PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

State University of New York

Dr. Bierbaum served as a Professor of Communication Studies at the SUNY-Cortland for 25 years. In 1992 he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus. His university experience included teaching many classes on parliamentary procedure and over twenty years of service on the Faculty Senate as parliamentarian. He also taught many classes in communication theory, group dynamics, and organizational communication.  Dr. Bierbaum's expertise in organizational communication has proved valuable to many of the organizations that he serves as parliamentarian.

A past president of AIP, Dr. Bierbaum holds the highest membership classification awarded by AIP, Certified Professional Parliamentarian. Widely recognized for his expertise in teaching parliamentary procedure, Dr. Bierbaum organized and administered five AIP Practicums at The College of William and Mary during 1979-1983. He has served AIP in many capacities, including Accrediting Director, Education Director,  Ethics Chairman, and instructor for the Teacher Training course for parliamentarians seeking to become Certified Teachers of Parliamentary Procedure.  He continues to teach many workshops in parliamentary procedure at AIP annual sessions, practicums, and regional conferences.

A member of NAP since 1976, Dr. Bierbaum currently holds NAP’s highest membership classification, Professional Registered Parliamentarian. He chaired the Registration Examiners Committee during 1991-1993. He has also served on the Education Committee (1993-1995) and the Communications Committee (2005-2007).. Much sought after for his teaching expertise, Dr. Bierbaum is a regular workshop presenter at NAP functions.

Ethics

Dr. Bierbaum chaired a joint AIP-NAP committee which drafted the Joint Code of Ethics for Parliamentarians.   The Code was adopted by both organizations in 2001.    Dr. Bierbaum is the first member of NAP to be appointed to a six-year term on the Ethics Committee which he chaired during 1999-2005.

Since 1993 Dr. Bierbaum has coordinated three-day workshops in parliamentary procedure for the Lester L. Dahms Memorial Foundation. The workshops are generally offered in early November and rotate annually among several Midwest locations including Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Des Moines.   For further information on Lester L. Dahms Memorial Workshops, contact Cleon C. Babcock, President, Lester L. Dahms Memorial Foundation, 3706 E. 38th Court, Des Moines, IA 50317-5824.

Dr. Bierbaum served as president of this unit of NAP during 2001-2003, and is currently serving a second term during 2007-2009.   He has played an active role in promoting and teaching the Parliamentary Procedure Institute offered by the unit every February in Gainesville, Florida..  For information on future Institutes, which are open to the public, click below to receive information by e-mail.