If you haven’t already received it, you will soon be receiving a communication in the mail, prepared by our election committee, notifying you that the nomination period for our upcoming elections is now officially open.
As has been our custom in the past, elections will be held during the month of May, so that installment of new officers and directors will coincide with the beginning of our new fiscal year on July 1st. However, unlike previous years, this year’s election will have two significant differences:
• For the first time in our history, service on our board of directors will be available to our nonveteran members. Anyone who is a member in good standing and who is 18 years of age or older will be eligible to become a candidate for the board of directors. • The officers of the organization—the president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer—will be elected from the board of directors by the board of directors. Both these changes are dictated by bylaw amendments.
We are also making every effort this year to attract new and more diverse candidates. Our membership has grown tremendously over the past year, and we are eager to have a governing body that truly represents our present membership demographics, which include large numbers of women and nonveterans. We deeply value the service of our board members who have served us to date; at the same time, we would like to attract some new members to our board table.
We are particularly interested in individuals with business and financial management experience; individuals who are interested in health care, women’s issues, minority concerns, and in many other areas which affect our members, new and old. As an organization growing both in membership and in scope, we need leadership that can bring guidance and enthusiasm to the table.
We will be electing five candidates this year to serve for three-year terms on our board of directors. Where members reside is not an issue. Several of our board members presently attend meetings via teleconference, and we will soon have the infrastructure in place to hold web meetings.
If you think you might be interested in serving on our board of directors, or in some other capacity, please contact me via telephone at 718-803-3782, ext. 203, or by email, at gkelly@unitedspinal.org, so we can discuss ways that you can get involved.
We need as many members as possible to participate in the election process. In past years, an embarrassingly small number of members have voted. Therefore, even if circumstances don’t allow you to serve now, please take the time to carefully review the ballot material you receive, learn about the candidates, and make your choices. As a membership organization, we need as many members as possible to get involved and to let us know how we are doing. As a growing organization, there are many issues we need to address. We need your help!
Gerard M. Kelly
Executive Director
