Clan Campbell Society - AGM Minutes 2011

Clan Campbell Society (North America)

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

The Inn on Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana

Thursday, April 14, 2011
 

President Robert Campbell St. John called the EC meeting to order at 8:20 A.M and our host, Joseph McD. Campbell, made welcoming remarks. The Rev. Thomas Campbell gave the invocation remembering those who are absent from our company. The Secretary called the roll of officers and trustees, and a quorum (8) of voting members was established to do business. A sign-up sheet was sent around.

The roll call indicated the following officers and trustees to be in attendance:

Officers: 

President Robert Campbell St. John.

Secretary David A. Stedman

Trustees: 

Walter J. Campbell

Kenneth B. Campbell

Linda Ransford

Carl Guilford

James Campbell Quick, Ph.D.

Sharen St. John.

Vice-President Louis Campbell Schultz, Treasurer Alan Stedman, and Trustees Walton Haddix, Eric Campbell, Michael Fisher, and J.A. Barton Campbell were absent but excused. Past President “Tommy” Thomson was also absent and excused

In addition, the following members signed in as observers and participants in the meeting:

Past President David R. Campbell

Past President Edward V. Cattell, Jr., Esq.

Randy Seale, I.T. Committee Chair

Dora Seale, Membership Information Services

CCEF President, Joseph McD. Campbell

CCEF Vice-President the Rev. Thomas Campbell

CCEF Secretary, Donald Draper Campbell, Esq.

CCEF Treasurer, Nancy E. Campbell, Esq.

Ruby Campbell, Ph.D., FSA Scot, Genealogist and Librarian

Thomas G. Mungall, Trustee-elect

Elizabeth Campbell, Commissioner

President’s Welcome and Report

The President, in welcoming the participation of all members, reminded all those at the meeting that only officers and trustees were eligible to vote.

• Rob indicated that the long-awaited box containing the presidential archives and artifacts had arrived, so he would have the use of these in his second term.
• Rob indicated that he had asked Lou to send the vice-presidential archives and materials to his successor, and David Stedman indicated that he would call to follow up.

Minutes and the Secretary’s Report

• Rob indicated that the minutes of the meeting of August 6, 2010 in Livonia, MI, had been circulated and corrections had been made. The final minutes had been published in the JOURNAL vol. 38 #1 (winter 2011) and were thus available to all. On the motion of Walt seconded by James Q. the minutes were approved.
• David S. asked about the policy of publishing the complete minutes in the JOURNAL and Rob indicated that this was done to encourage others to attend and participate. By general agreement a more succinct summary of the minutes would be a regular feature of the JOURNAL.
• David S. reported that the commissioners’ survey he conducted enabled him to make contact with many of the Society’s important folks representatives who meet the public and recruit new members. Most commissioners turned in their surveys, and some sent additional material all of which supplied a great deal of useful data. The commissioners now know that we are active and will be in regular contact with them to help and support them.
• David S. also indicated that Clan Campbell Society e-Newsletter has been published each month since the last AGM and there has been excellent feedback, most of it encouraging. While fewer than half of the members receive the e-Newsletter, more publicity about it should help others get connected to learn in a timely fashion about the Society’s affairs, visits by our chief, and the forthcoming tour to Scotland. David welcomes material from the local members and commissioners, but will try to keep each issue to three pages, one of which should be “educational.” It was pointed out that the e-Newsletter can also be a recruitment tool that costs the Society nothing except for its editor’s time.
• David indicated that he has a new batch of “boar’s head” flags, this batch 4’ x 4’ and they make a fine backdrop to the Games tent. He is investigating other possible flags as well.
• David will be working with Diarmid Campbell and Duncan Beaton to work out the details for the first “official” Campbell tour in Scotland since 1983. He indicated that the Inveraray Games are the 3rd Tuesday in July, so the 10-day 2012 Campbell Tour would be built around that event.

The Treasurers’ Report

• The formal report from the out-going treasurer, Alan Stedman of New Jersey, is attached to the official copy of these minutes. The assets of the Society are approximately $61,000. Income this year was $36,000 while expenses exceeded it by only $1052. This deficit was well below expectations in a time of economic downturn and with a distressing loss of members, but was offset by fewer Games’ expenses.
• The audit committee comprised of trustees Sharen St. John and Linda Ransford reviewed the financial records.
• Rob St. John is acting treasurer and has filed and will sign the 2010 tax return form 990 for the IRS. This is due May 15.
• Ed Cattell joined Rob in reminding the Regional Commissioners that they have funds annually available for their regions: $200 plus $1 for each member as of January 1 each year. It is hoped that this money will be used to build up the Society regionally and fund local events.
• Rob indicated that we have two volunteers to serve as acting treasurer, one from Pennsylvania and one from South Carolina, and he hopes that one of them will agree to head the Finance Committee. There was discussion about the duties of the treasurer, to pay the Society’s bills in a timely fashion, keep proper records along with Membership Information Services, and oversee the QUICKBOOK records. Following discussion by the EC, Rob was tasked to provide the EC with resumes and background information on any candidate for the positions of Treasurer and Finance Chair before appointments are made.

Old Business:

• BROCHUES.
  • Outgoing trustee J.A. Barton Campbell of Virginia was thanked for his work on the new glossy CCS(NA) brochures which will be distributed at the Commissioners’ Meeting. These brochures will be useful displays and talking points.
  • Randy, Ruby and Carl have updated the “Bond of Kinship and Heritage” flier, which will be available in .pdf PDF format online and may be printed for Games distribution.
• JOURNAL.
  • Paul Campbell of New Jersey ends his stint as editor of the JOURNAL with the fall issue. He is collaborating with his successor, Rick Campbell of Saskatchewan, on the Summer 2011 issue, which deadlines May 1.
  • Kenn Campbell of Louisiana is the production manager and hopes to be able to train an understudy to succeed him. The old cut-and-paste procedure has been replaced by electronic methods, so production is not so time consuming as in the past.
  • Walt complimented Kenn and Paul on the quality of the present JOURNAL, which is both a very good product and economically produced.
• ELECTION REPORT. Randy and Dora Seale, Ruby Campbell, Carl Guilford, and Donald Campbell were tellers of election. They reported:
  • Robert Campbell St. John of Florida was elected President for a second term
  • David Stedman of New Jersey was elected Vice-President
  • Michael Fisher of Michigan was elected Secretary
  • Eric Campbell of Montana, Jerry Campbell of Michigan, and Tom Mungall of Louisiana were elected trustees

Those present were installed at the AGM banquet.

There was discussion of the ballot in the future, with spaces for write-ins. Under current rules there is one ballot for each member household.

• AWARDS. Rob reported that nominations had been received, and by unanimous vote outgoing Society Treasurer Alan Stedman was named “Clansman of the Year.” Similarly, by unanimous vote Delaware State Commissioner Catherine Hatch Young was named “Commissioner of the Year.” Awards were made at the banquet.

   

• 2012 AGM and 2011/2012 Midyear Meetings.
  • The EC gratefully accepted the offer of Trustee and Montana State Commissioner Eric Campbell to hold the 2012 AGM August 24-26, 2012 in Missoula, MT, in connection with the Bitterroot Scottish Irish Festival in Hamilton, MT.
  • Both James Campbell Quick and David Stedman offered sites for the next two midyear meetings. The EC will meet October 7-8, 2011 in Philadelphia, PA. It is expected that our chief Mac Cailein Mor will be present for the dedication of the National Monument to Scottish Immigration at Penn’s Landing
  • Arlington, TX will be the site of the 2012 midyear meeting.

Committee Reports: 

Membership Committee Report 

The Membership Information Services report was sent electronically by Randy Seale and is filed with the permanent copy of the minutes. Randy reported a distressing membership loss in excess of 10.5% (180 members) leaving us with 1334 dues-paying members. The only region experiencing growth is region 10 with a 6.34% increase (18 members). Regions 22 and 6 each have sustained significant membership losses due to the closing of Games in their Regions.

There has been a loss of members each year since 2000 and it is hoped that each member of the Society will recruit Campbell relatives and friends using the Web site to download forms. The e-Newsletter will try to provide tips and strategies for recruitment.

• The diminishing number of Games has resulted in diminished recruitment of new members. Region 6 was cited as an example where a third of the states no longer have any Games at all and the other states are down to 1-3 Games. (Reasons for the decline of Games appear to be volunteer burn-out and lack of local sponsors.)
• The Membership Committee (Randy and Ruby) has updated and produced in PDF format on the Web site for reproduction the tri-fold “Bond of Kinship and Heritage” document that has been used by tent managers for many years. All previous editions should be discarded. There was discussion and the new tri-fold was pronounced handy, usable and accurate.
• In response to a query, the permanent address of the Society will be its Web site, CCSNA.org.
• On the motion of Walt, seconded by Carl. Dora Seale was authorized to check the data base and send “have you forgotten us” postcards to all members who have not renewed in the past 3 years. In the discussion on this motion Sharen suggested the use of email reminders, and Dora will try this too. The motion was passed unanimously.
• A membership drive with $5 off membership of those who recruit a member was also discussed and tabled.
• Walt indicated that a Trustee must be found to take on the chairmanship of the Membership Committee and reconstruct it as an active committee as Cliff Campbell is rotating off.

Librarian and Genealogy Report

Dr. Ruby Campbell’s detailed report is filed with these minutes.

• She responded to 359 inquiries, took in donations of $655 balancing expenses of $584.
• A back-up file of the 193,711 data entries was given to the Society’s Secretary.
• The library of 652 books (used for reference and non-circulating) acquired 4 new books in 2010.
• Ruby prepared 4 Kith and Kin articles for the JOURNAL in 2010.

Games Committee

Rob reported that Mark Pelletier of Arizona continues to maintain our comprehensive Games Calendar for the Web site.

• Rob plans to consult the archives to get information on current and past Games costs and data on their ability to generate membership.
• Donald reminded everyone that Games reports, which are sent to him, must be useful and legible and should contain factual data on members served and recruited as well as a brief synopsis and digital pictures.
• New member forms filled out at Games should likewise be complete and legible, and those sending the forms should check them when they are filled out.

Internet and Technology Committee Report

Randy reported that the CCS(NA) Web site remains a work in progress. There is a new Web framework, and they are constantly working to keep the Web site up to date. All are encouraged to help them keep it current.

• There is a new heraldry section under development, but it is not yet determined whether the section and its images will be available outside Society membership.
• There is a new genealogy section, under development also. The entry shows the person’s name, dates and places of birth and death, parents, and spouse, Ruby is continually refining and correcting data received since 1972.
• Randy expressed hope that the Society could acquire the domain “ClanCampbell.org” which is “a parked account.” To acquire this domain would help our search engine rankings and would ultimately replace CCSNA.org. 

Store Report. David S. indicated he had made tentative contacts with Scottish Lion whose owner is a Campbell. Some regions have their own stores.

Closing remarks and Adjournment. Rob commented on his first three years as President when, lacking the materials he now has in hand, he was “operating in the dark.” The Society has weathered problems with the treasury, the store, and other issues, and is now on a firmer footing with many new people in place. Rob’s goal, as we move ahead, is for every Trustee to be a member of a standing committee and serve as liaison if not chair. The Board needs the talent of each person. We will also strive to use electronic communication technology more effectively. Rob received applause for his remarks and his service. Following this, with a reminder of and prayer for the many members and former members of our board who are unwell or have special needs, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45.

Respectfully submitted,

David Stedman

Secretary