Officers and Trustees of the Cincinnati Astronomical Society
For the Fiscal/Membership Year Oct 1, 2023 - September 30, 2024
Bryan Simpson
President since 2017
Bryan has been president of CAS since 2017 when he took over the role after serving several years as 1st Vice president and several more years prior as a trustee. Bryan currently serves as Chair of the PR, Membership, and Member Development committees, and is vice-chair of the Outreach committee. Bryan is actively engaged with telescope trainings as well as helping develop members’ skills as amateur astronomers. He is heavily involved in public outreach, and has the Master Outreach Award from the Astronomical League.
In his vocational life Bryan is a creative professional in Cincinnati having spent time as an art director, designer, digital artist and retouching specialist for several ad and branding agencies around town. He received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design from DAAP at The University of Cincinnati in 1993. Bryan uses his creative skills developing visual materials for CAS marketing and educational activities, as well as performing as content creator for CAS’ social media accounts in his duties as PR Chair. He also manages the design and content for the Society’s website.
Bryan joined CAS in 2012 and is a Lifetime Member of CAS.
Mike Titus
1st Vice president Since 2021
Mike has always had an affinity for the sciences, although it would only be until the last several years that he would catch the fever of astronomical observing. It was only until an impromptu observing session through some poorly calibrated optics pointed at the moon that he would launch into amateur astronomy. In 2018 Mike sought out the local amateur astronomy community and joined CAS. Since then Mike has joined the CAS board as a trustee and now as 1st Vice President. He has actively engaged the Astronomical League observing programs reaching the title of Master Observer; the only member of CAS in its history to do so. He has designed and constructed his own observatory near Darrtown. He also has become an accomplished astrophotographer and regularly tracks Near Earth Objects, submitting that data to the Minor Planet Center.
Mike is a veteran of the US Navy where he was a Machinist's Mate (Nuclear) and is a licensed journeyman electrician and electrical engineer with professional licenses in five states. He has worked on projects as small as simple motor starter replacements all the way up to complicated vacuum systems for NASA (Glenn Research Center - Plumbrook).
Mike is a Lifetime Member of CAS.
John Blasing
2nd Vice President Since 2022
John joined CAS in early 2022, but had he been aware of all that CAS does, and how solid its organization is, would have joined years earlier. His interest in astronomy stems from his primary interest, physics, and is developing demonstration exercises for member enrichment and outreach. He enjoys visual observing, and also enjoys and supports the fellowship which is the core the Society. John earned a BS in Engineering at UC, passed the Ohio state licensing exams, enjoyed a long and varied career in both electrical and mechanical engineering, and retired from GE Aerospace in 2019. John has been 2nd Vice President of CAS since late 2022.
John is a Lifetime Member of CAS
Eric Chermely
Secretary Since 2024
Eric is a new member, and joining CAS was on his retirement “bucket list”. Knowing this, his daughters surprised him with a CAS Lifetime Membership in 2023 as a retirement gift.
Interested in astronomy since grade school, over the years he could be found setting up his telescope and showing the neighbors and their children the moon and the planets. He is excited to be training on CAS’s telescopes and is amazed by the talent and enthusiasm of CAS members.
Professionally, he has degrees from both Miami and Xavier University and has been involved in Information Services (IS) for his 44-year career. During this time, he has been an IT Director for a local law firm and for the last 17 years he has served as a Senior Project Manager at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital’s Medical Center for their Electronic Medical Records (Epic Systems) implementation. He is looking forward to bringing his work experience to CAS as the Board Secretary.
Thorsten Schroeder
Treasurer Since 2020
Thorsten started his early career as a corporate banker and shifted around the year 2000 into business finance. He was a finance executive in Europe and Asia for middle market organizations in the industry and held other executive positions for corporate strategies. He has a passion for volunteerism and photography, and aspires to bring astrophotography into his repertoire.
Thorsten has been CAS Treasurer since 2000 and has brought a new level of order and financial savvy to our Society.
Dave Beitz
Trustee Since 2019
Dave joined CAS in 2018 with very little astronomical knowledge. He was elected to the board of trustees in 2019 and is currently serving a second three year term as a trustee. In the last four years he has joined the House and Grounds committee and was appointed Vice Chairman of the Instrument Committee. Dave has gained significant knowledge in astronomy and experience with the telescopes, and is currently one of our trainers. Dave is a retired IT administrator for Miami University and retired EMT from the City of Oxford.
Brian Engel
Trustee since 2022
Currently a software developer by trade, Brian Engel joined the society in 1992 fresh out of high school and has been a member ever since. He served on the Board in a variety of positions in the 1990s thru the early 2000s and on various committees over the decades since. Brian has led and volunteered for more CAS projects than he can remember. After a bit of a hiatus due to family commitments, he got involved with the society again in 2018, then joined the Board in the fall of 2022 when a vacancy opened up.
Brian has spent most of his time doing observational astronomy, from the days where star hopping or setting circles were the only options to find objects, to using increasingly sophisticated automated goto slewing telescopes. He has also done astrophotography, living through a remarkable increase in imaging technology. From DIY processing of film and prints, to the "CCD cookbook" cameras, to "lucky imaging"/stacking (with webcams etc.), to the spectacular cameras and software of where we are today; he has done and enjoyed it all.
Brian also has a deep interest in optics in general, which dovetails nicely with his astronomy interests. He has built a number of telescopes and has ground/figured a few mirrors during his years with CAS. He also dabbles in electronics, building photometers, modifying CCD/CMOS cameras, etc... and most recently building the new 16" drive controller for the society.
While he enjoys the entire spectrum of activities in astronomy, observational astronomy has always been Brian’s deepest interest. “There's an ineffable quality to hunting down objects with friends and just being present while experiencing the world for oneself,” he says. “This social dynamic in the society has afforded me lifelong friendships, and I hope to help continue this legacy for future generations of members.”
Jason Christian
Trustee Since 2024
Jason joined CAS in 2021 after attending a few CAS Kids events with his wife and two kids and instantly became intrigued. Wanting to be more active with the Society, he volunteered to help with telescope trainings and eventually joined the Instrument Committee. He has helped the House and Grounds committee with various tasks around headquarters over the years. Jason has been heavily involved in our outreach events sharing his passion and knowledge. He joined the board in October 2024 as a Trustee to help continue to keep our society moving forward.
Brad Reck
Trustee Since 2000
Brad joined CAS in 1993 and he holds a degree in Information Technology. He is active in CAS as the chair of the Instrument committee, attending most of the telescope training sessions for members, and maintaining the operation of the equipment. He has been a trustee on the CAS board for many years and is also the chair of the House & Grounds Committee.
John Sneddon
Trustee since 2019
John has been a member of the CAS since 2016, serving on the CAS Board as a trustee from 2019 to the present (term ends 2025). He is a key member of the House & Grounds committee, and is a member of the Finance and Curation committees. He is also active with the Instrument Committee in the monthly training of members on the CAS observatories
John has also taken a very active role as co-chair of the Starfield Dark Sky Site committee, maintaining CAS Kentucky dark sky property. His astronomical areas of interest include planetary, meteor and comet observations.
Brian Witterstaeter
Trustee since 2023
Brian is a lifetime member who joined CAS in 1998. He enjoys visual observing with planets, galaxies, nebulas and clusters being favorite targets. Brian is a member of the House and Grounds Committee and the Instrument Committee, routinely training members on CAS telescopes on First Fridays. He has a passion for helping others improve their astronomy skills. Personally he is hoping to improve his astrophotography and radio astronomy skills.
Brian earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He worked for Cummins Engine Company after graduation. For the last 18 years he's worked for IBM.