Thomas Schlamme has been elected president of the Directors Guild of America. The Emmy-winning West Wing director had been the guild’s 3rd vice president, and co-chaired the DGA’s last two film and TV contract negotiating committees.

“It is a tremendous honor to be chosen by my peers to lead our guild, and I greatly look forward to taking on the challenges facing our membership and industry,” Schlamme said after being elected by the delegates to the DGA’s biennial convention in Los Angeles. “We have a more than 80-year foundation of leadership. Our strength comes from our solidarity and our ability to anticipate the future. Regardless of what lies ahead, I’m optimistic that our approach assures we are well prepared to protect our creative and economic rights. I am committed to representing the entire membership, and optimistic about tackling the world of tomorrow together.”

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Earlier this year, the guild presented him with the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award for extraordinary service to the DGA and its membership. A member of the guild for nearly 40 years, he served as a member of the Western Directors Council since 2003, as a member of the Creative Rights Committee since 2001, and was a founding member of the DGA Political Action Committee’s Leadership Council.

“It has been an honor serving this tremendous guild as president, and with Tommy taking the reins, I am confident the DGA is in good hands,” said outgoing president Paris Barclay. “We are the gold standard because of our strong leadership of active working directors, and Tommy is not only a leading television director who has helped shape the very landscape of the medium, he has served our Guild for years advancing our interests. I’m thrilled to see him take on this role, and know he’ll do a tremendous job guiding us into the future.”

“Tommy’s expertise in new media, and his in-depth understanding of new means of distribution were integral to the success of our negotiations, most recently when we achieved unprecedented gains in subscription video on demand residuals,” said secretary-treasurer Michael Apted, who served as Schlamme’s co-chair on the 2014 and 2017 negotiating committees. “He is the clear choice to lead our Guild through the obstacles of tomorrow.”

“The future is upon us and there is no room for complacency, that’s why I want Tommy in the lead,” said 1st vp Betty Thomas when placing Schlamme’s name in nomination. “Through nuance and guts he’s led us to better and better contracts. There is nobody better prepared or better suited for this role than Tommy Schlamme.”

“We are proud to have Tommy as our new President; he represents the interests of all our members across every category and region,” said national vice president Vincent Misiano.

Here’s thje complete list of the election results:

President

Thomas Schlamme

National Vice-President

Vincent Misiano

Secretary-Treasurer

Michael Apted

Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Scott Berger

First Vice-President

Betty Thomas

Second Vice-President

Brooke Kennedy

Third Vice-President

Jon Favreau

Fourth Vice-President

Ron Howard

Fifth Vice-President

Lesli Linka Glatter

Sixth Vice-President

Laura Belsey

Board Members

Zetna Fuentes

Karen Gaviola

Julie Gelfand

Nicole Kassell

Cleve Landsberg

Michael Mann

Kathleen McGill

Christopher Nolan

Kimberly Peirce

Liz Ryan

Steven Spielberg

Alternate Board Members

Jon Avnet

Valerie Faris

Todd Holland

John LiBretto

Seith Mann

Don Mischer

Jonathan Mostow

Matthew Penn

Donald Petrie

Dee Rees

Rosemary Rodriguez

Bethany Rooney

David O. Russell

Oz Scott

Millicent Shelton

Morgan Spurlock

Tim Story

Associate Board Members

Alan B. Curtiss

Louis J. Guerra

Duncan S. Henderson

Dennis W. Mazzocco

Tom McDermott

Second Alternate Board Members

Lee Blaine

Mimi (Marian) Deaton

Courtney Franklin

Bill Miller

Mary Rae Thewlis

Michele “Shelley” Ziegler