Honorary Appointments General Information The Guild of One-Name Studies is empowered to appoint a number of Honorary positions under our Constitution. These positions are that of Patron, President and a maximum of four Vice Presidents. All those appointed to an Honorary position do so in an unpaid capacity. The first of these appointments was made in 1985 and these were made following recommendation by the Committee and Trustees of the Guild to the membership, initially annually until the Constitution change that was agreed by a ballot of members on 21st November 2015. At the Annual General Meeting in April 2016 the President and Vice Presidents were appointed for a period of five years. At the AGM 2021, Derek Palgrave stepped down as President, having served since 1988. Col. (Ret.) Iain Swinnerton, having previously served as a Vice President from 2007, took over as President from 2021, until he passed away in 2022. In July 2022, the Trustees appointed Howard Benbrook as President of the Guild of One-Name Studies, having previously served as a Vice President from 2011-2022. The other present appointments are listed as follows, with the year that they were initially appointed to their Honorary position: Wendy Archer, Vice President, 2023 David Evans, Vice President, 2023 Paul Howes, Vice President, 2023 Ken Toll, Vice President, 2023 Peter O’Donoghue, Patron, 2023 A list of those previously appointed is available HERE to members. President and Vice Presidents All the current appointees are members of the Guild, conducting a One-Name Study. Under Section 32 of the Constitution, the Honorary appointees are deemed full members of the Guild and none can serve as Trustees whilst in an Honorary position, although several of them continue to support the Guild in Postholder positions. The President usually gives an address at the Guild Conference & AGM. Together with the Vice Presidents, the President also has a role within our Complaints Procedure and in the appeals process under the removal of membership. The President and Vice Presidents also interact with the Trustees throughout the year. Patron In 2016, the Committee and Trustees acknowledged that there was a provision within the Constitution to appoint a Patron, although that position had not previously been allocated. The position of Patron is Honorary and it is the duty of the Trustees when seeking individuals for Honorary appointment to select and nominate an individual who is supportive of the aims and principles of our Organisation. After deliberation, it was considered that the Committee and Trustees could seek an individual who would enable us to maintain our position and develop further as a global Surname organisation within the genealogical community. The Patron selected for appointment at the 2017 AGM was Michael Peter Desmond O’Donoghue. He was appointed to the position of York Herald of Arms in Ordinary at the College of Arms in London in 2012, prior to that he served as the Bluemantle Pursuivant at the College of Arms from 2005. During 1993-1994 he was President of the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. He has worked as a professional genealogists and researcher and is the usual spokesperson for the College on the TV show “Who Do You Think You Are”. Mr O’Donoghue has over 20 years’ experience in the field and has given numerous lectures and written in several publications. Policy & Guidance on Appointment The Guild Rules and Procedures provide guidance to the Trustees on the appointment of Honorary Positions in the documents 002A Trustee Matters, Section G. The Trustees are very appreciative of the time and attributes provided by those who hold Honorary appointments with the Guild of One-Name Studies. Updated JG 8 January 2023