Mr. Gerhard Meinzer was born in Karlsruhe, Germany. He immigrated to Canada and ultimately moved to Washington, D.C., where he participated in the construction of various architecturally noteworthy buildings such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Presbyterian Church. He was awarded the Certificate for Exceptional Craftsmanship by the Washington Building Congress and the Crafts Award from the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen.

For many years he has been a member of many German and American social clubs: Rheinlaender Social Club, the Washington Ski Club, the Concord Club, the Washington Saengerbund, the German Heritage Society; since 1990 he has been president of the Arminius Social Club. In 1995 he was awarded the Bundesverdienstkreuz (Medal of Merit) of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Mrs. Eva M. Nanni was born in Kiel, Germany. She came to the United States in 1969. Eva has been involved with several German-American Organizations in Virginia and Washington D.C. since 1978. Within these organizations she held numerous positions of responsibility from Trustee to President.

Eva led A.G.A.S. for 20 years, until 2006. Under her leadership A.G.A.S. founded the German-American Day Festival in the Nation's Capitol in 1988. Eva also is credited with putting the German-American Friendship Garden on the Visitors Map published by the National Park Service.

Eva was awarded the "Federal Republic of Germany Friendship Award" in 1986. She is also the recipient of the prestigious German "Bundesverdienstkreuz," awarded by the Federal Republic of Germany in March 1990.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1933, Gary Grassl grew up in Nazi Germany as a U.S. citizen where his father had gone to study for a Ph. D. While his father returned to the United States in 1937 and fought in World War II, Grassl's return was delayed until 1950. He pursued a 28-year career as a writer-editor with The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. He has published historical articles in various magazines including the Journal of American Jewish History and Journal of German-American History. In May 2000, he received a citation from the Governor of Maryland "in recognition of [his] distinguished achievements as a well known German-American historian." His most recent award was receiving the prestigious German "Bundesverdienstkreuz," by the Federal Republic of Germany in 2008.

In addition to serving as A.G.A.S. Secretary since 1997, Mike Surratt leads the "Continentals of Washington, D.C." band which has performed extensively throughout the United States for over 35 years. He is also a recipient of the "Federal Republic of Germany Friendship Award" and a 1st generation German-American.