Meeting Summary - Spring 2010

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Asian American Journalists Association
MEETING SUMMARY - SPRING 2010

The AAJA National Advisory and Governing Boards convened for the annual spring meeting, in San Francisco, February 26-27, 2010. These were points of discussion:

• National President Sharon Chan says we should Always Be Closing: memberships, convention registration, Power of One donations and sponsorships. Advisory Board members also went through fundraising training.
• Chan is assembling a Development Committee to help outline AAJA's funding opportunities and investment strategies. She is looking for nonjournalists and non-AAJA members to join the committee, which already includes former People managing editor Jeannie Park and CNN HLN's Richard Lui.
• Board committees are established: Finance with Investment subcommittee (chaired by Candace Heckman), Strategic Planning (Abe Kwok), Membership (Athima Chansanchai), Programming (Paul Cheung), and Policy and Planning (Doris Truong).
• In the Treasurer's Report, Heckman says the majority of chapters met the earlier filing deadline for financials, which will help AAJA push up the production of its annual report.
• In the National Office report, Executive Director Kathy Chow gave an update on all programs and the 2010 budget.
• A new fundraising policy is being drafted, with the language being designed to spell out what kind of donations AAJA will accept and for what purpose.
• National needs help tracking down awards coordinators in newsrooms to encourage entries into AAJA's professional contests.
• A new Governing Board is elected to a two-year term: The members are Abe Kwok (small-chapter rep), Athima Chansanchai (medium), Ellen Lee (large), Annalisa Burgos (at large), Don Chareunsy (at large) and Frank Witsil (at large).
• Kwok is leading discussions about a new Strategic Plan to replace the former document, which has expired. The objective is to have a final proposal -- envisioning success five years from now -- ready for Governing Board consideration at the fall meeting.
• 21st annual convention, Aug. 4-7, at the Hollywood Renaissance.
• Early registration deadline is Friday, April 16.
• Program book advertising is due May 7.
• Programming will focus on experience, instead of media-based tracks.
• Three of the six AAJA founders have committed to attend the opening, which will be emceed by Ben Fong Torres.
• The Governing Board adopted a financial resolution: "Whereas AAJA seeks to be fiscally responsible for its finances, we resolve not to tap into restricted funds for purposes other than that for which they were designated."

Announcements
• The summer Advisory Board meeting will be Aug. 7, 2010, in Hollywood. The summer Governing Board meeting will be Aug. 8.
• Sacramento chapter Co-Presidents Judy Lin and Pamela Wu present a $25,000 check from the chapter treasury as a sign of support for AAJA's mission and programs and a challenge for other chapters to step up to their example.
• AAJA will open an online store in March.

If you have questions, please contact me at aajadoris@yahoo.com .