Steven Meyers is the new president of the Ridgefield Historical Society, succeeding Tracy Seem, who conducted her final annual meeting at the Scott House on Oct. 15.
Tracy Seem, president for the past four years, completed her second term by handing over the symbolic chairman’s gavel to Mr. Meyers. Ms. Seem will remain on the historical society board. A long time resident of Ridgefield, Steve Meyers has recently retired after a career in the field of environmental law, including over 20 years at GE and ending as Global Director of Environmental at Amazon Web Services. He lives on Lewis Drive with his wife, the illustrator, Cynthia Meyers.
In her annual report, Ms. Seem highlighted the programs and events, the many projects including the preservation of the Branchville Schoolhouse, and the increasing community involvement with the Ridgefield Historical Society, all supported by memberships, donations and grants. In the past year, the society teamed with Tiger Hollow to present the Holiday Historic House Tour and in 2025 will work with the Ridgefield Garden Club on a garden tour on June 8. These major fundraising events are the work of countless volunteers.
Other officers and board members elected at the annual meeting include: Sally Sanders, interim vice president; David Brown, treasurer; Betsy Reid, collections; Ms. Seem, Branchville school; Kip Schibli, nominating; James Segelstein, National Park Service grant; Keith Russell, collections; Llewellyn Cheng, events/Catoonah Circle; Sara Kaplan, architectural archives; Nancy Selander, graveyards; Laurie McGavin Bachmann, special projects; Kevin Julier, technology. Continuing board members are Phil Esser, historic preservation/architectural archives; Kay Ables, town historian; Ray Murphy, governance & compliance; and Eric Hutner, secretary.
Tracy Seem’s Work in Preservation will Continue
Tracy Seem, who served as president of the Ridgefield Historical Society for two terms, has retired from that position having seen the organization through a period of growth and transition. Her dedication to the society and her outreach on its behalf were celebrated at the 2024 annual meeting in October. She will remain on the board of directors, focusing on historic preservation and in particular, the Branchville School restoration project.
Taking over as president during the Covid pandemic, Ms. Seem worked with staff and volunteers to ensure that the society not only captured the history of the period but also used its resources to reach out to townspeople and continue to share historical perspectives.
During her tenure, the society hired its first executive director, Nancy Rowe, who was succeeded by the current executive director Stephen Bartkus. As co-chair of the 2022 Battle of Ridgefield commemoration with First Selectman Rudy Marconi, Ms. Seem helped organize an action-filled weekend that honored the battle participants and encouraged town interest and understanding of the events of April 1777. The historical society’s second National Park Service grant to study the Battle of Ridgefield was awarded last year and is now underway. The Ridgefield Historical Society has grown and attracted community support, including significant grants and the bequest of a post WWII property, as well as a corps of dedicated donors.
Ms. Seem has managed a professional career alongside the historical society presidency, including serving as an educator for the Philip Johnson Glass House, a National Trust for Historic Preservation Site in New Canaan, and the account manager for the East Coast and Canada at BassamFellows, which has its headquarters in the Philip Johnson designed Schlumberger Administration Building in Ridgefield.
Thanking Three Remarkable Board Members for Their Service
Sara Champion, Steven March, and Nancy Rowe retired from the Ridgefield Historical Society’s board of directors with the Oct. 15 annual meeting of the membership. All three are continuing their engagement with the historical society in various roles.
Sara Champion joined the board more than a decade ago and has provided genealogy support, served as first vice president and president, and most recently has been the board member for governance. She is active in many historical organizations, serving as president of the board of Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center, registrar of Cannon Ridge Chapter NSDAR, deputy governor of the Connecticut Society of Mayflower Descendants, council member of NEHGS, trustee and chairman of Collections Committee of CT Museum of History and Culture, founding director and registrar of the Society of the First Families of New York, board member National Society of Colonial Dames in Connecticut. She also serves on the town’s Graveyard Restoration Committee and a member of Ridgefield’s America 250th Commission, where she will continue to assist the historical society.
Steven March, who joined the board of directors as treasurer, instituted a number of procedures to update the historical society’s financial processes and reporting, and also worked with the board to create an investment committee to oversee society funds and investments. He was also instrumental in planning and executing a major fund-raiser, the Holiday Historic House Tour, with the Tiger Hollow organization in December 2023. Mr. March is joining the historical society’s advisory board.
Nancy Rowe, who was the society’s first executive director before transitioning to a board of directors position, contributed her time and expertise to the house tour fund-raiser and many other historical society events. She is a member of the special projects committee, and will continue in that role, helping the Ridgefield Historical Society with programming and outreach.
