Pioneers in the Society Pioneer Firsts

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• 1st chapter bulletin -- Detroit #1, Chapter Chips, 1939.

• 1st district organized -- Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids, June 8, 1940.

• 1st parade of quartets -- Detroit #1, Grand Ballroom, Book Cadillac Hotel, June 9, 1940. (Longest running annual show in BHS.)

• 1st district quartet contest -- Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, March 9, 1941.

• 1st code of ethics -- Developed and introduced by Joe Wolff, July 3, 1941.

• 1st chapter over 300 members -- Oakland County, 1943.

• 1st international district -- Oakland County chapter sponsored Windsor, Canada, to make the Society international, March 1944.

• 1st international secretary -- Carroll P. Adams, Oakland County chapter, 1944.

• 1st International Quartet Champion, Harmony Halls -- 1944

• 1st international quartet medals -- by Oakland County chapter, 1944 international contest.

• 1st international quartet trophy -- by Ben Landino, Grosse Pointe chapter.

• 1st international chorus champions -- Grand Rapids, 1953.

• 1st international chorus trophy -- by Ben Landino, Grosse Pointe chapter.

• 1st time anyone won a gold medal in a second voice part. Glenn Van Tassell, 1966-Lead of the Auto Towners and 1971-Baritone of the Gentlemen's Agreement.

• 1st time two members of a champion quartet won together in another quartet, Al Rehkop and Glenn Van Tassell in Auto Towners, 1966 and Gentlemen's Agreement, 1971

• 1st senior quartet trophy -- Mark P. Roberts Trophy, given by Grosse Pointe chapter, mid-winter convention, Sarasota, Fla., 1986.

• 1st international Bulletin Editor of the Year trophy -- created by Roger Morris, Milford chapter.

• 1st SingAmerica community outreach program to non-barbershop music groups -- Battle Creek, Sept. 19-24, 1994.

• First Mixed-Member Chartered Chapter in BHS -- Marquette Chapter, 2019

• First female chapter president in BHS -- Marquette Chapter, 2019

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