History
Prior to 1958 a group of Denver travel executives led by Bruce Hamby, Denver Post Travel Editor heard of an organization in Europe known as Skål. The “Association Internationale des Skål Clubs” founded in 1932 was formed to promote international goodwill and friendship among ravel professionals and was highly successful in Europe. These men met several times exploring options on how to obtain a local chapter of Skal. Finally in 1958 they secured a local chapter in Denver, Colorado. The Charter members of the club were:
Tom Amos Hertz Rent-A-Car
Doug Frazier D&RG RR
Chet Lubben Frontier Airlines
Joe O'Conner
Roger Spahr Santa Fe Railway
Don Auld Colorado Transportation
Bruce Hamby Denver Post
Bob McKenna Western Airlines
Bob McKenny Braniff Airlines
Pat Oliver Pam American World Air
Carl Steele Carl Steele World Wide Tvl
Forrest Blyler Rock Island RR
Leif Hauge SAS
Karl Mehlmann Brown Palace Hotel
Van D Ostlind Rock island Line
Homer Stephens Albany Hotel
Kostas Boudovris Air France
Al Hawney Cosmopolitan Hotel
Don Menk Boulder Travel Agency
C. W. Plagemann Burlington RR
Amos Sudler American Express
Bud Cleghorn Hertz Rent-A-Car
Don James Denver-Boulder Bus
Joe Miller American Express
Kenn Prosser Greyhound Lines
Eric Versteegh KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Gordon Dahn Frontier Airlines
Ted James Colorado Transportation
Mark Modglin Burlington RR
Tony Schoepf United Airlines
Mark Visnak All Travel Travel
Jo F. Drake AAA Travel
Larry Johannsen University Hill Travel
Center
Joe Moxley
Ray Schutte B.& O. RR
Hal Wright United Airlines
Harold Eno D&RG RR
Mark Kramer Continental Air Lines
Willi Mueller Piero de luixe Travel
Bill Sheridan Fisher-Sheridan Travel
William Wunsch Whitley Travel Agency
Milt Frampton Park Lane Hotel
Dave Lindquist Fisher-Sheridan Travel
Hugh Noell BOAC
Ed Siemers Union Pacific
Order of Skål Merit
William Sweet
Membre D’Honneur of Skål International
Many of you know Bill Sweet’s history within the Skal organization, yet many of
our newer members might not understand the breathe of Bill’s Skal involvement
through the years.
A member of the University of Denver’s School of Hospitality & Tourism’s first graduating class, Bill went
to work for the Brown Palace Hotel shortly thereafter, eventually rising through the ranks to serve as the
Brown’s General Manager & President for many years. Bill joined the Skål Club of Denver in 1963
and served as our President in 1971.
Unlike so many of us in this oganization who have served as a local Skål Club President however, Bill’s service to Skal had only just begun. He served as Regional VP from 1976-80 before moving up the “Officers ladder” to serve as President of all of Skal International USA in 1982-83. During 1984-85, Bill was President of the “North American Association of Skål Clubs” representing over 100 Clubs and thousands of North America Skalleagues.
From late 1985 to 2001, Bill served as “Executive Secretary” for both SIUSA and NAASC combined, and was awarded the “Order of Skal Merit” in 1994. Bill Sweet has been named “Honorary President” for SIUSA as well as for North America, but his most distinguished recognition within the world of Skål was to have been named a “Membre D’Honneur” of Skal International in October, 2003. In the 75 year history of Skå, this honor has only been bestowed on 74 members worldwide, and Bill is one of only 4 elite Skalleagues in the United States to ever be recognized in such fashion!
It is common to invite a “high ranking” Skål leader to do the honors when a Club installs it’s new Officers…Skalleagues, ladies & gentlemen, we would be hard pressed to find a more distinguished Skal official than this man who has so prominently established our Club on the worldwide Skål map…our own “Bill Sweet”.
Of historical note, Bill has attended 26 Skål International Congresses and 31 NAASC Congresses.
