While still in New York, in 1917 he was the founding president of the East Coast chapter of the Motion Picture Directors Association.
wˌaɪl stˈɪl ɪn nˈuː jˈɔːɹk, ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvəntˌiːn hiː wʌzðə fˈaʊndɪŋ pɹˈɛzɪdənt ʌvðɪ ˈiːst kˈoʊst tʃˈæptɚɹ ʌvðə mˈoʊʃən pˈɪktʃɚ dᵻɹˈɛktɚz ɐsˌoʊsɪˈeɪʃən.