MASNA October, 2005 BOD Meeting Minutes

(This meeting was held electronically on October 12th, 2005 9: PM EST)

 

Attendance:

 

BOD Present:

 

Cheri Phillips (President)

Steve Bentz (Vice President)

Cathy Garey (Public Relations)

Bob Lemcke (Treasurer)

Chuck Scannell (Webmaster & Industry)

Amy Larsan (Secretary & Membership Director)

Alice Hart (Newsletter Editor)

Lisa O'Connor (Internet Promotion)

 

Members Other Than BOD Present:

 

Kelly Jedlicki (LMAS President)

Erik Carrillo (New Jersey Reef Club)

Kim Price (MARSH)

 

OFFICER REPORTS:

 

NOTE: All officer reports were distributed via email to the BOD in advance of this meeting.  They have been formatted and are inserted into these minutes.

 

1) President’s Report:

 

MACNA Annual Meeting:

 

·        Presided over the MASNA Annual meeting at MACNA XVII using a MS PowerPoint presentation. I will give this presentation to Chuck to post on the MASNA website.

 

MASNA Booth:

 

• Created a slideshow of the calendar images that was projected to the side of the booth.

 

MACNA XVII:

 

• Responded to follow-up eMAILs and a phone call from WAMAS. On 9/27/05, Steve Howard uploaded their current copy of the ACT! Database they used to track all contacts (speaker, attendee, and vendor) for the conference.
• Have started a board forum thread for discussion of future potential MASNA policy regarding speaker issues. I’ve begun copying into that thread previous eMAIL discussion and will finish that effort this weekend.

 

MASNA Award:

 

·        Contacted Bob Fenner w/ a request that he take a photo of the award so that we have the look and wording for MASNA records. I’d forgotten to do that prior to leaving for the MACNA conference. He took the picture and will send it to me when he returns from Hawaii at the end of October.

 

MACNA XVIII:

 

• Several eMAILs exchanged with MARSH VP to answer questions. I will meet with members of the MACNA XVIII planning committee at the conference hotel on 10/25 when I fly into Houston on business. We will tour the rooms and vendor area that will be used and discuss use of the rooms, location of MASNA booth, arrangements for MASNA annual meeting, etc.

 

• Requested and got a MACNA XVIII banner from MARSH to add to the rotating banner on MASNA’s website.

 

MASNA Photo Contest/Calendar:

 

·        Prepared packets w/ a gift certificate, congratulatory letter and calendar for each contest recipient that didn’t pick up their award and calendar at the MASNA booth. Worked w/ Bob on figuring out which third place prize could be awarded to our winner from Norway.

 

·        Took 20 calendars to a USPS representative and collaborated on weights, packaging and shipping costs for various quantities of calendars. Worked out a system where packaging is weightless and cost free for most orders.

 

·        Have first shipments ready to go for orders placed in the amounts of 15, 50 and 2 calendars so far.

 

·        Set up a table at the SEABay Frag Swap to sell calendars and take MASNA new memberships and renewals. That resulted in: one new member (free calendar), one renewing member, one renewing club and two additional calendar sales.

 

·        Worked w/ Joe Scavo to get all records and CDs from him having to do w/ the 2005 photo contest. I still need to review what he sent me.

 

MASNA Store:

 

·        Worked w/ Chuck to replace the old version of Miva Merchant software w/ the latest version (Miva Merchant 5) and set up the store from scratch again. Calendar sales are now possible, but additional work is required to add back in the remaining inventory (hats, shirts, tote bags, New Wave CDs and a few books). I plan to complete that work over the next two weeks.

 

·        Have been working w/ Joe Ranney (has the MACNA XVIII inventory) to get a physical inventory count which we haven’t had in the past (now received) and to process a recent order for a shirt. The old store system was not set up with an automated inventory reduction system – which allowed a customer to order something he didn’t still have in inventory. The new software has been set up to provide inventory tracking and the customer has been contacted to get a new choice.

 

National Speaker Database:

 

• Invited Charles Delbeek to be in the database. No response thus far, but will follow-up shortly.

 

• Invited Robert DiMarco (suggested by Kelly Jedlicki) to be in the database, received acceptance and entered in his info.

 

• Followed up w/ Drew Weiner’s invitation, got his info and entered it in the database

 

• Got contact info. from Dave Sandstrom of WAMAS for all the speakers they had at the conference. I plan to send invitations to all currently not represented in our database.

 

Misc:

 

• Responded to questions from Terry Little (London Aquaria Society, London Ontario) regarding potential speakers for the 2006 Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs convention. This is primarily a freshwater event, but they were looking for one saltwater topic presentation.

 

• Passed to MASNA Board an advertisement for free postcards from VistaPrint and participated in discussion of potentially using postcards for membership renewal and/or calendar sales.

 

• Exchanged eMAIL correspondence w/ Catherine Swain, Sale Mgr. for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority. It was her hope (quite persistent) to convince MASNA to hold a future MACNA in Reno. I explained the host club and bidding process to her.

 

• Had a brief interview w/ a gal at a Philadelphia area local newspaper on 9/20/05. She was doing an article on reef tanks in homes, having just become aware that it was even possible to keep corals in marine tanks.

 

 

2) Vice President’s Report:

 

• In a meager attempt to increase corporate sponsorship, I have helped bring on Champion Lighting and Premium Aquatics.  I am in discussion with 4 other suppliers (Red Sea, Marineland are two) and am very close to attaining 2 others this week.  In addition, I am working with Amy Larson to secure the renewal of some of our large corporate sponsors such as Drs. Foster and Smith and attempting to get a 10% member discount plan in place.

 

• Outside of assisting in the membership drive I am speaking at two reef club meetings in the next month to promote both our cause in education as well as in increasing membership.  I will be speaking at the SV-Sea Reef Club on Saturday, October 15^th with Mike Paletta and Richard Harker and PARC (Philadelphia Area Reef Club) on Saturday, November 5^th.

 

• My last piece of business in promoting the hobby and MASNA is a series of six seminars that I am giving at the Pets Plus group of stores in the Philadelphia area that are focused on responsible importation, sales and client relationships regarding reef and saltwater aquarium business.  In this role, I am attempting to raise awareness of responsible practices in the Philadelphia region; an area which is in dire need of a responsible supplier of livestock, drygoods and knowledge using trans-ship facilities and clam/coral propagation facilities.

 

• My desire for the next few months is to increase Corporate Sponsorship and to reach out to prior Corporate Sponsors to become bigger in fundraising activities as well as work with the BOD to refine our definition and approach to increasing the Education Scholarship Fund.

 

 

3) Treasurer’s Report:

 

Financial Statements for Sept

 

·        Have keyed in all MACNA activity and ~99% of all other activity (and am now reconciling the bank account)

 

·        Will provide brief update at MASNA BOD meeting

 

·        September financial statements will be submitted by October 16

 

MACNA Annual Meeting:

 

·        Created and provided the last three years of financial history (for fiscal years ending August 31, 2003, 2004 and 2005) to Cheri Phillips for inclusion in the Annual Meeting as well as provided a summary of major Treasurer related accomplishments. 

 

·        Presented the financial history and provided variance explanations concerning them at the annual meeting.

 

MASNA Booth:

 

• Developed and participated in the operations of recording memberships, selling calendars and raffle tickets and issuing receipts at the MASNA booth.

 

• Solicited the assistance of a fellow club member to transport to Washington D.C. a screen for the calendar PowerPoint slideshow that Cheri created.

 

MACNA XVII:

 

• Sent follow-up emails to Steve Howard and Craig Kuhn (WAMAS Officers) regarding MASNA’s outstanding (July 31) invoice concerning payment #3 of 4 per the MACNA XVII Host Agreement. (On 10/8, payment was received.)

 

• Sold eighteen (18) 2006 MASNA Calendars were sold through the MACNA Store. (On 10/08, received full $172 payment from WAMAS for them. [Note: During the August 3^rd MASNA BOD meeting, WAMAS [Steve Howard] agreed not to charge MASNA for selling the calendars in the MACNA Store.])

 

• Still following up on three (3) September memberships that could not be processed with the credit card information provided. (Requested Amy’s assistance regarding one of them.)

 

MASNA Photo Contest

 

·        Obtained gift certificates from 9 sponsors and asked Cheri to produce the 3 that were still needed.

 

·        Received all monies and sponsor gift certificates that were sent to Joe Scavo. (In one instance, I’ve had to contact a contest sponsor to reissue their check since it was not made payable to MASNA.)

 

·        Provided Cheri an excel file listing all sponsorship information including contact information, level of sponsorship and status of receipt of their gift certificates.

 

·        Provided Cheri a listing of the winners’ names and associated winning gift certificate.

 

·        Contacted and obtained the consent from one of our sponsors to award their gift certificate to our winner from Norway.

 

·        Obtained two (2) calendars to personally deliver to our two Georgia sponsors.

 

2006 MASNA Calendar:

 

·        Supervised and coordinated the production of the calendar.

 

·        Monitored production quality and communicated with printer our delivery schedule.

 

·        Got printer to agree to ship 525 calendars overnight to Maryland and 100 to California for no more than the standard 5-day UPS Ground rate for all 625 to one location.

 

• Participated in discussion of potentially using free postcards from VistaPrint for membership renewal and/or calendar sales.

 

2007 MASNA Calendar:

 

·        I contacted one major calendar publisher about publishing our 2007 MASNA calendar. While we were turned down, we were provided with another lead.

 

MASNA Store:

 

·        I received access to the MASNA Store so that I can obtain credit card information regarding orders received.

 

Memberships and Membership Database:

 

·        Participated in the review and recommended changes concerning the rewriting of MASNA’s On-line Membership Application process which now includes PayPal. This process now allows me to receive credit card information in a more secured environment.

 

·        I was granted further access to the MASNA Membership Database to enable me to file on-line applications for memberships received via the mail, especially renewals

 

·        At Cheri’s direction, I phoned one of our corporate members who had not yet renewed (and explained that the membership period runs from Sept 1-Aug 31 of 2006) concerning their membership since I had invoiced them in August.

 

National Speaker Database:

 

• Invited Ray O’Connor to be a speaker in the database.

 

Second Check Signer:

 

·        I have learned the requirements for adding a second check signer with our bank.

 

[* - Secretary note: due to the size and formatting of the Draft Balance Sheet and Draft Income Statement, they are left as an addendum to the monthly minutes]

 

 

4) Director of Membership Report:

 

October 2005 Membership Report:

 

	2002- 2003	2003- 2004	2004- 2005	2005- 2006	Diff From 2004- 2005	Comment
Individual Members	88	64	115	112	-3	New:   Ingo A. Reif  Jon Clements  Allen Chantelois Alvin Howard Andrew Fazio  Ben Frable  Bill Moore Bob Chmiel Carl Delfavero Carlos Chacon Craig Burgh Dan E Carlson Darren Gale  Dave Mack Dawn Fujita  George Colasacco George Toole III Gerry Ellsbury Greg Snowdon Heather Johnston Ian Caperton Jane Berk Jay Vice Jesse Vaqueranc Joanne Toole John Janda Jon Simmons Jorge Herrera Josh Heydemann Justin Muir Karl Green Ken Hosto Krista Tani Larry Tagrin Laura Scannell Lee Birch Lisa Harn Lisa O’Connor Marc Levenson Mark Bush Mark Nunez Mark Retitt Michael Moscuzza Mickey Stock Nathan Hawkes Patrick Clasen Peter Emmet Richard Tyndall  Rob Skinner Roy O’Connor Ryan Nutt Sara Mavinkurve Scott Jones Shane Vanderburg Sherwood Veach Skip Mercer Steven Leonti Teresa Finch Randy Obert Richard Van Dusen Craig Bingman Jim Weinstock John Ullrich Merrill Gable Richard Hilgers Brian Gilman