Director of Stickley Museum to speak at Nov. 18 IRP

The Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP) will host Greg Vadney, director and chief curator of the Stickley Museum, the official museum of L. & J.G. Stickely, Inc., on Thursday, Nov. 18. Vadney will discuss the 120-year history of Stickley furniture, which began in a small workroom in Binghamton when the Stickley brothers started handcrafting simple wooden chairs. The tradition of quality furniture making that spans two families, the Stickleys and the Audis, continues thriving today.

As curator and director of the museum since 2006, Vadney has spearheaded the museum’s creation and curated the inaugural 8,000-square-foot exhibit “A Well Crafted Legacy.” He is chairman of the American Association of State and Local History’s National Corporate History Committee. Prior to joining Stickley, Vadney attended the Cooperstown Graduate Program, earning a master’s degree in history museum studies. While a student, he served as an exhibitions intern at the Fenimore Art Museum and as a curatorial intern at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

IRP, established by University College of Syracuse University, provides opportunities for retired people to stay intellectually active, to expand interests and make new acquaintances. Presentations are made by Syracuse University faculty and specialists within the community.

The program is free and open to the public. Meetings are held the first and third Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Syracuse, 5833 E. Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville. Several times each year, members may take part in special activities such as day trips, tours and luncheons.

For more information on this program, call University College at (315) 443-4846, or visit http://www.yesu.syr.edu/IRP.