International Plastic Modelers' Society / USA

International Plastic Modelers' Society / USA

IPMS/USA

IPMS/USA

Officers Present
  • Dick Christ (President)
  • Dave Morrissette (1st VP)
  • Ron Bell (2nd VP)
  • Dennis Tennant (Secretary)
  • Larry Randel (DLC)
  • John Ratzenberger (DFL)
  • Jim Pearsall (Historian/Publication Director)
  • Bruce Briggs (Membership Secretary)
  • Mary Jane Kinney (Office Manager) *
  • John Lent (Chairman 2014 National Convention) *
  • Aris Pappas (IPMS/USA 50th anniversary committee) *
  • Eric Aitala (Webmaster) *

* = Non-voting staff or Guest

Minutes

Old Business

  • Due to increasing venue requirements, we have upgraded our liability insurance coverage. We now have $3M chapter liability coverage and a $2M umbrella policy. These changes went in to effect February 2014 with a new insurance carrier, Westfield Insurance.

New Business

  • 2nd Vice President Mike Ronnau announced that he was resigning due to work issues and other factors, effective immediately. Ron Bell was named fill in until the end of Ronnau's term by unanimous vote of the executive board, effective immediately.
  • Secretary Tennant made a motion (with John Ratzenberger seconding) to permit the posting of the board's monthly meeting minutes seven days after the minutes have been released to the board (including the president) for review. The motion passed unanimously.
    • This will change the current procedure for approving minutes where the president approves the minutes separately after the e-board has had a week to review/correct/add to the minutes. This adds unnecessary delay to the process. This motion will give the president and board the minutes at the same time.
    • Amended minutes will then be posted with the board's corrections/additions. It is understood that any major changes will need to be approved by the president before posting.
  • Tennant also announced that the annual Conflict of Interest forms are due and will be sent out shortly. This is a requirement for the society to retain its non-profit status. The folks required to sign this form are:
    • Elected Executive Board members
    • Office Manager
    • Journal staff
    • Webmaster & Forum Manager
    • Community Activities Coordinator
    • Support the Troops Coordinator
    • Regional Coordinators
    • National Convention Committee Chair and principal staff, from formal bid to final report acceptance.
    • The Chairman of any special or standing committee appointed by the President.
    • Any person not listed above while their membership is "comped" for services rendered.
  • The Board has voted to discontinue offering airmail delivery to foreign members due to an increase in postage/shipping rates. The old rate of $55/year only covered the postage for delivering two Journals and was deemed too expensive to continue. All foreign membership will now be $32.

Officer/Staff Reports

Dick Christ, President

  • No new items to report.

David Morrissette, 1st VP, Interim Treasurer

  • Reviewer Corps
    • Reviewers are falling behind. Notes were sent to 75 late reviewers.
    • 150 Reviews published since January 1, 2014.
  • Supporting the Troops
    • The past month was a relatively slow one. Three cases of kits and one box of building supplies were sent out. Everyone has reported that they are in good shape at the moment. Efforts to align clubs and individual donors with point of contacts and VA Hospitals are starting to take shape. This will save time, effort and shipping costs and hopefully lead us to a role of coordinator rather than clearing house for this project. It is my hopes to get other organizations more involved in the efforts so this will not be perceived as just an IPMS-USA program.
    • John Emery has received a few cases of kits in the past month and will be attending the Old Dominion Open contest in Richmond on Feb. 22. Last year he collected 2 SUVs chock-full of kits! The attendees and vendors were awesome. Hats off to IPMS Richmond for all their support. Emery will let the board know how this year's collection efforts went when he returns.
    • Also, notes sent to all RC's regarding supporting the VA hospitals. Only one response.
  • Support to National Convention
    • Assisted in tracking down manufacturers not currently registered. Most have responded and will attend.

Ron Bell, 2nd Vice President

  • No new items to report.

Dennis Tennant, Secretary

  • No new items to report.

Larry Randel, DLC

  • Annual Awards
    • Process moving forward for RCs to pick their regional winners and nominate them for national winners for Chapter of the Year, Newsletter of the Year and Web site/Webmaster of the Year. Deadline for choices (to the DLC) is March 15 after the RCs send their selections, I will provide nominations for Board review and choice. My goal is to have the Chapter of the Year picked and to MJ by April 1, 2014.

Jim Pearsal, Historian/Publication Dir.

  • No new items to report.

John Ratzenberger, Dir. Foreign Liaison

  • Here's what I think is "final" status on the SIGs and International folks at the contest:
    • SIGs: I have 3 SIGs who wish to display - Mid-east Wars, Blue & Gray, and Sub Committee. They would like a total of 4 tables, one each for MEW and B&G and 2 each for SubComm.
    • International: I have some sort of participation from 6 countries so far with a total of 4 tables for various display items - posters, magazines, models. - Guatemala (1/2), Belgium (1), Canada (1/2), UK (2). Several other countries have people coming, but I have no indication that any are coming formally such that we have to do anything. I'll of course try to stay on top of them ...
  • International 50th Awards
    • We have added one country to bring us to 20 total - 12 distributed, 8 to go.
    • I am still trying to get pix and reports for the Journal. I get one or the other or none. I will go be following up, trying to get this back on track so we aren't hit with 18 posters to make at the last minute.
  • I am working with John Lent, Chair of the 50th Convention.

Bruce Briggs, Membership Secretary

  • No new items to report.

National Office Manager - MJ Kinney

  • We have 52 new members since the first of the year.
  • V26J1 went in the mail on Feb. 13, 2014.
  • I have received samples of the T-shirts and golf shirts for the 50th anniversary and I am very happy with their appearance. We have received confirmation on the logo pins, they are in production and should be delivered by the end of the month. Photos of the items with purchase links will be appearing on the web site and Facebook page soon.

2014 Convention Chair, John Lent

  • 62% of available rooms booked for the August Nationals in Hampton, Va.
  • 62 Vendors confirmed with 242 tables taken so far. More are available.
  • Registration continues to grow now that the Web site is up and running.
  • Awards package information will be available by the end of February so that awards sponsorship can begin.
  • Watch the web site and the Facebook page for the convention for updated info.

Submitted by Dennis Tennant, Secretary