Chicago Headline Club
Board of Directors meeting
Fri. April 13, 2012
President Steve Franklin called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m. Present: Steve, Howard Dubin, Flynn McRoberts, Rob Elder, Odette Yousef, Abdon Loury, Fabiola Pomareda Garcia, Aimee DeBat and Susan S. Stevens; by phone Randi Belisomo, Rumanna Hussain, Beth Konrad and Abdon Pallasch.
President’s report: Steve said the trauma and FOI workshops were great, thanks to Randi and Odette.
He will miss the Lisagor banquet because of April 24 surgery at Northwestern Hospital to remove a growth on a salivary gland. Alden will do the welcome.
We have withdrawn Bill Mullen as a Lifetime Award winner because he won previously. (He took it graciously.) So, we will have two Lifetime winners.
For the incoming board, Steve suggested Alejandro Escalona and Hugh Delios. Brian Pitts, Fabiola (returning to Costa Rica) and George Garties are among the board members not returning. The board’s nominating committee needs to get a slate of officers and new board members to the board for its OK by April 20, and then the membership meets to be advised of the slate that same day. That’s according to bylaws. Members can vote on the slate or make nominations from the floor Lisagor Night.
Minutes of the last meeting were approved. (All approved minutes should go on headlineclub.org.)
FOI committee: Alden sent Glen Reedus a contract and has draft contracts for Lizzie Schiffman and Adam Verwymeren. Glen ($2,250) will develop an FOIA guide, Lizzie ($10,000) will compile a FOIA blog, Adam will build a FOIA ($750) website. This will be done with McCormick Foundation funds left over from the Access Survey. Tentative May 1 site launch. Board approved the three contracts.
Program committee: Odette will organize a session to train journalists covering the NATO conference. Email your suggested speakers to her. She also will plan a May Burger Nite.
Executive director’s report: Aimee needs more Lisagor volunteers. Fabiola and former board member Bonnie McGrath will help check in guests. Kristen Schorsch will help set up plaques. Alden and Howard will pass out awards as Randi and Rumanna will again announce the finalists and winners. Susan will fill in wherever needed. We think Steve Edwards will again be emcee.
Aimee asked board members to make calls to sell Lisagor tables and individual tickets. She will make assignments.
Digital report: Aimee reported for Jon Seidel, with word about success in putting Lisagor entries, judging and ticket-purchases online this year for the first time. However, costs have gone up. We appealed to Gary Kopycinski, who built our website, when First Data failed to provide the pay portal we needed for tickets. Gary did the work good and fast. We should pay Gary $1,280 for this. Motion to approve passed. We did not discuss Jon’s request for a new contract with Gary to update our software. (New business next meeting?)
Membership committee: Rumanna has sent a bunch of emails. Howard and Steve will prepare a new membership recruitment brochure, which will be ready for Lisagor.
Treasurer’s report: Flynn said we have $102,000.
CHC Foundation: Susan asked again if we would approve $2,500 for scholar-internships. Motion carried. She is still seeking donations for a silent auction at Lisagor. So far, books and bags. Thanks, Rob and Howard, for their contributions!
Meeting adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Next meeting: May 11
Respectfully submitted,
Susan S. Stevens
President ex-officio and acting secretary