IPMS LogoInternational Plastic Modelers' Society / USA

IPMS LogoInternational Plastic Modelers' Society / USA

IPMS LogoIPMS/USA

IPMS LogoIPMS/USA

Officers Present
  • Dick Christ (President)
  • Steve Collins (First Vice President)
  • Mike Ronnau (Second Vice President) 
  • Larry Randel (Director of Local Chapters)
  • Dick Montgomery (Secretary) 
  • Ed Kinney (Treasurer)
  • John Ratzenberger (DFL)
  • Jim Pearsall (Historian & Publication Director)
  • Bruce Briggs (Membership Secretary)
  • Mary Jane Kinney (National Office Manager) *

* = Non-voting staff or Guest

Minutes

Dick Christ, President 

  • iHobby Expo Contest update
    • club in Cleveland is leading the IPMS presence 
  • 50th Anniversary Celebration - inquiry to Aris Pappis regarding progress

Steve Collins, 1st Vice President 

  • The Reviewer Corps has 91 active reviewers. 
  • 237 review items since Nov 1, on pace for about 900 reviews for the year.
  • Special Thanks to Dave Morrissette and Paul Markezich for their work in making the Reviews process successful.

Mike Ronnau, 2nd Vice President 

  • National Convention Update
    • 2,919 room nights are booked as of Jan 23, 2012. 2333 room nights are in the Contemporary Hotel, 427-room nights-in the Polynesian Village, and159 room nights of staff block in the Contemporary.-
    • 310 Vendor tables paid in full and 27 waiting for payment from vendor. 
    • No trophy packages have been sold but that procedure should be ready go by the end of February or the very beginning of March. 
    • Number of registrations: 7 paid registrations as of 01/13/12 
    • Number of banquets sold: 3 paid adult-banquets as of 01/13/12 
    • Number of tours sold:-Fantasy of Flight 4, Kennedy Space Center 0 as of 01/13/12 
    • Number of T-Shirts: 2 as of 01/13/12 
    • Convention planners report that they have done the meal tasting for the banquet and have the choices that attendees will be able to choose from. They feel that the food will be excellent and the portions quite plentiful. They realize that the banquet price is the most ($60.00 a person), but you will not feel cheated. We are also offering a children's selection at a reduced price. 
    • 2012 contest rules will be the same rules as Omaha. -

Dick Montgomery, Secretary 

  • Other Business items include 
  • Nov 11, 2011, by unanimous vote, Appoint James Brooks, IPMS # 46523 of Spring Grove, IL.-as-Community Activities Coordinator. 
  • Jan 10, 2011, with no dissenting votes, approval for National Office Manager to purchase the insurance package for 2012. This action must be taken on an annual schedule in the first part of January.

Ed Kinney, Treasurer 

  • November 2011 - IPMS received 16,199.85 as the National share of the 2011 Omaha convention. Omaha also paid 1,141.82 in credit card fees. 
  • Liabilities to be paid- 
  • Chapter Liability Insurance - 12,117.00 - 1st payment 4,846.80, 3 payments of 2,423,40 V24J1 to be mailed - 9,000 +/-
  • Treasurer's report (account balances as of 1/18/12)
Checking account $49,190.31
Savings Account 27,526.85
Convention Savings  14,283.43
Make N Take 1,030.39
Cert of Deposit 46,396.79
Cert of Deposit 80,258.48
2012 Convention 18,821.99
Total $237,508.24

Larry Randel, DLC

  • Transition from former DLC Tim Darrah accomplished smoothly with transfer taking place on Nov. 1. 2011, in the middle of the charter renewal season. Thank you to Tim for providing training, information, and follow-up guidance to make the transition as seamless as possible. 
  • Results for 2012 Charter Renewal:
    • Began renewal in Oct 2011 with 233 chapters 
    • Ended renewal in Jan 2012 with 227 chapters (net loss of 6 chapters) 
    • 97.4% renewal rate from start to finish (227 of 233) 
  • We have 3 new or previously de-chartered clubs:
    • #05-52 Black Hills Scale Modelers, Rapid City SD New 
    • #09-12 Humbolt Bay-Eureka, CA (reconstituted) (since 2010) 
    • #11-19 VFM-41 Black Aces-Miami FL (reconstituted) (since 2008) 
  • We have 9 chapters not renewed
    • #02-01 IPMS Phoenix Group (no interest in renewal) 
    • #03-41 IPMS Mississippi Modelers (lack of response) 
    • #06-18 IPMS Emerald City (need fee) 
    • #08-01 IPMS Ontario (need fee) 
    • #08-14 IPMS Henderson (no interest in renewal) 
    • #09-05 IPMS North Valley Dambusters (need fee) 
    • #09-09 IPMS Superior (need fee) 
    • #11-12 IPMS Orlando (lack of response) 
    • #12-20 IPMS Frank Sutton (no interest in renewal) 
  • Charter Renewal notable facts: 
  • Renewals by month:
    • October - 72 renewals - 32.0%
    • November - 36 renewals - 16.0% 
    • December - 109 renewals - 48.4% 
    • January - 10 renewals - 4.4% 
  • Added online payment option for chapters to pay charter renewal fee on Nov. 20, 2011. 55 clubs used the online payment option successfully. Thanks go to Webmaster Eric Aitala for implementing that option. 
  • RCs are soliciting nominations from clubs for Chapter of the Year (COY), Newsletter of the Year (NOY), and Website/Webmaster of the Year (WOY) (Period is for April 1011 to April 2012 to be considered for 2011 winners). Deadline for submissions is April 15th and then E-board will consider choices to pick the winners from the regional nominations to be announced at the Orlando Nationals. 
  • New Community Activities Coordinator position created in November 2011 (was formerly known as Junior Activities Coordinator). New CAC appointed: Jim Brooks from Spring Brook, Illinois. 
  • Stock from the former Jr Coordinator transferred from Florida to Oregon in September 2011. 
  • Program summary for 2011:
    • Events in 2011 - 66 
    • Total Models Shipped - 3385 
    • Average per Event - 51.3 models

MJ Kinney, Nat. Office Mgr.

  • V24J2 of the journal is being mailed to 4,440 - last journal went to 4,393 - this issue one year ago (V23J1) went to 4,376. There were 524 new members in 2011 compared with 529 in 2010. 
  • Chapter liability insurance policy has been renewed in time to receive the Certificates of Insurance for the January events. D&O insurance policy has been renewed at a cost of $ 902.00. 
  • Postage rates will be increasing January 22nd which will mean an increase in postage for the journal as well as other items. 
  • Credit card usage for the chapter charter renewal fees has been well accepted, as it has been for convention vendors.

John Ratzenberger, DFL

  • No "how to become a branch" queries from other countries in past few months. 
  • No SIG business except two chapters wanting to become SIGs, probably to avoid the 5 members & fee.
    • One "pure auto" chapter-that changed mind quickly when found no event insurance as a SIG. 
    • One apparently trying to resolve internal/personal issues within a chapter; no response after told that wasn't a SIG function. 
  • Two queries re the 2012 convention handled.
    • Request for "invitation" to facilitate visa applications; no precedence, sent flyer copy -- is their responsibility to prove reason, finances, length of stay. 
    • Request to sponsor trophy; handed to Mike Van Schoonhoven, who has it in hand.. 
  • International branch listing onto website; behind - my problem, has been a very busy Fall/Winter with family & local issues.

Jim Pearsall, Historian/Publications Director 

  • No items to report.

Bruce Briggs, Membership Secretary

  • No items to report. 

Submitted by Dick Montgomery, Secretary