TALA Plans Installation Lunch

The Textile Association of Los Angeles will host its annual installation luncheon in the Fashion Theater at the California Market Center on Jan. 31, where the group will present its Member of the Year award to Barry Maiman, and designer Trina Turk will receive the Friend of TALA award.

Due to a busy schedule, the organization is not holding its elections and will reinstall most of the existing board members and officers for another term, according to TALA President Hal Kaltman.

Board members April Booth, Hank Pola, Pam Prentiss and Peter Gelber will not continue another term, according to Kaltman, who said that Howard Gelman has been invited to join the 2006 board, and the board will name additional members in the coming weeks.

This will mark Kaltman’s fourth consecutive year as president of the organization and his seventh term in the office. Michael Goldman, Dan Sassower and Brain Thaler will continue as vice presidents. Carol Sachs- Goldman will continue as secretary, and Hank Kalin will continue as treasurer. Returning board members include Michael Bokser, Eileen Ellis, Barry Maiman, Joseph Menichini, Fran Sude, Jeff Waldman and Ken Weinbaum.

“It’s a productive board and a caring board,” said Kaltman, who added, “I’m looking forward to finishing a couple of projects that we’ve started. The main one is getting our charitable status back with the [Internal Revenue Service].”

The organization had 501-3C nonprofit status until the early 1990s. Kaltman said he expected the necessary paperwork to be completed and turned into the IRS by early 2006. Nonprofit status would allow TALA to more aggressively seek donations for several of its charitable activities, including a scholarship program for local design schools and its annual holiday party for local children. —Alison A. Nieder