In September 1980, 39 lawyers from 29 corporations responded to a suggestion from Robert E. (“Robin”) Freer Jr., then staff vice president and Washington counsel for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and formed the Washington Metropolitan Corporate Counsel Association. Their goal was to “provide a forum for discussion of the concerns of corporate legal counsel in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.” WMACCA was one of the first organizations of corporate staff attorneys in the United States.

Soon after the American Corporate Counsel Association was formed in 1982, ACCA began discussions with WMACCA about a possible affiliation of the two organizations. In late 1983, the WMACCA Board agreed to consolidate with the national organization and became the Washington metropolitan area chapter of ACCA (now ACC).

Thirty-one years later, our mission and goals remain the same, as we strive to serve the needs of our 1,900-plus members. We celebrate the growth of the in-house bar and WMACCA. We thank all of our members – and all of the people who have served as volunteer leaders – for their support and contributions.

PAST PRESIDENTS OF WMACCA

(listed with the companies they represented at the time they served , their titles at that time, and updated information, if available)

1980-81: Robert E. “Robin” Freer Jr. (Staff Vice President and Washington Counsel, Kimberly-Clark Corporation)

1982: Alan G. Kirk, II (Vice President and General Counsel, PEPCO)

1983: Lawrence L. Stenzel (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, USAir Inc.)

1984: Frank H. Menaker (Vice President and General Counsel, Martin Marietta Aerospace; later became Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Lockheed Martin Corporation)

1985: Sterling Colton (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Marriott Corporation)

1986: David Rutstein (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Giant Food Inc.; now Of Counsel at Venable LLP)

1987: Grant D. Easterling (Counsel – Governmental Programs, IBM Corporation)

1988: Donald K. Smith (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, GEICO Corporation)

1989: C.G. Appleby (Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Booz Allen Hamilton; now Senior Vice President and General Counsel)

1990: Kathleen O. Argiropoulos (Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Airlines Reporting Corporation)

1991: John R. Worthington (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, MCI)

1992: John F. McCabe (Corporate Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, BDM International Inc.)

1993: Nancy Appleby (Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Systems Center Inc.)

1994-95: Maud Mater (Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Freddie Mac)

1996: Drew McKay (Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Fairfax Group Ltd.; now Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Vance)

1997: Eric L. Richard (Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Credit Union National Association)

1998: Jonathan L. Spear (Director, Legal and Public Policy, MCI; now Vice President, Law and Public Policy, Verizon Business)

1999: Barbara C. Giliberti (Assistant General Counsel, Condor Technology Solutions)

2000: Jay A. Brozost (Vice President and General Counsel, Aeronautics Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation; now Vice President of Legal, Deputy Corporate General Counsel)

2001: Robert S. Lavet (Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Sallie Mae; now Senior Vice President and General Counsel)

2002: Robin McCune (Senior Counsel, Computer Sciences Corporation; now Senior Counsel, Strayer Education Inc.)

2003: Robert A. Stern (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Sodexho Inc.)

2004: Kathy T. Barlow (Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, The Bernstein Companies; now Vice President, March USA Inc.)

2005: Marian S. Block (Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Lockheed Martin Corporation)

2006: Eric D. Reicin (Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Sallie Mae)

2007: Mary E. Kennard (Vice President and General Counsel, American University)

2008: Kevin S. Lapidus (Senior Vice President and General Counsel, SunEdison)

2009:  Manik K. Rath (Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, LMI)

2010:  Curtis L. Schehr (Vice President & General Counsel, DCS Corporation)

2011:  Stephen C. Dwyer, General Counsel, American Staffing Association