General Officers

President General

Darryl Addington, M.D. (North Carolina SAR)

Compatriot Addington is a South Carolina native and currently lives with his wife Mary in North Carolina.

Compatriot Addington joined the Sons of the American Revolution in 1996 and has served as a state president, National Trustee and Alternate Trustee, National Surgeon General, along with Treasurer and Secretary General. He has also served on the board of the SAR Foundation.

Secretary General

Michael J. Elston, Esq. (Virginia SAR)

The Secretary General maintains the official records of the activities of the Executive Committee, Trustees, and national SAR Congresses. He coordinates with the SAR Headquarters’ staff on compiling the officer and committee reports for distribution at meetings and also oversees the notices for scheduled meetings along with meeting registrations.

Compatriot Elston is a member of the George Washington Chapter of the Virginia SAR. Prior to his election as Secretary General, he served as Treasurer General from 2023 to 2024, Chancellor General from 2021 to 2023, Vice President General for the International District from 2015 to 2016, and as a director of the SAR Foundation from 2015 to 2021. He has also served as chairman of the 2021 Special Congress, Bylaws, King’s College London Partnership, Knight Essay and Young Members Committees. He has served the Virginia Society as Chancellor, Vice President, President, Alternate Trustee and Trustee.

Compatriot Elston’s children have been active members of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.). He has served as Virginia Senior State President and as Senior National Treasurer for the C.A.R.

Treasurer General

William A. Greenly (Georgia SAR)

The Treasurer General shall serve as the Chief Financial Officer of the National Society. His duties include, but are not limited to, providing financial advice and counsel to the Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees, Committee Chairmen and when called up on to do so by an elected member of the SAR Foundation Board. Those duties also include oversight responsibility for the collection and deposit of National Society dues and their disbursement to insure the efficient, economical operation of the National Society as well as responsibility for insuring that such funds are deposited in the name of the National Society in such accounts and depositories designated by the Board of Trustees.

Compatriot Greenly served as President of the Georgia Society Piedmont Chapter 2012, a founder and President of the Robert Forsyth chapter 2013-2015 and 2017, and Chancellor 2018-2021. He served as the Georgia Society President 2016, Trustee 2017 and Alternate Trustee 2018. He is a founder and Registrar of the Lewestown chapter Delaware Society 2022-present.He is also the 2nd Vice President of the Delaware Society 2022 – present. He has served two years as the South Atlantic District VPG 2019-2021, Vice Chairman of the Council of VPG’s 2019-2021, and Registrar General 2022-2024. He has served as Chairman of the Branding and Engagement Committee 2018-2023, Flag Committee Vice Chairman 2016-2019, Handbook Committee Chairman 2021-2022 and vice Chairman 2018-2021, He was co-Chairman of the 2023 Savannah Congress 2018-2022.

Chancellor General

Edmon H. McKinley, Esq. (Alabama SAR)

The Chancellor General serves as legal advisor to the National Society. He shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee and an Ex-Officio member of the SAR Foundation. The Chancellor General shall render legal opinions on National Society matters upon request by the President General and shall report on legal matters of concern to the President General. He shall make a detailed report on such matters to the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees at the Spring and Fall meetings of the Society as well as the Executive Committee, delegates and members at-large at the Annual Congress. He shall perform such duties as provided elsewhere in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Genealogist General

Gary O. Green (North Carolina SAR)

The Genealogist General approves all applications for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution based on proofs of the line of descent from an ancestor and Revolutionary service of that ancestor that are in accord with the policies, criteria and procedures established by the Genealogy Committee and the Constitution and Bylaws. In practice, the examination of applications is usually delegated to staff genealogists, whose decisions are subject to the review of the Genealogist General. The Genealogist General is the custodian of all approved applications for membership. The Genealogist General, as well as the Genealogy Committee, provides guidance on the interpretation of genealogy policies and suggests approaches to solving problems in proofs of lineage and service.

Registrar General

T. Brooks Lyles (North Carolina SAR)

The Registrar General is responsible for the policies and procedures of the membership database of the National Society, serving as the primary official of the Society responsible for the digitization, storage, preservation, and release of data to the public and members. He shall exercise such oversight responsibility and policy direction through coordination with all parties involved. He shall advise an applicant and his State Society when the applicant is registered for membership. He will coordinate with the Staff Registrar and the State Secretaries to ensure the timely completion of the annual reconciliation for each state.
The Registrar General shall serve as the General Officer Liaison over all committees involved in the recruitment and retention of members. He will oversee and coordinate with said committee to ensure they are developing coordinated programs addressing membership recruitment, new members and the retention of existing members.

Compatriot Lyles is a member of the Battle of Kings Mountain Chapter of the North Carolina Society. Prior to his election as Registrar General, he served two terms as Historian General 2022 to 2024, he was National Color Guard Commander 2022 to 2023, and Vice President General for the International District 2017-2018. He has been a member of the Museum Board since 2019, he was elected to serve on the George Washington Endowment Fund Board from 2019 to 2023, and he is currently a member of the Strategic Planning Committee. He has also served as Chairman of the Education Committee from 2016 to 2023 and of the History Committee from 2020 to 2021. Prior to moving to his current home in South Carolina, he served the Kansas Society from 2013 to 2021 as Vice President, President, Trustee and Alternate Trustee. Compatriot Lyles’ wife Diane Ungvarsky is the First Vice President of the National Ladies Auxiliary, and his 2 grandsons are members of the SAR.

Historian General

Jeffrey D. Thomas (Virginia SAR)

The Historian General, working with the Education Director, oversees the history and education programs of the National Society. He shall assist State Society Historians engaged in the search for information about Revolutionary War historical sites, war graves and memorabilia in their respective geographical areas. He shall work with the State Societies and the National Historic Sites and Celebrations Committee to identify, designate and help preserve sites of Revolutionary War era significance. He shall work with other like-minded heritage and historical organizations and agencies to further the goals and objectives of Revolutionary War and Founding Era education and preservation.

Compatriot Thomas served as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the History Committee from 2020-2024. He was elected in 2023 to serve a three-year term on the SAR Foundation Board and previously served as a voting member of the Museum Board from 2019-2023. He served a three-year term on the George Washington Endowment Funds Board from 2021-2024, serving two years as Vice Chairman. He is a member of the Fairfax Resolves Chapter of the Virginia SAR and served as Chairman of the Fairfax Resolves 250 National SAR event. He served the Virginia SAR as President, Vice President, Trustee and Alternate Trustee.

Librarian General

Keith A. Weissinger (Washington SAR)

The Librarian General shall be the custodian of the books, manuscripts, maps, microfilm, pamphlets, magazines, and all other such printed material in the National Society’s Library. He may solicit donations, gifts, property exchanges, and may purchase additions for the Library collection provided prior approval is obtained from the Executive Committee. He is authorized to reject materials deemed unsuited for the National Society’s Library and is authorized to sell books which are deemed unsuited for the Library.

Compatriot Weissinger is a member of Chapters in the Washington, Alaska, and Texas Societies. He served as Chapter Secretary, Vice President, and President for the Alexander Hamilton Chapter. He also served as State Vice President and President and founded the Operation Ancestor Search program for the Washington Society. He served multiple terms as National Trustee and Alternate Trustee for the Washington and Alaska Societies and was honored to serve as Vice President General for the Pacific District. On the National level, he served as Chairman and Vice Chairman for numerous committees. He chaired and established the Youth Video Contest and he designed and proposed the Henry Knox Achievement Medal. He served as Surgeon General from 2022 to 2023 and received the Minuteman Award in 2024. He is currently serving his third term as the PG’s National Committee Coordinator.

Compatriot Weissinger’s wife, Cyndi, is active in the National Ladies Auxiliary where she is currently serving her second term as National Treasurer.

Surgeon General

John A. Turley, MD (West Virginia SAR)

The Surgeon General shall advise the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of any health matter(s) which may be of concern to the National Society’s membership. In addition, he may with the approval of the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees make available and conduct special health screenings for members at the Spring and Fall meetings of the Board of Trustees and/or at the Annual Congress.

Chaplain General

John Vernon (Vern) Welkner III (Kansas SAR)

The Chaplain General shall be a regularly ordained minister, and shall open and close meetings of the National Society with such services as are usual and proper on such occasions. The annual Memorial Service shall be planned in consultation with the Chaplain General. He also advises, assists, and ministers to the spiritual needs of SAR members.