DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth recently announced that Warren Adler will retire from his position as Associate National Executive Director as of April 1.
"After more than three decades as an executive at this Guild, there's virtually no department, no function and no initiative that Warren hasn't personally been involved in and made better through his dedication and his expertise," said Roth. "He's been instrumental in our growth and strength as an organization and I know I speak on behalf of our 14,500 members and our entire professional staff when I say we will miss him dearly."
"Warren has been a seminal presence at the Guild for decades, and his commitment to working on behalf of the membership has been exemplary," said DGA President Taylor Hackford. "He's contributed tremendously to this organization and we will be forever grateful."
"There's nothing that's happened at the Guild in the past 30 years that Warren hasn't been a part of," said DGA Secretary-Treasurer Gil Cates. "We have relied on his wise counsel, his historical knowledge and experience, and his steady hand throughout all these years, and we've been lucky to do so. He is a wonderfully decent and honorable man, and his contributions are far too numerous to count."
Adler began his DGA career in 1978 as Associate General Counsel, where he focused on contract enforcement. In 1981, he was named Assistant Western Executive Director, working with the AD/UPM Council and handling general contract claims and enforcement, before being promoted to Western Executive Director in 1990, where he was responsible for contract enforcement and special agreements as well as overall supervision of several key Guild departments.
In 1998, Adler became the Guild's second highest ranking executive when he was named Associate National Executive Director, a newly-created position designed to provide expanded membership service by strengthening the Guild’s national management team.
"When I came to the DGA, the Guild had roughly a dozen people on staff," Adler noted. "It's been wonderful to have been part of the Guild's transition to a modern, efficient, fully-functioning labor organization."
During his tenure at the Guild, Adler has been involved in nearly every aspect of the DGA. In addition to participating in 11 Basic Agreement and FLTTA negotiations cycles, serving as a trustee of the DGA Pension & Health Plans and Assistant Directors Training Program, handling grievances and arbitrations, and serving as liaison to the Western AD/UPM Council and Western AD/SM/PA Council, Adler focused specifically on creative rights and diversity issues.
Adler has been the primary Guild executive overseeing creative rights issues since the mid-1980s, including the Creative Rights negotiations, which are negotiated at the same time as the BA and FLTTA negotiations. He has worked closely with the Creative Rights Committee, overseeing the emergence of a separate Committee to deal with issues specifically pertaining to creative rights in television, as well as the periodic production of the Creative Rights Handbook.
Additionally, Adler has long focused on the Guild's effort to increase diversity. In 1981, Adler was responsible for negotiating the first diversity provisions in Guild history, now codified in Article 15 of the DGA Basic Agreement. He has served as liaison to the Women's Steering Committee, African American Steering Committee, and Latino Committee, and still oversees the Guild's diversity policies.
Most recently, Adler participated in the Guild's strategic planning for the recent successful negotiations with the AMPTP and has been a key element in developing the Guild's research and strategy on new media issues.
"I've truly enjoyed and appreciated being part of a top-flight service organization that is well-led, staffed by expert professionals and bolstered by the strength and unity of an active, involved membership that is proud to be associated with this Guild," said Adler. "I've gotten to work on issues that are complex, challenging and very interesting and built great relationships with members and the Guild's professional staff along the way. It's been a very gratifying and fortunate career.
Adler will continue to serve the Guild as a senior counselor, primarily on creative rights and diversity issues.
