Mark McCormick, Executive Director The Kansas African American Museum

New York Times best-selling author with 20 years of journalism experience as a reporter, editor and columnist. He serves as a trustee at The University of Kansas School of journalism and has been a Professional in Residence at the University of Oklahoma.  His work is featured in the beat reporting chapter of the Journalism textbook, ''Writing and Reporting News, A Coaching Method."

Mark is also featured in 'Roots and Branches: Preserving the Legacy of Gordon Parks' a documentary about WSU's quest to acquire the collected works of the trail blazing photographer, writer, filmmaker and native Kansan.

In 2015, he co-authored ''African Americans of Wichita '' with Arcadia publishing and was voted onto the Association of African American Museums' board of directors as communications committee chair.

Mr. McCormick has been a member of the Alpha Nu Boule chapter of Sigma Pi Phi since 2004.

M A S O N   W I L L I A M S

A 50 YEAR CELEBRATION FOR A TIMELESS

MUSICAL MASTERPIECE  

"CLASSICAL GAS"

Mason Williams emerged in the late 1960’s as a strong force in television and music circles.  In 1968 he won two Grammy awards with his unique composition for guitar, Classical Gas. That same year he also won an Emmy award for his work as a comedy writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Mason is perhaps most widely known as a composer and recording artist.  He has recorded more than two dozen albums, five on the Warner Bros. label (The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, The Mason Williams Ear Show, Music, Handmade, and Sharepickers).  Classical Gas was released as a single from The Mason Williams Phonograph Record in 1968.  Classical Gas won three Grammys that year for: “Best Instrumental (theme) Composition”, “Best Instrumental (theme) Performance”, and “Best Instrumental Orchestra Arrangement” (Mike Post, arranger).

In 1987, Mason teamed up with MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER of Fresh Aire fame, to release a new album on the American Gramaphone label.  The Album, titled “CLASSICAL GAS”, includes a remake of his 1968 Grammy award winning song.  Another cut from this album, “Country Idyll”, was a 1988 nominee for a Grammy in the Country Music category for “Best Instrumental Performance by a Soloist, Group or Orchestra.”  This album went Gold in 1991, and is now approaching platinum.

Mason has released (on the Real Music label) an acoustic instrumental album of Christmas/Holiday music album titled “A GIFT OF SONG”, featuring arrangements of traditional carols and original compositions.  In 1992 the Vanguard label released “MUSIC 1968-1971”, a compilation of cuts from his five Warner Bros. albums recorded in the late 60s, early 70s.

As a comedy writer, Mason has written for more than 150 hours of network television programming.  Writing both music and comedy, Mason was a prime creative force for CBS’ controversial SMOTHERS BROTHERS COMEDY HOUR.  His extensive repertoire in folk music gave him the background for many of Tom and Dick’s comedy routines, and with co-writer Nancy Ames, he also composed the shows’ musical theme.  He also created and perpetuated the 1968 PAT PAULSEN FOR PRESIDENT CAMPAIGN, the most elaborate political satire in recent history.

Other major television personalities he has written for include: Roger Miller, Petula Clark, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Dinah Shore, and Steve Martin. In 1980 Mason was head writer for NBC’s SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.  In 1988 Mason received his third Emmy nomination as a comedy writer for his work on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS 20TH REUNION SPECIAL (CBS).

He is also the creator of the world’s largest sunflower.  Originally intended as a short film, the sunflower concept was conceived as a slow-motion aerial ballet in which an old biplane skywrites (“draws”), the stem and leaves of a sunflower in the sky beneath the sun, the sun thereby becoming the blossom of the flower.

Approaching the 50th Anniversary of Classical Gas gave Williams an opportunity to reflect on his career and collect many of his art, writing and music projects into a fantastic retrospective presentation that has been and continues to be exhibited in galleries around the country.

Most recently, Williams has been returning to his broad palette of writing, composing and performing in a variety of venues. One of his more conspicuous projects is the art concept Üpclose Glimpse, an abstract artist; not just an artist who creates abstract art, he is an abstraction himself.  Üpclose is a viral visionist, and Mason is the host of this opportunistic meme. Mason says, “Üpclose uses me to explore his own unique style of mixing high and low brow art and humor into a form of concrete poetry.”

Mason is also currently working on events around the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Classical Gas including writing, composing and performing in a variety of venues which con­tinues to this day. 

For more information about Mason Williams visit … 

http://www.masonwilliams-online.com

Patty Greer had a life changing out-of-body-experience in the center of a UK Crop Circle in 2007, and that was the day her perception of reality was forever changed. She saw & felt things she had never experienced before; she wasn't alone! Within 2 years (of that day) Greer produced four full feature documentary films with no training, experience, or previous interest in film making whatsoever. Her movies focus on UFOs, Crop Circles and 2012. She's won 6 prestigious awards and experienced more than 100 UK Crop Circles personally since 2006. In 2010 she completed her 5th film, even the editing. She is a true "Croppie" and a firm believer in the phenomena, finding their messages to be very timely and illuminating. 

Greer is one of the only film makers offering untouched photos of the Orange Balls of Light witnessed in and around the UK Crop Circles. Her recent film offers two witnesses who saw "Illuminated Light Beings with arms, legs and a head come out of the Balls of Light!" The witness said, "My eyes don't lie. It's just my rational mind that tries to find a rational explanation!" Her images show the actual doorway where the Beings came out. 

Greer won two EBE Awards for "Best Feature Film UFO or Related" at the International UFO Congress Convention Film Festival in 2009 + 2010. She also received the "2010 Best Musical Score Within A UFO Program EBE Award" for her original music soundtrack. She received the 2010 Moondance GAIA Award, "Presented to the person who seeks to elucidate and improve the spiritual quality of all life on the planet, and contributes to the betterment of the world spirit" and the "Moondance Audience Favorite Film" award for "Crop Circles 2010 Update - The Wake Up Call" and "2012 - We're Already In It."

Patty Greer films real people telling first-hand stories in the Crop Circles and sacred sites of Southern England. With no make-up, no hairdos, no BS and no scripts, she produced some of the most honest and illuminating UFO films to date - that are NOT sugar coated! 

Originally Patty had gone to the UK Crop Circles to heal her body from being poisoned by Mercury (silver amalgam) fillings in her teeth. She had been a professional musician for more than 30 years, and her life changed drastically without warning after visiting 'a dirty dentist.' In less than a year his toxic fillings effected her hands badly and she was forced to live in gloves and band-aids for 7 years, sacrificing her musical career, exquisite harps and pianos. Her social life was halted and none of the doctors could heal her - or they could lose their license for telling the truth about the toxicity of mercury fillings. It was her desperation to heal that took her to the English Crop Circles. She had given up on humans healing her, and would have done anything! 

Five documentaries later, the rest is history. As one door closed, another door opened and fortunately she stepped through it. Patty is almost healed now (2012) and began playing piano again. Her movies feature her original music in the soundtracks and she has just completed a new CD of her harp recordings called "Autumn Glow" and it's available on her website

Patty was featured on the cover of UFO Magazine 2011 and introduced in Open Minds Magazine 2011 and Telluride Style Mag 2011. Her movies have received rave reviews from around the world and she is a regular guest on a variety of different talk radio shows.

If you’re a believer, be prepared to be captivated. If you’re a skeptic, be prepared to be converted! Experts acknowledge seeing many new things her extraordinary films!

Patty Greer's movies include : 
"The Wake Up Call - Anybody Listening? A Crop Circles Documentary"
"UFOs ETs Abductees & Brilliant Minds"
"2012 - We're Already In It"
"Crop Circles 2010 Update - The Wake Up Call"
"4 Stories-One Event-Other Worlds"

Musical CDs include:
"The Deeper Dance Of Night"
"UFO Movie Soundtrack"
"Autumn Glow"

Awards include :

• 2009 Best Feature Film – UFO or Related EBE Award’ at the International UFO Congress Convention
• 2009 Silver Sierra Award’ at the Yosemite Film Festival
• 2010 Best Feature Film – UFO or Related EBE Award’ at the International UFO Congress Convention
• 2010 Best Musical Score Within A UFO Program EBE Award’ at the International UFO Congress Convention
• 2010 Moondance Audience Favorite Documentary Film award
• 2010 Moondance GAIA Award

After a long, creative life as a combination wife, mother, musician, teacher, ordained deacon, and real estate entrepreneur, Dorothy May Mercer simply could not completely retire. And so, she took up a new career as author/publisher and president of Mercer Publications & Ministries, Inc.

In the seven years, since, she has written and published more than forty books of her own, and co-authored and published numerous others for her new author friends all over the world, whom she has mentored, advised and taught. Her books are available in digital, print and audible format, in English and Spainish editions. Links to all her books are available on Mercerpublications.com and Amazon.com.

During her time as a Deacon, she served as a Certified Director of Music, and as a Certified Director of Healing and Wholeness ministries, serving churches and leading healing seminars in churches across the United States. Many will remember her Christian healing mediation tapes which were sold in the United States and Canada.

Now retired from the ministry, she continues to support various causes and help others with her writing and publishing.

Dorothy's time is full, but she manages to squeeze in a few appearances in person and on radio talk shows, speaking about her book publishing and marketing, answering questions and teaching others how to do it. Her most recent appearances at the Villages in Florida brought out a standing room only crowd, to hear her speak about the growing world of indie-publishing and how to write and publish your own book.

If you just want to meet an amazing woman, you will enjoy spending time with Dorothy May Mercer.

Maria Felipe is the author of Live Your Happy. A Cuban-American born in Miami, she is 5’9” with a towering personality to match.  After experiencing success as a model and actress, including hosting World Wrestling Federation TV shows, she felt called inward and studied to become a reverend at Pathways of Light, an accredited religious school inspired by A Course in Miracles. She leads monthly services in both Spanish and English at Unity Church in Burbank, CA. 

CNA, LA TALK RADIO Personality, Tough Mudder/California Constituent/teleportation/USAF/Senator Feinstein/Area 51/UFOs/Grays/Close Encounters/Sales Rep at CHQ

CHIEF INVESTIGATOR FOR MUFON NEW JERSEY AND STATE DIRECTOR FOR MUFON VERMONT AND RHODE ISLAND. 16 YEARS IN MILITARY AND VETERAN FOR DESERT STORM IN 1991, PRIVATE PILOT, UFOLOGIST AND EDITOR AND FOUNDER

Jose Escamilla is from Roswell, New Mexico. He has been living in southern California since 1977. Jose has been involved in the research and investigations of an aerial phenomenon he discovered in 1994, called RODS. His expertise as a film and video editor of over 30 years has made him a world renown figure in the world of UFOS, RODS, The MOON and the Paranormal.

His film UFO: The Greatest Story Ever Denied has international acclaim as best documentary film made on UFOs.