter editor, had quit her position, due to the press of other obligations. Nancy, therefore, was moved into the editorship, and Tom appointed Tracey to fill Nancy's former position as Secretary. That's how Tracey became a member of the Board.

As we approached the nursery entrance, Tracey went ahead of me. But just as I was about to go in, Liz accosted me at the door. "You are not welcomed here!" she declared.

I was stunned. I stood there momentarily. But then, ignoring her angry scowl, I proceeded past her to take part in the meeting.

Ken and I decided we weren't going to take this outrage lying down. After all, as past President, I was an official member of the Board. I therefore had a right and a responsibility to attend Board meetings. Once Liz offered to provide her nursery for the meeting, she was obligated to accept all of the Board Directors into her place.

We decided that this was as good an opportunity as any to exercise our secret weapons -Facebook and email - to strike back. So, on August 24, 2019, Ken sent out a mass email to all the members, and I broadcast a post on Facebook, both with the same message:

"!!! SHOCKER!!!! Hello everyone, as you know I am the past President of the Alamo Orchid Society and member of the board of directors. I walked into Liz O'Toole's business E.D. Huntington to our scheduled board of directors meeting. Liz approached me and told me "You are not welcomed here!"

Thirty-five of our members read this post.

The personal animosity between me and Liz was growing ever since Soluna. Before that, we'd been friendly. After all, I purchased an $80 Paphiopedilum from her. And, of course, I did follow her advice and scheduled our Christmas dinner at the restaurant of her choice.

But things really got heated during that first BOD meeting. To me she was blatantly repeating a pattern that began with Soluna. She was engaged in a conflict of interest. And I called her out for it. But then, I did the unpardonable. I told her she was "too expensive."

That's what lead to her statement at the door.

Afterwards, some people took the attitude, Ken and I should have kept this incident private. We shouldn't be airing our dirty linen in public. But we have a different view. As Elie Wiesel has written, "Silence encourages the tormentor."

## l. "You need to be flexible with the rules"

Two months after the confrontation with Liz, Ken and I had occasion to go public once again. This time, the issue was the nomination of AOS officers for the coming year. It started with the following, October 14 email message from Susan -

"The nominating committee is accepting nominations for the 2020 slate of officers.

"The board consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three 3-year term Directors.

"The current board is willing to renew their positions with an open position for the director that is rotating off.

"Anyone volunteering to fill the director positions need to be willing and able to perform and participate in the needs of the society. For example, this person may need to fill a position on the show committee, help with the auctions, or other activity as needed and/or directed by the President.

"If you are interested in, or would like to nominate someone for a position on the board, please contact the Nominating Committee Chair: Susan Coyne."

Ken and I read this message and laughed. There was so much wrong with it, we hardly knew where to begin. But in short order, we replied with the following message sent out to all the members.

"Susan,

Thank-you for your message. But I have a few questions:

a. In reference to the latest AOS Bylaws, Article VIII, Section 2 (attached), who are the other two members of the nominating committee? There should be at least three.

b. Why didn't we hold the nominations in October?

c. Why haven't you invited nominations for all officers, and not just for the Board?

d. Why haven't you mentioned, as per the Bylaws, that nominations for all officers will also be accepted from the floor during our next AOS meeting in November?"

The problem with Susan's original message is that it violated our own AOS Bylaws, as well as the Bylaws of our parent organization, the American Orchid Society. Article 6.1.5 of the AmOS Bylaws states, "No member of the Nominating Committee shall be proposed as a nominee for a Trustee or Officer position."

Incredibly, not only was Susan a "member" of the Nominating Committee, she was the only member. Not only was she the only member, she was the Chair. Yet, she herself would be running to be re-elected to the office of Vice President. That's a blatant conflict of interest if ever there was one.

In addition to that egregious violation, our Bylaws dictate that the Nominating Committee be appointed in September, so that the nominations could occur in October. The Committee should contain at least three members. And the nominees should not only be for Board of Directors, but also for the main offices: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Yet, Susan writes, "The current board is willing to renew their positions," as if the election of those officers had already been decided.

Seeing our response to Susan, Tom, of course, could not resist rushing to her defense. So, on the following day, October 15, he replied "to all" with the following statement:

"Hello everyone. Since Ken sent his message to all members, I feel I need to copy everyone on a response.

"The board requested volunteers for a nominating committee starting in early October. We had no responses \- including from Ken.

"When you have a small club and people are not interested in volunteering for an activity (like nominating committee), you need to be flexible with the rules. Another problem with getting volunteers for a nominating committee is that we have registered 24 new members this year and they are not sufficiently familiar with other members. A few of the board members casually discussed nominations at the October society meeting to understand possible candidates.

"Regarding the whole nomination process, this is not the first time nominations were not made in October. I distinctly recall November of 2017 when no nominating committee was formed, no candidates were announced and Luis asked John Verstegen to make a motion at the top of the meeting calling for a re-election of all current board members. There was no call to the floor for additional nominations.

"We are trying to follow the bylaws within the bounds of current society abilities. This year we have had seven board meetings as opposed to only one in 2018. This has helped us develop processes for increasing membership and improving the greenhouse. As we grow and mature, we will be better able to staff committees and other volunteer functions. Until then, please everyone focus on what we really share - our love for orchids and other orchid growers!"

"Thanks, Thomas Dunlap

President, AOS

Oct 15, 2019"

In response to Tom's _apologia_ , Liz O'Toole immediately chimed in:

"Thank you Tom for an excellent response."

"Liz"

Liz notwithstanding, Tom was basically saying it's OK to bend the rules. In addition, he's blaming the members for not coming forward and volunteering to be on the Committee. Yet, the simplest thing would have been for him to go up to people and ask, "Would you be willing to serve on the Nominating Committee?" That's how it's usually done. And in a Society with eighty members, I'm sure he could have found someone.

But to me the most offensive thing he wrote in his message was, "Luis asked John Verstegen to make a motion at the top of the meeting calling for a re-election of all current board members." That is simply a lie. I did not ask John to make his motion. Both Ken and I were as surprised as anyone else, when John preemptively rose from his seat and did it.

So, Tom just made it up. He created a scenario out of thin air, and then foisted it on the members for them to believe.

Once again, the unholy trio of Tom, Susan, and Liz were banding together in mutual defense. So they thought the matter was settled. But then, quite unexpectantly, another voice chimed in.

Klaus Collinsworth, a dentist, was both a member of our Society, and President of the Bonsai Club. He read Tom's defense, and didn't buy it. So, Klaus sent out his own email. It began with the words, "Ken is right."

Klaus maintained that when a Society has Bylaws, those laws are there for a reason. You can't just casually ignore them, whenever you feel like it. And in the rather important case of the election of officers, the rules must be obeyed.

Ultimately, Tom backed down. He appointed a new, three member Nominating Committee, and Klaus became its Chair.

## m. "Potluck makes you sick"

The proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back" happened 60 days later. Ken and I sent out one more mass email to all the members in December 2019, just before the Board voted to expel us the very next month.

It was time for the annual AOS Christmas dinner. The Board decided to follow our example, and hold the dinner not at a restaurant, but at the Garden Center. But they debated whether to have potluck offerings, or to get it catered.

So, they took a vote, and it came out five to two, in favor of potluck. But then Susan took the floor, and argued against it. She argued that potluck is dangerous because it harbors bacteria. It would make people sick. Since Susan had a background in nursing, one of the directors - Nancy - was persuaded to change her vote. Now it was four to three.

Of course, Susan did not cite any studies to back up her curious assertion. She just stated it as a fact. No one got sick from the potluck we served last year. Yet, at least Nancy believed her.

Even though the vote still favored potluck, Tom and Susan went ahead with their plan to have the Christmas dinner catered. After doing some research, Susan found a place she liked, "Four Sisters Catering." Admittedly, she chose them because "they sounded nice over the phone." She herself had never sampled their food, nor did she know anyone who did.

So, during the November 2019, AOS meeting, Susan made her announcement. Dinner would be catered, at the cost of $40 per person. The Society would pay $20, and the member the other $20. The menu for the meal was on display up front, for anyone interested in looking it over.

Ken and I looked it over. Based on what we saw - and didn't see - we sent out a November 7th email:

"At last night's meeting, we got a close look at the menu for our upcoming Christmas dinner. The main dishes will be turkey and ham. But what about those of us who don't eat meat? Several of us are either vegetarians, vegans, or pescatarians. Should we pay $20 apiece to eat mashed potatoes?

"Last year there were several dishes for us non-meat eaters. And it was free!"

No doubt this email discouraged some of the members from attending the Christmas dinner, and it threw a pall over the event. Nevertheless, Ken and I weren't making this stuff up. Last year the dinner was free. This year it was $40 per person. Last year there were abundant offerings for all diets. This year - at least on the menu - non-meat eaters would be left with scraps.

So, we were simply highlighting the facts. But we were doing it in public.

## n. Summary of events

This concludes my chapter on "Events Leading up to the Offense." I have listed thirteen issues and events. Each of them contributed to the atmosphere of hostility between Tom, Susan, and Liz, on the one hand, versus Ken and me, on the other. And with each successive event, the hostility just got worse. To recap, the relevant issues and events include the following:

1) Tom's pre-emptive takeover of the BG Greenhouse;

2) Tom's attempt to raise Society dues;

3) The secret conspiracy between Tom and Susan concerning, "You promised me you wouldn't let him speak";

4) The hysterical name calling and blatant falsehoods in Susan's subsequent email;

5) The false accusation that we lost money in 2018;

6) The harsh Board of Directors policy, excluding member participation;

7) The general attempt to stifle dissent, and muzzle alternative voices;

8) The general cutback on all informal AOS social gatherings and opportunities;

9) The obsession with depriving me of my Facebook sites;

10) Liz O'Toole's blatant and unlawful conflict of interest;

11) Liz's rudeness toward me in saying, "You're not welcome here;"

12) Tom and Susan's unlawful conflict of interest in her as Chair of nominations;

13) The catered Christmas dinner.

Now, some people may look over this litany of transgressions, and come to the conclusion, "You brought it upon yourselves." In other words, they'd claim we were expelled from the Society, because we were trouble makers. After all, we were a constant thorn in the tender sides of Tom, Susan, and Liz.

We openly opposed many of their initiatives. We refused to give over our Facebook sites; we refused to discontinue our email messaging; and, worst of all in their eyes, we went public with our complaints.

Actually, I sympathize with those members who take the position the AOS should just be about orchids. People come to the meetings to learn about orchids, to show off orchids, to buy orchids. They are there because - and only because - of their love for this enchanting and miraculous plant. It never was part of the bargain for them to become embroiled in extraneous "politics."

In our defense, however, one major factor looms above all the others. No matter what Ken and I did to irritate or annoy the powers that be, they had no authority to expel us from the AOS. In doing so, they broke the law. They violated the three documents that govern our Society - Robert's Rules of Order, the AOS Bylaws, and the American Orchid Society Bylaws.

You can't kick someone out because you don't like them. You can't kick someone out because you disagree.

That's the bottom line. But there's more. The gigantic rift that opened up between us and Tom et al didn't have to happen. It didn't have to be that way. If Tom had behaved differently from the outset, peace and tranquility might today be reigning at the AOS.

When he marched into the BG Greenhouse, like the proverbial bull in a china shop, three months before he became President, ignoring my authority and virtually taking over, he stepped on my toes - hard. Nevertheless, Ken and I swallowed that insult, and actually voted for him for President.

But then came the infamous Board meeting, in which Tom "regretfully" tried to get Ken to leave. And we subsequently discovered that he did so because, "You promised me you wouldn't let him speak!" That put everything in a different light. We didn't declare war on Tom. Tom declared war on us.

And he just made things worse by consistently adopting the advice of the one person whose advice he should have ignored. So, he proceeded to follow in the footsteps of authoritarians throughout history. He excluded members from Board meetings, stifled dissent, and choked off alternative points of view. Nothing illustrates this trend more than his single-minded obsession with taking over Facebook.

A wiser leader would have realized that I was performing an invaluable service for the Society. Not only had I created the two sites myself, but I was maintaining them on a daily basis myself. I was giving members an opportunity to show off their orchids outside the monthly meetings. And I was providing free publicity for the Society.

But Tom didn't see it that way. He only saw it as an issue of control.

Plus, he added to his litany of bad decisions. He aided and abetted unlawful conflicts of interest. He backed Liz O'Toole's attempt to exclude her competition from the Orchid Show. He supported Susan as Chair of the committee nominating Susan as Vice President. And in each case he took the position that it's OK to bend the rules, if you feel like it.

In all these ways, Tom, in effect, created a culture of corruption.

So which is correct? Should you "shoot the messenger"? Or should you heed the message? Ken and I were the messengers. We reported wrongdoing. That was our offense. But it was Tom, Susan, and Liz who did the wrong, to begin with.

### Back to Top

# 7. Reaction

a. Recap

Something happened in January, 2020; something bad. The question is, should we just shrug our shoulders and go, "Oh, well, _C'est la vie_ "? Do we quietly accept our expulsion, and move on with our lives? Do we follow the adage, "Don't make waves," in spite of what was done to us? Do we meekly accede to our fate?

No!

We fight back!

In January, 2020, Tom Dunlap and four other members of the AOS Board of Directors voted to kick Ken and me out of the Society. They did this despite the fact that in 65 years it had never been done before. They did this despite the fact that we were the immediate past President and Vice President of the Society, elected twice unanimously. They did this despite the fact that I was the Society's first Hispanic President.

And they did this despite the fact that two of the people who voted against us supposedly were our friends.

Moreover, they did this in secret and behind our backs. It wasn't placed on the Board's agenda beforehand. Instead, Tom waited for Ken and me to be away on vacation, in order to stage his coup. He was following the same cowardly pattern he employed a year earlier when he likewise waited for me to be away, when he removed me as Co-Chair of the Orchid Show.

As a result, I never was given the opportunity to defend myself. The argument against me was entirely one-sided. Nor was the issue brought up before the general membership. They never got to hear both sides. They never got to vote. What was Tom afraid of? Did he fear many Society members might not go along?

Instead, during the January Board meeting, Tom claimed that the legal basis for his decision to expel Ken and me came from Robert's Rules of Order (RRO). He announced during the BOD session that RRO gave him the authority.

And the rest of the Board simply believed him.

Did any of the Board ask him exactly what section in RRO - exactly what Article and what paragraph - gave him that authority? No. Nobody asked. Did any of the Board members ask him what RRO actually says about expulsion - what is the actual wording? No. Nobody asked. Could Tom himself even cite the relevant passage in RRO? No. He never looked. It seems, he merely stated it as a fact, off the top of his head, and four Board members just sheepishly went along.

Had anyone actually bothered to inquire, however, here are the facts:

1) Article XIII, para. 72 of the RRO, states that members can only be expelled in accordance with "law."

2) By "law" RRO is referencing Society Bylaws.

3) The Alamo Orchid Society Bylaws do not say anything about expulsion.

The AOS Bylaws, Article III, Section 3 provide for "suspension" of members for non-payment of dues. But Levi and I were not delinquent on our dues, nor were we ever charged with being delinquent.

4) And even if we were, the worst that could happen would be "suspension."

5) There is no law in the AOS Bylaws that permits expulsion.

6) Therefore, what the Board did was not in compliance with RRO and the Bylaws. It was in defiance. They had no authority whatsoever to expel Ken and me. Tom and the Board broke the law.

## b. First Hispanic

I only found out what the Board did when I got back from vacation. No one had bothered to notify me. In fact, no one really notified the general AOS membership. Weeks later, a small notice about our expulsion was buried in a cryptic sentence in "Minutes of the Board of Directors," located on page three of the February Newsletter.

So, I decided my first reaction to this outrage would be to let everyone know. On February 5, 2020, I released a statement both on Facebook and by email, entitled "First Hispanic President Ousted by All-White Board."

The statement began:

"In a meeting this past January, the Alamo Orchid Society Board of Directors voted to kick out their only Hispanic member. Luis Valdez was not only elected but re-elected to the AOS presidency in 2017 and 2018. One of his many achievements was attracting and recruiting a wide diversity of new members. The meeting to deprive Valdez of both his Board membership and his society membership was taken at a time when he was away on vacation, and unable to be present to defend himself."

Now, as I've explained, some people disagreed with the implication of racism in this statement. And perhaps they are correct. Did anyone call me racist names? No. Did anyone say, "We don't want your kind here"? No.

But I have learned that racism can be subtle. People often behave subconsciously in a way they wouldn't consciously acknowledge. So, here are what I believe are some racist indicators:

1) I was the first Hispanic President in the Society's 65 year history. Before me, all the leaders had been White. None of them were ever expelled, despite the fact that some of them were fairly ornery characters. No ordinary member whatsoever was ever expelled. So, what's the big difference between them and me?

2) All the Board members who voted against me were White, including my two "friends." The one Director who did not vote against me was Carol Orozco, whose husband is Hispanic.

3) Ever since, he burst into the BG Greenhouse three months before becoming President, Tom had treated me with the utmost disrespect. Would he have treated my two tall, White, middle-aged, male predecessors that way?

4) I am not the only Hispanic to be the recipient of Tom's condescension. At least three others came up to me and reported being treated the same way.

You might think that precisely because I was the Society's first Hispanic President, the Board might take extra care to avoid the appearance of prejudice. Instead, they just sheepishly went along with whatever Tom proposed.

## c. Other Reactions

The "First Hispanic" statement was sent out on February 5th. Immediately, messages of support began flowing in. Here is a sample. I have omitted names, to keep these good people from getting in trouble.

"[name] and I were appalled at the news. We will no longer be members of an organization that expels members for differences of opinion. Luis was the best and most enthusiastic President that we have had in years. We are so sorry about this."

"This is hard to accept that the Alamo Society is behaving this way. I have seen too many Orchid societies torn apart from this narrow minded thinking and as such I will have a hard time supporting Alamo in the future. You and Luis have done only good for the society and this is your reward? I quit [activity] at the show due to some things I didn't support and we are retiring from the show circuit except for [name] because it is so close for us. I want to let you and Luis know that [name] and I are 100% behind you and if there is anything that We can do for you please let us know. I'm truly sorry for what has happened and look forward to hearing from you again.

"Take care and best of luck in your future endeavors."

"I think it is so wrong that 5 people can oust long time members and past Presidents. It should have been discussed by the membership and voted on. I am thoroughly disgusted. I am planning to go to the meeting tonite and I am sure there will be plenty of discussion among the old timers if any of them show up."

"So sorry. I always thought you both did an excellent job and enjoyed your company as well as the events I attended that you both planned."

Ken and I are deeply grateful for these kind words. When I hear comments that I was "the best and most enthusiastic President," or "You and Luis have done only good for the society and this is your reward?" it makes me realize how much people appreciate what Ken and I did for the AOS. And when I hear comments like, "This is hard to accept that the Alamo Society is behaving this way," or "I think it is so wrong that 5 people can oust long time members and past Presidents," it shows that people could see the injustice of what Tom and his accomplices engineered." We believe that the individuals who sent us these messages, in fact, represent most of the members of our Society. It is just unfortunate that they chose the wrong people to lead them.

## d. The San Antonio Orchid Society

Once they discovered what Tom and the Board had done, Society members were disgusted. Enough of them were so fed up by what happened they were reluctant to return to the AOS. So, Ken and I decided to escalate our reaction. It wasn't enough to just let people know about our expulsion. The next step would be to form our own society.

Several AOS members agreed to sever ties with the AOS, and instead join up with what we were calling the San Antonio Orchid Society. Our first meeting took place February 21st, at 7PM. Thirteen people showed up. During this fledgling meeting, Anita Smith made a motion to draft a letter of protest, have all our member sign it, and then send it to AOS. And that's what we did.

On February 26, we emailed out to all AOS Society members the following letter:

" **LETTER TO THE MEMBERS**

"For about 70 years, the Alamo Orchid Society (AOS) survived and thrived as a united organization. While other societies were fractured by rancor or split by dissent, the AOS remained a largely cohesive group. Our members were bound together by a love of orchids.

"Now, did this happen because we never had disagreement? Did this happen because we never had members take issue with leaders? Did this happen because disputes never became heated? No.

"We hung together as a Society because of the goodwill of our members and the wisdom of our leaders: Leaders like John Verstegen, Carolyn Fuentes, Dan Tappmeyer, Richard McNatt, and \- yes - Luis Valdez. They all helped to make the AOS an open, tolerant, diverse, welcoming, and friendly organization.

"Until now. This is the first time in 70 years that members have been expelled. This is the first time we sadly must watch our organization being split.

"And we regret the circumstances leading to it. This act of expulsion happened under a veil of secrecy, by a small handful of people: five Board members. The individuals being expelled were not allowed to defend themselves. The general membership was not allowed to vote, or even discuss it, beforehand.

"In part, that's because, under a new policy, members are excluded from Board meetings. They are not allowed to participate or even attend. As a result many decisions have been made behind closed doors, such as the elimination of potluck refreshments at meetings, the elimination of potluck Christmas dinner, the doubling of raffle ticket prices. All of these decisions have led up to this: five people, deciding on their own, to do something entirely unprecedented; to physically slice up the AOS.

"We, the undersigned, hereby protest.

"Signed,

Alicia Vela, Anita Ruth Smith, Leydana Matthews, Yolanda Flores, Diana Coral Aleman, Dorcas Brashear, Ken Levi, Luis Valdez, Mary Greaves, Roland Marquez, Anon. 1, Anon. 2"

*Note: those listed as anonymous were concerned about reprisals."

Since only about thirty to thirty-five people usually show up at AOS meetings, the individuals who signed this letter represent about a third of the active membership. Tom and the Board were now on notice. Their little scheme was not without consequence.

## e. No Authority

In the March 2020 AOS Newsletter, a small item was buried on page 3, line 9. It was contained within the meeting minutes of the February Board of Directors. It stated:

"Upon further investigation, the board finds it does not have the authority to remove members at this time."

So, they admitted it. After having their behavior exposed; after realizing they violated Society law; and after hearing from a third of their active members, they admitted it.

But what's also notable about this brief admission is:

1) like the original announcement of our expulsion, it's buried in the text;

2) there's no apology;

3) we're still expelled.

How strange this is. If the Board now realizes they had no authority for their behavior, then they expelled us illegally. Don't we deserve some kind of apology for that? Wouldn't that be the decent thing to do?

Also, if they had no authority, then doesn't that mean their act of expulsion is null and void? Doesn't that mean Ken and I are technically still members of the AOS? Yet, they don't say so. Wouldn't that be the proper thing to say?

So, they finally admit their wrongdoing. But by doing nothing to correct it, they are projecting the attitude they can do whatever they want with impunity. In other words, their attitude is, "So what?"

## f. COVID-19

While all this was going on, a great tragedy was unfolding in the background. In December 2019, a strange flu-like outbreak was taking place in the city of Wuhan, China. By January, the disease had so skyrocketed, that the country had to go on lockdown. But for the rest of the world, it was too late.

Soon, nations like Italy, Spain, and France were suffering the epidemic. Then in March, the United States was hit full force. Tens of thousands of residents were dying in New York. And it just got worse.

As of this writing, the COVID-19 epidemic has become a pandemic, the worst in a hundred years. Ever since 1917-1918, when the Spanish Flu wiped out at least 25 million lives, we have not experienced such devastation.

Currently, over five million Americans have contracted the disease, and over 168,000 of us have died from it. That's more than the number of Americans who died during World War One. Soon, it may even surpass the 400,000 US citizens who died in World War Two.

COVID-19 is both deadly and highly contagious. So, people have been urged to "shelter in place," stay in their homes, and at all costs, avoid large gatherings.

How does all this relate to the AOS? First, unlike the AOS, our new San Antonio Orchid Society made a conscious decision to suspend future meetings to prevent our members from getting infected by this pandemic. We originally had planned to hold our second meeting on Thursday, March 21st. But as we approached that date, the cases of infection in our community were rising to new levels. So, we all agreed, no more face-to-face gathering until the virus was gone.

As for the Alamo Orchid Society, their meetings have also been suspended, but not for lack of trying. In the midst of the raging pandemic, Tom had actually scheduled an orchid auction for July. But, facing strong opposition, he was forced to cancel the auction altogether, or reschedule it.

Incredibly, he decided to reschedule it for the very next month. It would now take place at the Garden Center in August. The driving motive here was money. Auctions are a major way for the AOS to raise funds. In the past, we've taken in $2000 to $3000 from eager bidders.

Tom didn't want to let that opportunity pass. So, in the midst of COVID-19 cutting people down in the streets, he made another "executive decision," one that risked people's lives for financial gain.

Ultimately, even the August auction had to be cancelled. Tom blamed the Garden Center. They had put restrictions on how many people could attend, and how much distance the bidders had to maintain between them. So, instead of admitting he'd been mistaken, and instead of acknowledging that the decision to cancel the auction was his, he did what he usually did, and blamed someone else.

COVID-19 had the general effect of nullifying Tom's second year as President. The way the virus is spreading, it seems highly unlikely that it will ever be safe to come out during the remainder of 2020. Tom's term as President will have failed.

He began the year with the foolish and unlawful expulsion of both the AOS President and Vice President who had immediately preceded him in office. Soon after that, his own year was effectively erased.

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# 8. The American Orchid Society

a. Ultimate Arbiter

Why is this book titled, "Scandal in the American Orchid Society"? After all, everything I described happened in the Alamo Orchid Society. Am I saying that the parent organization is responsible for every minor infraction that arises in any one of its 400 affiliated societies?

No. No one would expect such an impossibly high standard. On the other hand, the AOS does fall under the umbrella of the AmOS. So what happens in the AOS reflects on the AmOS. Like I say, if a McDonald's franchise served tainted meat and people got sick, guess who would be blamed for it?

So, in part, it depends on the seriousness of the conduct. If, for example, one of the affiliated societies decided to ban minorities, in a blatantly racist move, then could the AmOS allow itself to continue to be associated with that society?

Even worse, suppose the racist conduct of the affiliated society was brought to the attention of the parent organization. Suppose the parent organization was specifically asked to do something about that conduct, but they didn't. Doesn't that implicate them even more?

After all, "Silence is consent."

Finally, suppose the offense weren't just bad. Suppose it violated the Bylaws of the parent organization. That makes it a formal infraction. Aren't organizations bound to defend their own rules? Don't they then become the ultimate arbiter of the affiliated society's conduct?

So, now let's take a close look at exactly what the Bylaws of the American Organization have to say.

## b. AmOS Bylaws

Article 2.1 of the AmOS Bylaws states:

"Membership shall be open to all persons regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religious affiliation, local club affiliation, or interest level."

Was the expulsion of the Alamo Orchid Society's first Hispanic President racist? There is some evidence to that effect. Simply on the face of it, it looks that way.

Article 8.6 of the Bylaws states:

"No part of the net income of the Society may under any circumstances inure to the benefit of any Officer, Trustee, Member or other individual except as permitted by law."

Was Liz O'Toole, as an officer of the Board of Directors, in violation of this article when she moved to exclude her business competition from the Orchid Show? Were Tom and Susan equally complicit when they supported her?

Article 6.1.5 of the Bylaws states:

"No member of the Nominating Committee shall be proposed as a nominee for a Trustee or Officer position."

Was Susan Coyne in violation of this Article when she was both running for re-election as Vice President, and Chair of the Nominating Committee? Was Tom Dunlap equally in violation by not just appointing her to the Committee, but letting her be the only member of the Committee, and making her the Chair of the Committee?

So, the evidence is plain. An affiliated society of the American Orchid Society appears to have violated at least three Articles in the AmOS Bylaws. For that reason, the parent is responsible for the child. It is up to the AmOS to investigate the charges against the leadership of the AOS, and based on their findings, take remedial action.

But some might say, even if the charges are proven, what can the American Orchid Society do? Their hands are tied, aren't they. In response I will cite one more Article from the AmOS Bylaws. It reads as follows:

"The Board may terminate the affiliation between the Society and an Affiliated Society or Affiliated Organization at any time for any reason."

## c. Correspondence with the American Orchid Society

As early as February, 2020, Ken and I petitioned the American Orchid Society to look into events surrounding our expulsion. On February 14, we sent an email to AmOS President Susan Wedegaertner. We stated all the charges listed above, and we referenced the Articles of the AmOS Bylaws, as well as our own AOS Bylaws, which we believe were violated. Our message ended with this paragraph:

"In sum, SA has been acting like a rogue society. They have been acting in total disregard of the conflict of interest provisions of the AmOS Bylaws. Most disturbing, however, is their expulsion of past President Luis Valdez. As a national organization, the AmOS must not tolerate, or be associated with, racial or ethnic prejudice in any of its affiliated organizations. The enclosed attachment provides significant evidence that SA has been guilty of exactly such behavior."

Eleven days later, on February 25, Ms. Wedegaertner responded:

"Hi Ken

"I have been traveling for the American Orchid Society and just had a few minutes to let you know what is happening with your email.

"I have forwarded your email on to the Chair of the Affiliated Society to have their committee review and investigate.

"Once there is a resolution, you will be advised.

"Thank you

Susan"

We were encouraged by her reference to an investigation by the "Chair of the Affiliated Society." And we eagerly awaited the outcome of that inquest. After a couple of weeks, however we sent her a reminder:

"March 6, 2020

"Good Morning, President Wedegaertner,

"Can you please tell me how the investigation into our complaint is proceeding?

"Thanks,

Ken"

A month and a half later, on April 22, we received this odd reply:

"Dear Ken,

"We are in receipt of your letter regarding a dispute and request to remove an affiliated society from the American Orchid Society. This letter refers you to your society's bylaws with regard to how to handle the dispute and solve the problem.

"If you require further assistance, please contact us.

"Thank you for your inquiry.

Susan Wedegaertner"

It was as if we had never explained the situation to Ms. Wedegaertner already. As to the reference to our Society's Bylaws, we had already sent her a copy of our Bylaws, and the exact sections in those Bylaws which Tom had violated. This correspondence sounded like a form letter which the American Orchid Society routinely sends out to troublesome affiliates.

We responded the next day:

"Dear Miss Wedegaertner,

"In my Feb 25 email to you, I enclosed a copy of our society's Bylaws. I also explained, in detail, what those Bylaws have to say regarding the expulsion of members. In short, they say nothing. Our Bylaws do not countenance expulsion.

"The Bylaws do say, however, that the Society shall follow Robert's Rules of Order. And RRO says expulsion can only occur in a manner prescribed by the Bylaws.

"Moreover, what I'm asking for is disaffiliation. Only the American Orchid Society can do that. What we have here is a grotesque situation where the current leadership of the Alamo Orchid Society expelled the prior leadership, and they did it in violation of their own rules.

"Only the American Society is in a position to rectify this situation. And I am asking you to do so.

"Sincerely,

Ken Levi, Ph.D."

On April 24, Ms. Wedegaertner responded:

"Dear Dr. Levi,

"We appreciate your persistence on the matter of your allegations with regard to the Alamo Orchid Society. In order for the American Orchid Society to consider this matter, it is necessary that there be a ruling of fault and/or guilt on the part of the society.

"If you are correct and the society has not taken up your allegation according to their By-Laws, your next step would be to appeal to the Texas State Attorney General. 501(3) c [sic] charities have recorded their By-Laws with that office and they oversee the appropriate conduct of the charities under their purview.

"If and when your allegation proves to be true and there is a ruling, feel free to let us know the outcome and resubmit the evidence of the ruling.

"We wish you success in your endeavor.

Susan Wedegaertner

President

American Orchid Society"

I had to laugh when I read the phrase "We appreciate your persistence. . ." If nothing else, President Wedegaertner is diplomatic. But I had to wonder what ever happened to her original reassurance that she was turning over the matter to the "Chair of the Affiliated Society." Did she do that? Was there an investigation? If so, what were the findings? If not, why not?

Instead, she was now directing us to contact the Texas State Attorney General. She said we should do so because the AOS, along with all other 501(c)3 organizations file their bylaws with that office, which then, "oversee(s) the appropriate conduct of the charities under their purview."

So, we did. We contacted the offices of the Texas State Attorney General. And guess what? They didn't know what we were talking about. Contrary to what Ms. Wedegaertner informed us, they do not collect the bylaws of 501(c)3 organizations. And they do not "oversee" the conduct of those charities.

So, that's how things stand as of today. And the question is, "What now?"

## d. What now?

Currently, the matter stands in limbo. Can I be blamed for suspecting I am the victim of a run-around? Yet, at this stage, the American Orchid Society has become fully implicated in the Scandal in the AOS.

They are the parent organization. They are aware of the charges. They are aware the charges are serious. They are aware the alleged offenses violate their own Bylaws. They are aware they've been asked to investigate. Yet, they have done nothing.

A new President will take over the helm of the American Orchid Society in August. Perhaps he will give our petition more credence. In any event, we shall try. In the meantime, what else might we do?

Well, I suppose we could write a book.

### ***

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# About the Authors

Luis Valdez

I grew up in the border town of Eagle Pass, Tx. My Mom loved plants and her passion for them inspired me. Helping her tend to her plants enabled me to learn about them at the same time. After graduating from Eagle Pass High School in 1992, I moved away to go to school at A&M Kingsville. There, I took on a job as a gardener/greenhouse helper, assisting Dr. Peter Felker graft hundreds of mesquite trees. I loved that job! Then, my life shifted trajectories. I joined the U.S. Navy and was catapulted to Great Lakes, IL for Navy Boot camp, training to be a sailor. After that, to my surprise, I received orders for Japan! It was truly a culture shock. To ease the language barrier, I took several Japanese courses. Also, as part of my acculturation, I formed a liking for their native Bonsai trees. While stationed in Japan, my ship, the USS Thach, took me to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai, the Philippine Islands and even Australia. I couldn't have asked for a better Navy home base. Four years later, I was back in America. I moved to San Antonio, Tx. and continued my schooling. But my passion for plants as well as schooling was put on hold again when my mother passed away. Struggling to cope with my Mom's passing made it quite difficult to deal with life. After a while, however, I restarted school at Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU). There, my favorite class was Vascular Plants. I later joined the San Antonio Bonsai Society, and remained there for three years. After graduating from OLLU, I attended my first Alamo Orchid Society (AOS) Orchid Show in 2013. I loved it. So, Ken and I joined the Society and became very active members. We participated in putting together many lavish orchid displays. Ultimately, I was elected AOS President in 2017 and again in 2018. I also became Curator of the San Antonio Botanical Gardens orchid greenhouse during that time. My passion for orchids grew. I even created Facebook pages to help the society. But in 2020, I received a shock! The new AOS Board of Directors expelled me from the Society. How and why that happened is the subject of this book. Because of the expulsion, I decided to form my own society called The San Antonio Orchid Society, with their own Facebook Page and Group. Plus, I started a YouTube channel called "Luis Valdez Orchid Whisperer!" Check it out!

Ken Levi

I grew up in Boston, moved to Ann Arbor, where I received my Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of Michigan, then moved again to San Antonio, where I taught Sociology at the University of Texas. I am the author of six books: _Violence and Religious Commitment_ (Penn State Press), about the suicide and murder of over 900 members of the People's Temple Church in the Jonestown massacre; _Proving God Exists: Physics, Cosmology, and the Universal Mind_ , about scientific proof for God's existence; _The Moral Symmetry of Good and Evil_ , about the scientific derivation of morality; _Knowing: Consciousness and the Universal Mind_ , a composite theory solving the "hard problem" of consciousness; _Mind of God_ , to answer the question, "Does the Universe think?" plus the current book _Scandal in the American Orchid Society_ , which I co-authored with Luis Valdez. I have also published several articles on violence, crime, and delinquency, including "Becoming a Hit Man" (Sage Publications), cited in over 110 books and articles.

My most recent, peer-reviewed publication is "Reconciling Consciousness with Physicalism" ( _Journal of Consciousness Exploration and Research_ ).

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# Video

To see pictures of some of the people, places, and events cited in this volume, you can go to YouTube, and search on "Scandal in the AOS." Or, just look up Luis Valdez.

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