Officers – Biographical Information

Current officers, elected January 2021

Past Officers

2019-20

  • Pres – Phyllis Redhair
  • VP – Clelia Tommi
  • Treasurer – Athena Roberts  (resigned Feb. 2019; Greg Rucker added that role)
  • Secretary – Greg Rucker

2017-18

  • Pres – Phyllis Redhair
  • VP – Al Wendler 
  • Treasurer – Athena Roberts
  • Secretary – Greg Rucker

2015-16

  • Pres – Mike Mackowski
  • VP – Athena Roberts 
  • Treasurer – Pat Lonchar
  • Secretary – Chuck Lesher

2013-15

  • Pres – Mike Mackowski
  • VP – Samantha Thompson 
  • Treasurer – Pat Lonchar
  • Secretary – Mike Clark

Past Leaders

DaveDave Fisher was the vice-president and webmaster for the Phoenix Chapter of the National Space Society until his untimely death on January 19, 2013. He maintained this blog under the name ‘drdave’. In the summer of 2010, he became the editor for the national blog of the National Space Society. He was a Senior Business Analyst for the Industry Relations group at Money Management International, a non-profit consumer debt management company. He earned his PhD in Physical Organic Chemistry at The Ohio State University in 1974.Dave will be missed by all who were touched by his wisdom and kindness
GregGreg Rucker has served as the Secretary for the Chapter. Greg has been a member of the Phoenix chapter of the NSS since 2003 and has been a participant in most local NSS activities since that time. Some of those activities include manning information booths at the annual Sally Ride Festival at Arizona State University, space related movie screenings, local science fiction conventions, and other science related events such as Yuri’s night. Greg has been a speaker on space related topics at the Challenger space center, various science festivals, science fiction conventions, and in various other venues.Greg was a member of the National Space Society’s Board of Directors from 1997-2000, 2002-2006 and served as one of the vice president’s of the National Space Society from 1997 to 2005. A member of the L-5 Society and NSS continuously since 1983, Rucker has been an NSS chapter president and chapter founder. Rucker was also involved in the re-founding of the present NSS Atlanta chapter in 1994, was awarded the Spacepac Outstanding Service Award in 1995 for political action in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, and was first elected to the NSS Board of Directors in 1997 as Region 5 representative. Rucker created the NSS Endowment Fund for the Society in 1998 and implemented the NSS Investment committee. Rucker has also been a member of the strategic planning committee and participated in creating the NSS “Roadmap to Space” (strategic plan). Rucker has served on various other NSS committees including the budget committee, the Board nominating committee, and executive director review committee. Rucker recruited the editor for the “NSS Online Report”. Rucker has served as chairman of the executive director ‘search committees’ that recruited the last two NSS Executive Directors. Greg has been fascinated by the possibilities of space exploration and settlement since childhood. He holds a BA degree in history from the University of Southern Maine and studied mathematics at the University of Georgia. Greg has been a pilot since 1985. Rucker has served in other community roles such as Treasurer & Design Committee chair for Main Street, Elberton, GA, Chairman of the Elbert Co. Historical Society, as well as leadership roles in various other civic organizations. Over a period of 25 years in the insurance industry, Rucker has had profit and loss responsibility for multi-state life, health, dental, and disability insurance programs insured by New York Life, Humana, American Fidelity Assurance, as well as a dozen other insurance companies. He has served as the underwriting manager in the actuarial department of one the Blue Cross/Blue Shield organizations and been an underwriting consultant for Aetna. Rucker has raised contributions for downtown redevelopment, parks and historic preservation, as well as various other activities. Greg is listed as one of the major donors to the NSS and a member of the Buzz Aldrin Council. Greg currently serves as one of the members of the Pastoral Care Team at Community of Grace Lutheran Church.