About the GCKG

President: Eddie Ray

I’ve been a member of the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild since 2013. I previously served as Vice President since 2019 and took on the role as President in 2025. I started making knives back in 2011 and in 2021 I became a voting member of the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild. It has been an honor to serve the members of the Georgia Guild, and I look forward to many more years of service to the Guild.

Vice President: Jerry McJiltom

I joined The Georgia Knifemakers Guild in 2018 and have been making knives since 1980. I am also a member of The Knifemakers Guild. My knifemaking experience includes a wide variety of blades including kitchen knives, many crafted in stainless steel. My tenure as Vice President began in 2025. I live in North Georgia with my wife and dog.

Secretary / Treasurer: Cindy Acker

I joined Georgia Custom Knifemakers’ Guild in February 2021 as a Friend of the Guild and became Treasurer in May 2021.  I was juried in as a Full Member on November 13, 2021 and am only the second female to be juried.  I live in West Georgia with my husband, who is also a juried member of the Guild.  We enjoy making knives in our basement workshop.

Newsletter Editor: Nola Costin

I joined the Georgia Custom Knifemakers’ Guild in 2013, jest after I retired from 36 years of teaching (Elementary Schools). I have served as the Secretary (2013-2024) and the Newsletter Editor since 2013. I have done some forging and finished Damascus knifes complete with scales and leather sheaths. I make Leather sheaths for my husband’s knifes and provide the sheaths for the many festivals we attend in conjunction with the Flint River Knife Club. I enjoy Scrimshaw depicting numerous animal themes.

Director/Chairman, Poythress
Scholarship Fund: John Shore

Due to a number of opportunities I have been blessed with associating and working with numerous master knife makers throughout the world including the U.S. I have been a voting member of The Knifemakers’ Guild since 1999, The Deutsche Messermacher Guilde (German Knifemakers’ Guild where I was a voting member before ever joining The Knifemakers’ Guild), The Alaska Knifemakers’ Association, The Florida Knifemakers’ Association, The South Carolina Knifemakers’ Guild as a founding member, The Great Texas Knifemakers’ Guild, and the one near and dear to my heart, The Georgia Custom Knifemakers’ Guild where I have had the honor and privilege of serving as President for the past 6 years,  I look forward to helping others through the administration of the John Poythress Scholarship Fund

Member-At-Large: Dan Acker

One of the founding members of the Georgia Custom Knifemakers Guild invited me to a Guild meeting in 2017. That was the beginning of my journey into forging and stock removal knifemaking. Since then, I have benefited from observing and participating in many of the Guild’s meetings and demonstrations and benefited from the vast knowledge and experience of the membership. As the Member-At-Large it is my responsibility to support the Board of Directors and act as a hands-on liaison for the Membership.