Online registration will open in mid-February for this year’s annual meeting of the AAPG Foundation Trustee Associates – an event slated at a unique and world-famous setting.
This year’s TA meeting will be held May 19-22 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.
The Biltmore House is a historic, French Renaissance-styled castle in the heart of Asheville and the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains. Built and completed in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, it is America’s largest home, featuring 250 rooms (including 35 bedrooms and 65 fireplaces), 8,000 acres, forested trails, beautiful gardens and one of the country’s top collections of azaleas.
Lodging for the TA participants will be on the Biltmore grounds, putting everyone close to both the noted estate and the meeting’s scheduled events, as well as the outdoor events, cultural attractions, dining and winery options, and beautiful scenery that define the Asheville area.
“We wanted to make this year’s annual meeting something special for our TAs – something that we’ll remember for years to come,” said TA Chairman Joe Davis, “and the Biltmore House certainly provides the setting for an extraordinary experience.
“Our annual meetings always provide important opportunities for us to discuss the business of the TA and Foundation, and also for the pleasure of connecting with old friends,” Davis said. “That’s true for any location. The fact that we’re meeting at a famous and beautiful place like the Biltmore is a wonderful bonus – one that I hope everyone will be able to enjoy.”
In addition to the setting, this year’s TA meeting offers the annual business meeting and a chance to consider new directions and strategies for both the TAs and the AAPG Foundation.
“Our meeting this year is especially significant as we focus on our mission beyond the global pandemic,” Davis said. “We’ll all have a chance to discuss, both formally and in casual moments of fellowship, the importance of supporting geoscience excellence – and how best to achieve our goals.
“And,” he added, “we’ll have plenty of chances to have a lot of fun together.”
The Biltmore, which is a National Historic Landmark, promotes itself as offering “the natural beauty of the mountains and the majestic house and gardens to beguile us, inspire us and allow us to escape from the everyday.”
Built in the Chateauesque style as a “mountain escape” for the Vanderbilt family, it cost $5 million to build (about $180 million today). It was opened to the public in 1930, reportedly to revitalize tourism in the Asheville area.
A plethora of historic and cultural figures have been guests there, including U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Bing Crosby, Henry James, Edith Wharton, Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers and Al Capone.
Activities for the TAs
Plans for this year’s meeting include:
- Private TA group tours of the Biltmore, offering visits to areas closed to the public, as well as rooftop views of the countryside
- A field trip to the Kings Mountain, site of a famous mining operation that produced lithium as well as tin and gold (bonus: A scenic ride that provides great views of the region’s geology and vistas)
- Tours of the exclusive “Chihuly at Biltmore” exhibition, featuring the works of famed American glass artist and sculptor Dale Chihuly, including such works as “Drawings,” “Chandeliers,” “Towers,” “Mille Fiori” and “Neon”
- Private TA tours of the Biltmore’s world-famous gardens and acclaimed Biltmore Winery
Also scheduled will be TA receptions, the traditional “farewell dinner,” and plenty of free time to enjoy Asheville’s many cultural offerings and restaurants, as well as individual tours of the Biltmore’s scenic and extensive grounds via hiking, horseback, carriage, canoeing or Land Rovers.
For additional information on the Biltmore, go to Biltmore.com.
For additional meeting information and online registration, go to the Foundation website at foundation.aapg.org.