International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.) is the world's largest organization for professional and amateur magicians, with approximately 15,000 members worldwide. The headquarters is in St. Louis, Missouri, and there are over 300 local groups, called Rings (local IBM clubs), in more than 30 countries, largely concentrated in cities of the United States and Canada, though members of the international organization represent at least 80 different countries. The organization also publishes a monthly periodical entitled The Linking Ring.

Organization

Each international territory has a Territorial Vice President, who coordinates with the various Rings in that country, and the Territorial Vice Presidents in other countries.

The IBM publishes a monthly magazine called The Linking Ring. The magazine features several tricks, and stories covering shows and events in the magic community and an interview with a magician who is either independently famous, or otherwise being awarded or recognized by the organization.

The IBM also holds an annual convention, traditionally held in June or July.

Past International Presidents of the IBM

1.     1922-1926 Len Vintus *

2.     1926-1937 W.W. Durbin *

3.     1937-1938 John H. Davison *

4.     1938-1939 T. J. Crawford *

5.     1939-1941 John Snyder, Jr. *

6.     1941-1942 Robert C. Anderson *

7.     1942-1946 Eugene Bernstein *

8.     1946-1947 John Braun *

9.     1947-1948 A. Renerick Clark *

10.  1948-1949 H. Adrian Smith *

11.  1949-1950 William R. Walsh *

12.  1950-1951 Walter Coleman *

13.  1951-1952 James B. Lake *

14.  1952-1953 Arthur D. Reichenbach *

15.  1953-1954 Forrest P. Hendricks *

16.  1954-1955 C. James McLemore *

17.  1955-1956 Charles A. RossKam *

18.  1956-1957 Chauncey Sheridan *

19.  1957-1958 L.A. Waterman *

20.  1958-1959 Verne W. Uker *

21.  1959-1960 Reeder C. Hutchinson *

22.  1960-1961 Harris Solomon *

23.  1961-1962 C.L. Schmitt *

24.  1962-1963 Irving M. Lewis *

25.  1963-1964 Arnold Drennen

26.  1964-1965 Thorton Poole *

27.  1965-1966 Dr. Richard O. Mossey

28.  1966-1967 Howard P. Bamman *

29.  1967-1968 Sydney S. Bergson *

30.  1968-1969 J. Ronald Haines *

31.  1969-1970 Royal Brin, Jr.

32.  1970-1971 William G. Stickland *

33.  1971-1972 Austin C. Gorham *

34.  1972-1973 Robert B. Hurt *

35.  1973-1974 Earle J. Christenberry, Jr.

36.  1974-1975 Charles Lantz *

37.  1975-1976 William Preston *

38.  1976-1977 Walter F. Williams, Jr.

39.  1977-1978 Jeffery Atkins *

40.  1978-1979 Bill Pitts

41.  1979-1980 Ray Mangel *

42.  1980-1981 Bruce Posgate *

43.  1981-1982 Roger Crabtree *

44.  1982-1983 John Makar *

45.  1983-1984 William A. Wells

46.  1984-1985 Donald E. Wiberg

47.  1985-1986 William E. Spooner

48.  1986-1987 Karrell Fox *

49.  1987-1988 June Horowitz

50.  1988-1989 Edward A. Morris

51.  1989-1990 Anthony Shelley

52.  1990-1991 Michael Ellis

53.  1991-1992 Michael J. Gorman

54.  1992-1993 James L. Nagel

55.  1993-1994 R. J. “Obie” O’Brien

56.  1994-1995 Jep Hostetler

57.  1995-1996 Kenneth Klosterman

58.  1996-1997 Bev Bergeron

59.  1997-1998 Abb Dickson

60.  1998-1999 John R. Browne III

61.  1999-2000 Jerry C. Schnepp

62.  2000-2001 Jack K. Greenberg

63.  2001-2002 Robert A. Escher

64.  2002-2003 Michael Stratman

65.  2003-2004 David Sandy

66.  2004-2005 Tony Wilson

67.  2005-2006 Roger Miller

68.  2006-2007 Fred Casto

69.  2007-2008 Phil Willmarth

* = Deceased

Notes concerning above PIPs, and commonly made errors:

It’s Davison, not Davidson

It’s Reichenbach, not Reichenback

It’s Stickland, not Strickland

We usually use quotation marks with “Obie”

Jack Browne uses “III” and no comma

Nagel sometimes erroneously becomes Nagle

Drennen sometimes erroneously becomes Drennan

Jeffery (Atkins) sometimes erroneously becomes Jeffrey

Posgate sometimes erroneously becomes Postgate

Greenberg sometimes erroneously becomes Greenburg

Casto sometimes erroneously becomes Castro

Membership

Both amateur and professional magicians are eligible to join the IBM. The group also includes those who collect magic apparatus and effects.

Active members must be at least 18 years old. Youth members must be 10-18 years of age. Members must have had an interest in magic--for at least two years for active members, or one year for youth members. Membership requires the endorsement of two active members, and a pledge to uphold the code of ethics.

History

The organization was founded February 10, 1922 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Len Vintus (stage name of Melvin Justus Given McMullen) of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Gene Gordon (true name Gordon Avery) of Buffalo, New York, and--somewhat later--Don Rogers (true name Ernest Schieldge) after the three men exchanged letters about magic. Unlike earlier magic clubs--the Society of American Magicians (SAM) in the USA and The Magic Circle in England--the IBM was begun by magicians living outside the major cities, who were unable to attend magic club meetings, and who kept in contact by post.

Gene Gordon established the first local group organized under the IBM's auspices: Ring 1 in Rochester, New York. This ring did not last. Although Rochester currently has a ring (Ring 4), St. Louis, Missouri is now the location of Ring 1.

Although the SAM and the Magic Circle had held banquets as early as 1905, the IBM was the first to hold a magic convention--in Kenton, Ohio on June 9-10, 1926.