REASONS FOR REGIONS

Board Brief 2006-10

Karen H. Reuter, CPCM, Fellow

National President

July 19, 2005

Reasons for Regions

HISTORY OF REGIONS

• Did Not Exist When NCMA Incorporated• Only Mention of Regions is in By-Laws• Doesn’t define the role, responsibilities, or

authorities of regions.

– ARTICLE IX – REGIONS– Section A - Regions shall be established, and regional boundaries

may from time to time be revised, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors. Such boundaries shall reflect such considerations as the population, total area, numbers and locations of chartered and potential chapters and members and potential members, convenience of membership, and the principle of appropriate representation from each geographical area.

Reasons for Regions

WHY REGIONS WERE CREATED

• Administrative Convenience?• No policies existed relative to regional

administration• Co-Functional Directors developed “to do” list

for NVPs for regions (award deadlines, etc.)• By-laws allow National Officers to appoint

National or Regional Functional Directors within their area of responsibility.

Reasons for Regions

PAST REGIONAL MANAGEMENT

• NVPs/Regions visit chapters• Set up Summer Leadership and Mid-Year• Provide advice and counsel• Assist Struggling Chapters• Communicate National issues to chapters• Supported by $6K budget to region, which

funded travel by NVP and E to board meetings

• Results were extremely inconsistent

Reasons for Regions

WHAT HAS CHANGED?

• NVPs/Regions visit chapters – Directors can still do this, but not limited to a specific region

• Set up Summer Leadership and Mid-Year – managed by National organization for consistent message and standardized training

• Provide advice and counsel – Directors can still do this• Assist Struggling Chapters – We have a Chapter Rescue process

in place; directors assistance encouraged• Communicate National issues to chapters – Diverse direct

communications to chapter leaders and members from National organization. No danger of “lost in translation.”

• Supported by $6K budget to region, which funded travel by NVP and E to board meetings – Director and National Officer travel contained in budget. All necessary travel is funded within hierarchy of reimbursement (I.e., employer before NCMA).

Reasons for Regions

CURRENT STATUS

• Used to provide framework for election of directors– Nominated by two chapter presidents– Voted on by chapter presidents within

region

Reasons for Regions

WHAT DO CHAPTERS THINK ABOUT REGIONS?

• Anecdotal evidence that identification is with other similar chapters (size, focus) rather than a geographic basis

• No prohibition against chapters working together, regardless of geographics; e.g., smalls can work with smalls, no matter the location; chapters within close proximity can meet, sponsor joint activities

Reasons for Regions

FUTURE OF REGIONS?

• Should there be regions?• Should elections be conducted on a regional

basis?• Is there an advantage to retaining regions?• How should they be used?• Given that directors DO NOT REPRESENT

regions, what should their responsibilities be vis a vis the regions?

Reasons for Regions

MOTION

• Be it resolved that the Governance Committee be tasked to research the need for a regional structure and provide such recommendations at the December 2005 Board meeting.