TUCSON BONSAI SOCIETY
Established 1972
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Mitch Masilun
President
Cynthia Martin
Vice President
Carianne Funicelli
Secretary
Barbara Waughtel
Treasurer
GENERAL BOARD MEMBERS
Stephen Ross
Social Media
Tracy Fronimakis
Webmaster
Future Member
General
Future Member
General
2023 Tucson Bonsai Society Board Bios
Mitchell Masilun, President
Mitch is from Chicago and has been in Arizona for the past three years. As a professional photographer, the art of bonsai appeals to him as it combines art, craft, and living heritage.
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Cynthia Martin, Vice President
Cynthia is from Odessa, Texas and is involved in almost every aspect of TBS business. She is passionate about providing meaningful education and inspiration to those new to bonsai. One thing she has loved about her bonsai journey is learning a new and challenging way to fill space and time with beauty. A little-known fact: Cynthia is a great-grandmother!
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Barbara Waughtel, Treasurer
Barbara is from southern California and works hard to keep TBS organized and financially responsible. Barbara loves plants and is passionate about bonsai, which helps to keep her sane. She spent many years working in construction as a military contractor and although she can handle all kinds of difficult situations, she wants you to know that she is not as hard-nosed as she may seem!
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Carianne Funicelli, Secretary
Carianne grew up in Maryland but has felt at home in Tucson ever since landing here in 1997. She has a great deal of non-profit board experience and is a well-known advocate for native plants and restoration for pollinators and other wildlife throughout the southwest. She organizes the newsletter and email communications, builds board meeting agendas, and is excited to contribute to help things run smoothly and professionally. Ask her about native plants and she might talk your ear off!
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Stephen Ross
Stephen is from El Paso, Texas, and before landing in Oro Valley, he also lived in northern California and Flagstaff, Arizona. Stephen handles much of the social fun of the organization – both digitally on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok) as well as in-person gatherings (monthly happy hours, bonsai in the park events, and garden visits). Stephen enjoys that bonsai combines his love of art and gardening. He’s a lot of fun and wants you to know that he is always willing to help!
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Tracy Fronimakis
Tracy is from Salt Lake City, Utah and keeps our website beautiful and up to date. She loves the feeling she gets when looking at bonsai trees and loves the challenge of creating a beautiful tree from scratch. Sometimes this hobby was the only thing that kept her sane while operating a restaurant for 25 years!
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MENTORS
Gabe Reed, Sr.
Gabe is our newest mentor but has had vast experience since he started the hobby at age 15. He was entirely self-taught until he discovered our society at a Foothills Mall show a few years ago. David immediately recruited him as an intern and assistant, and he studied for two years to become certified by GSBF. He has performed a number of demonstrations before groups and classes and is eager to share his love of this fascinating art form. Gabe has been very much involved with our “safaris” to locate and dig old trees in the Santa Rita mountains.
Email: GDRKool@yahoo.com
Rod McKenna=Johnson
Goals and Objectives of the Society
The Society was formally organized in May of 1972 by David and Judy Meyer, following the first bonsai exhibition ever held in Tucson. The Society is a contributor and sponsor of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington, D.C. We hosted the national convention of the American Bonsai Society here in Tucson in 1999. We have applied for federal tax-exempt status under IRC Code 501(C)(3).
We seek to encourage and foster the study of the art, appreciation, collection, and exhibition of bonsai as adapted to the horticultural growing conditions of the Sonoran Desert and Southern Arizona. Our educational purposes include such fundraising activities as may be deemed appropriate for the operation of the Society, and to sponsor programs, seminars, workshops, and annual exhibitions for the benefit of its members and the community.