In 1979, a number of azalea collectors and hybridizers interested in sharing and improving the knowledge of azaleas founded the Azalea Society of America as a non-profit educational and scientific society. The Society goals are to:

• promote knowledge of and interest in azaleas
• provide a forum for the sharing of experiences and the dissemination of techniques of hybridizing, propagation and culture of azaleas
• promote the proper description and registration of new azalea hybrids and selections
• conduct studies and communicate with the members through publications and meetings
• bring together all those whose interest in and appreciation of azaleas form a bond of friendship.

The Society has national officers and committees for overall structure and direction, along with a number of chapters to provide meetings, lectures, seminars, plant sales, auctions and exchanges, and fellowship at the local level. National membership includes membership in one of the local chapters, with At-Large affiliation for those members not joining a local chapter. Guests are always welcome at the local chapter meetings.

The programs of the Society are designed to meet the needs of home gardeners, collectors and horticultural students, as well as nurserymen, hybridizers and landscape architects. Publications include a biennial roster of members, and a quarterly journal, The Azalean, which is the Society forum for members and others to share their observations on azalea culture, garden design, hybridization, propagation, new azaleas, and chapter activities.

Each spring, one of our local chapters hosts an annual convention to immerse our members and friends in a long weekend of azalea activities, including a short national business meeting. Each convention features tours of excellent local gardens during the day, renowned speakers in the evening, and ongoing sales of azaleas and companion plants. Our Texas Chapter hosted our 2007 convention, Azaleas in the Pines—A Texas Garden Party in Nacogdoches TX. Our next convention, Honor the Greats in Two Thousand Eight, will be hosted by our Vaseyi Chapter in Asheville NC on May 1-4, 2008, and will feature local gardens, with alternate tours to see R. vaseyi blooming in the wild.

To further promote its goals, the Society authorized and funded the development of this website in early 1999, as described on the What's New page.

The Society contact information is:

Azalea Society of America
Carol Flowers, Secretary   202-965-5308
700 New Hampshire Ave NW Apt 1011
Washington DC 20037

For more information about a chapter, such as the geographical area it serves, its meeting dates and locations, special events, officers, etc., click its name. If the chapter name is not a link, or if the chapter page does not answer your questions, click the name of its contact person to open an e-mail addressed to them, ready for you to complete and send.

At Large (no chapter affiliation)
John Brown   864-836-6898
1000 Moody Bridge Road
Cleveland, SC 29635-9789

Alabamense Chapter
Carlton LeMond   205-621-7758
233 Queens Gate
Maylene Al 35114

Ben Morrison Chapter
Bob McWhorter   410-923-6408
1666 Preakness Drive
Gambrills MD 21054

Brookside Gardens Chapter
Bill Miller   301-365-0692
7613 Quintana Drive
Bethesda MD 20817

Louisiana Chapter
Robert "Buddy" Lee   504-878-3567
52063 Ridge Crest Road
Independence LA 70443

Lake Michigan Chapter
Tadeusz "Tad" Dauksza   708-479-8130
11726 Springbrook Court
Orland Park IL 60467

Northern Virginia Chapter
Leslie Ann Nanney   703-644-5651
8646 Tuttle Road
Springfield VA 22152

Oconee Chapter
Jim Thornton   770-483-1593
884 June Drive
Conyers GA 30207

Southern California Chapter
Linda Kranen   626-568-0161
317 Woodcliffe Road
Pasadena CA 91105

Texas Chapter
Barbara Stump    936-462-7195
101 South Sanders
Nacogdoches TX 75964

Tri-State Chapter
Larry Miller   812-422-2864
10 Chandler Avenue
Evansville IN 47713

Vaseyi Chapter
Ed Collins   828-697-9228
250 Tranquility Place
Hendersonville NC 28739-8314

National officers and directors are elected for two year terms coincident with the national convention. Much of the business of the Society is done by the Board of Directors, composed of the national officers, directors, and the presidents of each chapter, and by a number of committees. The current national officers, chapter presidents and committee chairs are:

National Officers
President	John Brown
Vice President	Aaron Cook
Secretary	Carol Flowers
Treasurer	Dan Krabill
Past President	Robert "Buddy" Lee
Editor, The Azalean	Pam Fitch
Webmaster	Bob Stelloh
2007-2009 Directors	J. Jackson Dave Nanney
	Vincent Ciolino (via Robert "Buddy" Lee)
2006-2008 Directors	Maarten van der Giessen Ron Hooper Tom Milner
Chapter Presidents
Alabamense	Carlton LeMond
Ben Morrison	Harold Belcher
Louisiana	Allen Owings
Lake Michigan	John Migas (via Tad Dauksza)
Northern Virginia	Eve Harrison
Oconee	Allison Fuqua (via Jim Thornton)
Texas	Bart Brechter
Southern California	James Jaeger (via Linda Kranen)
Tri-State	Larry Miller
Vaseyi	Doley Bell
Committee Chairs
Advertising	Maarten van der Giessen Robert "Buddy" Lee
Archives	John Brown
Awards	Robert "Buddy" Lee
Azalea City	Joe Schild
Back Issues	John Brown
By-Laws	John Brown
Finance	Dan Krabill
Membership	Ron Hooper Aaron Cook
Nominating	Aaron Cook
Seed Exchange	Aaron Cook

national archives   at North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC
national awards   for service to the society and for best articles in The Azalean
member history   number of members by chapter for each year since 1990
bylaws   society bylaws and chapter bylaws template