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2004 News
G.A. Taylor Fernley joins the board of trustees of The National Liberty Museum 04/17/2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Wendy Walker
Inquirer Suburban Staff
Have you heard of the National Liberty Museum at Third and Chestnut? No?
G.A. Taylor Fernley of Gladwyne has just joined its board of trustees, and his priority is to increase the museum's visibility.
"It's very hidden and out of the way," he said, "but they have a great program for kids."
Fernley said he was impressed with the museum's focus on "responsible citizenship," including the responsibility to vote. He also likes its "multicultural approach" and its emphasis on freedom, tolerance, and "peaceful conflict resolution in today's crazy world... that really struck a chord with me."
Fernley is president and chief executive officer of Fernley & Fernley Inc., a Center City firm that manages professional and trade associations. He became involved with the museum through the chair of the museum's board, Irvin Borowsky, whom he knew professionally. After lunching with him, he realized they had "the same values and work ethic" and he decided joining the museum board "would be a good cultural fit for me."
On one of his first visits to the museum, he was struck by how involved the students seemed to be at the exhibits.
"They were learning; you could see it in their eyes," he said. "And these are the people who are going to be leading this country."
Borowsky said the board welcomed Fernley's "extensive experience in working with nonprofit organizations and volunteer leaders...Taylor's personal and professional endeavors also reflect a philosophy which is very much in tune with ours." Fernley is also active in the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, the Merion Golf Club, and the Gladwyne Civic Association. He said he expected his employees to become active in the community, as he is. "It's kind of an unwritten component, that you get involved civically, playing a leadership role," he said. Volunteering creates "a more solidified, well-rounded work force."
The family business was founded in 1886 by Fernley's great-grandfather. The original office, at Fifth and Arch Streets, moved to 19th and Arch and then, just two months ago, to 20th and Arch.
"Much further west and we'll end up in the river," Fernley said. The latest move doubled the firm's space, and Fernley said his goal was to double the staff's size, now 45, within three years.
He said he travels around the country up to 80 days a year and likes getting to his office by 6 a.m. so he can "do all my strategic planning without the phone ringing." But, he noted, he takes a break during the day to work out at the Philadelphia Sports Club and is usually home for dinner.
Among the firm's clients are the Association of Wood Machinery Manufacturers, the Association of High Technology Distributors, and the Gases and Welding Distributors Association. Fernley said he and his staff needed to absorb a great deal of technical information.
For instance, for the gases and welding association, Fernley staffers are monitoring litigation involving fumes and keeping track of compliance issues and pending federal regulations, watching for "early warning signals" that could spell trouble for the association's members.
Fernley said he likes to hire "lifelong learners" who enjoy the challenge of keeping up with changes in technology. "My grandfather used to say, 'You've got to be a foot deep and a mile wide.' Today, it's more like a mile deep and a mile wide."
People Snapshot G.A. Taylor FernleyAge: 55
Residence: A native of Plymouth Meeting, he has lived in Gladwyne since 1977.
Education: He graduated from Episcopal Academy and Randolph-Macon College.
Family: He and his wife of 28 years, Pam, have two sons: Kyle, 20, a junior at the University of Colorado at Boulder; and Todd, 18, a senior at Episcopal Academy.
Occupation: President and chief executive officer of Fernley & Fernley Inc., which manages trade and professional associations. He focuses on new business development and client retention for the firm, which his great-grandfather founded in 1886.
For information about the National Liberty Museum, go to www.nationallibertymuseum.org
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ABOUT FERNLEY & FERNLEY
Fernley & Fernley, Inc., founded in 1886, is a fourth-generation family firm in the association management business, representing 30 trade associations and medical and professional societies. Fernley & Fernley holds the distinction of being among the first to receive national accreditation from the AMC institute (formerly the International Association of Association Management Companies) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and is the longest established Association Management Company in the country. Throughout the years, Fernley & Fernley has maintained a solid reputation as a leader within the association management field and in the wide spectrum of industries it serves. To learn more about Fernley & Fernley visit their web site at www.fernley.com.