Minutes
Meeting of Executive Board
USMA ‘57

10 May 2005

The Meeting commenced at 2100EDT. Present were Galloway, Voorhees, Schwehm, McNeil, Kovel, Kehoe, Gadd, Golden, Stevens and Wells. Absent was Stephenson. Class Trustee Hatch also attended.

1. The agenda was approved as presented. Galloway welcomed Regional Representatives Fred Wells (Southeast) and Bob Stevens (Middle Atlantic) as Executive Board members.

2. Galloway noted that the minutes of the last meeting, 23 March, were previously approved by email.

3a. Schwehm provided an update on the response to reunion interest surveys. Response has been slow/moderate but steady. One hundred twenty-one, including two widows and two former classmates have thus far expressed the intention to attend. They, plus those accompanying, total 267, a conservative estimate. Personal comments accompanying the responses were uniformly complimentary, there was no questioning of the tentative schedule, nor comment on the concept of a gift. There were questions on details, e.g., distinct apparel, that we have not yet addressed. Kehoe commented, and Schwehm agreed that the email/website scheme was not going as smoothly as hoped. Kovel proposed we consider using only postal service in the future. Galloway, not yet ready to concede, will send an email reminder and Kehoe will send a postcard to postal service classmates.

3b. Schwehm reported that interest in the dinner cruise was high, 228 expressing intent to participate thus far. Our reunion facilitator, Mrs. Joan Emmer, has selected VIP Yacht Cruises, Inc. (www.vipyacht.com) and their flagship, MV Horizon, for the event. Although it is advertised as capable of seating 600, Mrs. Emmer advises a comfortable figure is 450. A departure from Tarrytown is possible, however there is some concern that the town’s pier is threatened by future development.

4. Galloway briefed Stevens and Wells on one of the class gift concepts, an area with an honor theme for cadet use in the part of soon-to-be-constructed library which overlooks our Honor Plaza. Wells proposed distinctive windows, Kovel asked about the size of the area. He also asked if we could make it a multi-media room that could be used for all types of presentations. Galloway explained that design changes for that end of the library are under discussion. He reminded that not all gift money goes into the physical gift object itself; a certain amount goes to the library in providing an extra edge of quality throughout. Gift proposals must achieve Class approval, It was determined to present to the Class several options with a single recommendation from the Executive Board.

5. Interest in the 50 year book is high, sufficiently so that the Board made final agreement to produce it. Commitments for 113 books have been made thus far, and a high percentage of responders have made contributions as patrons. Kovel has a letter prepared to implement the information-gathering process, which he will release when all the company representatives are named. He expressed confidence in obtaining sufficient volunteer editorial staff. Complimentary, or reduced cost, books to widows of the Class were discussed. Decision was deferred until the total amount of patron contributions is known. Gadd proposed making a connection between the biography section of the book and memorial articles.

6. Hatch reported that based on early voting results it is all but certain that the new AOG Bylaws will be approved, and explained key elements. The AOG governance will consist of a Board of Directors and an Advisory Council. The Board will consist of Chair, Vice-Chair and 12 to 16 Directors. The Advisory Council will consist of Chair, Vice-Chair, President, 18 Advisors-at-Large, 18 Class Advisors and 18 Society Advisors. Its meetings will be chaired by the Chair of the AOG. The entire process of nomination, election, and tenure has been changed to eliminate the perception and reality of self-perpetuation. The majority of the Nominating Committee will consist in great part of graduates selected by classes and societies, and the criteria the Committee is to use in evaluating prospective nominees has been changed, e.g., to include consideration of military service. The Class Advisors will be selected as determined by each of the designated classes. Class Advisors will be elected from reunion classes as Class Trustees have in the past. All Classes with current Class Trustees will retain that chair for a complete three-year term, but as Advisors. Hatch will remain as a Class Advisor. The Society Advisors will be selected from the Societies within six AOG-designated regions as determined among the Societies in each region. The Bylaws may be amended only by vote of the entire AOG membership.

Voorhees reviewed our efforts in seeking nominees for the Board of Directors. Additionally, we will soon have the opportunity to nominate an individual as Advisor-at-Large. Voorhees, Stevens and Wells will comprise a search committee and report at the next meeting.

Hatch recommended that prior to the AOG’s class and society leaders conference in August, which Galloway will attend, the Board together with John Stokes, meet to prepare items for discussion. Conversation moved to graduated classes’ support of later classes, specifically the 50 year class. Galloway will investigate our commitment to a coin project for the Class of 2007. The entire subject of support of classes will be an agenda item at the next meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 2212EDT, the next TBD.

Respectfully,