Twenty
years ago in 1986, four people worked together to attempt the making of the
first Great American Show. Those people included Bill Parlee, head of the
National Finch Society, Dr. Randy Brue and Howard Miller of Kaytee Products
and Dr. Al Decoteau of the Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors.
For the first four years, the Great American Bird Show was run entirely without a Board of Directors with Kaytee running it in 1986, and again from 1989 to 2000.That very first Great American Bird Show was huge and was held in Chicago, Illinois.
In 1987 Kaytee discontinued the management of the Great American Bird Show and it was held in Atlanta, Georgia under the guidance and auspices of Nature's Window, an Atlanta based business.
In
1988, the Baltimore Bird Fanciers took over the show hosting it as "The
Great American Bird Show".
Kaytee again took the helm when it returned to St. Louis, MO, maintaining
interest in the Great American Bird Show until the end of 2000.
In
1990, Kaytee formed a Board of Directors with Bill Parlee as President in 1992,
Ermafern Collins of Iowa and notable Budgerigar fame became President until 1993.
Dr. Al Decoteau then became president and kept the position until 2001 when
Dave Dollar, current President took over.
In 2000, Kaytee released the entire show and from that time on has been run by a
Board of Directors representing various bird clubs around the nation.