As your officials of ASTA, we both support the new Governance Plan proposed by Headquarters and the Board of Directors. We urge you to vote YES on the ballots you will be receiving electronically today. You have until May 19th to register your vote on the referendum.
The new plan will not affect the operation of your Arizona chapter. We have an active membership. In March we had one of the highest percentages of membership to attend the IDE in Prague. Those in attendance were rewarded to a private reception at the home of the US Ambassador to Czech Republic with other ASTA officials. In April, we held an educational event at which IAR presented the new requirements for sales reporting effective in May, 2006. We are looking forward to our Tradeshow in August, Fiesta in the Desert. None of this will change. ASTA will remain a grassroots organization. The President of AZ ASTA will continue to represent and advocate for our membership at the National level.
What the new plan will do is streamline the national Board. Times have changed; our industry has changed. National ASTA needs to be operated more efficiently. The current structure is too large, rigid, cumbersome and expensive. The new proposal will reduce the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. This will allow for a more efficient organization that will be more responsive to the member’s needs.
In addition, you will have the opportunity to vote for all nine Directors. In the current structure, we are allowed one vote, with the director being from our region. The proposed plan allows us to vote for all 9 Directors, regardless of geographic region.
If you have any questions on the upcoming vote, please do not hesitate to give Hope Wallace a call. I can be reached at my office, 520-836-7411, Monday – Friday 8:30AM to 5:30PM. Jim Kroll is currently recuperating from a successful hip replacement at home. Mary Louise Seifert, ASTA National Secretary is also available to answer any questions at 480-947-8614. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Complete details of the plan with supporting documentation can be found on astanet.com.
Hope Wallace
Arizona ASTA President
Fiesta in the Desert XIX