Believe it or not, other than being a magician, I actually have a connection to both David Copperfield and Harry Houdini.
That connection is the Society of American Magicians. The S.A.M. is the world's oldest and most prestigious magic club. It was founded in 1902. The Omaha Assembly of the Society of American Magicians was formed in 1921 and became the 7th Assembly. Today there are approximately 300 Assemblies throughout the United States and overseas.
Harry Houdini served the longest term as President of the S.A.M. from 1917 until his death in 1921. The Society of American Magicians recently took over the upkeep of the Houdini gravesite. David Copperfield has been a longtime member of the Society of American Magicians and currently serves as on of our Ambassadors of Magic. Two years ago I was proud to present him with the S.A.M. Humanitarian Award for his numerous contributions to a wide array of charitable causes.
And then there's me.
I served for three years as the Midwest Regional Vice President of the S.A.M. as well as Chairperson of the National Magic Week Committee. I am currently the National Second Vice President of the S.A.M. and if I progress up the chain of command as expected, I will become the President of the Society of American Magicians in the summer of 2016. I will be the 100th President and will follow in the footsteps of Houdini, Howard Thurston, Dr. Harlan Tarbell, Milbourne Christopher, Theodore Hardeen (Houdini's brother) and many other monumental names in the history of magic. It's very humbling to be associated with magicians of this caliber. I will also not only be the first Omaha magician to be President, but the first Nebraska magician as well.
The S.A.M. has played a big part in my growth and success as a magician and I am grateful for the opportunities the S.A.M. has given me.