Evolution, Not Revolution

You have undoubtedly noticed that GAWDA is changing in many subtle and, in a few instances, dramatic ways. Some changes are being forced upon us by outside influences such as the economy, while most of the changes are the result of leadership's strategic plans to respond to changes in the industry and to bring more value to the members. With these changes comes the need to also change the laws and rules that govern the association.

One of my first actions as President was to form a By-Laws Task Force. The Task Force was given the charge of updating the By-Laws and Standing Rules to more accurately reflect GAWDA's current governance structure and strategic goals.

GAWDA members have been sent the proposed changes in preparation for discussion and a vote by the membership during the Closing Business Session at the Annual Convention in San Antonio. If you did not receive a copy of the revised By-Laws and Standing Rules, please contact GAWDA Headquarters at 215-564-3484.

The most evident change is the elimination of duplicate provisions within the By-Laws and Standing Rules. Over the years, provisions had been added to both documents which duplicated and, in some cases, actually contradicted each other. The Task Force was also guided by the fact that changes to the By-Laws require approval by the membership, while changes to the Standing Rules only require approval by the Board of Directors. One of the Task Force's goals was to simplify the By-Laws and make the provisions broad enough to enable flexible interpretation by the Board and to be longer-term without the need for future revisions. The Standing Rules are viewed as a more detailed description of the Board's current interpretation of the By-Laws and more likely to be changed in the short-term.

The other significant change is in the composition of the Board of Directors. As it is currently structured, the Board includes the Executive Committee, regional directors and vice presidents, two supplier representatives and the committee chairs—a total of 21 people. The current trend in trade associations and the goal of the Task Force was to reduce the size of the Board to increase responsiveness and decrease associated expenses. The proposed revisions in the By-Laws would eliminate the Regional Directors and remove the Committee Chairs from the Board. The new Board of Directors would consist of the President, President-Elect, 1st Vice President, Immediate Past President, 2nd Past President, five Vice Presidents (not linked to geographic regions) and one Supplier Vice President—for a total of 11 members.

The Leadership Development Committee is responsible for nominating members to the Board of Directors. The elimination of geographic regions as a requirement for Vice Presidents is designed to increase the available pool of candidates to ensure that the most qualified members are nominated to serve on the Board.

Britt Lovin's Legacy During 2009, President Lovin took on GAWDA's future, belt tightening and such legislation as LIFO repeal and card check. A collection of his columns can be found here.

The most significant changes to the Standing Rules involve clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the Committees. The Executive Committee now has the added responsibilities of financial audits and budgeting. A formal Audit Committee was also added to the list of Standing Committees, while the Planning Committees for the Spring Management Conferences and the Annual Convention were taken out of the Standing Committees.

I hope that you will join the Board of Directors in supporting these recommended revisions, some subtle and some dramatic, to the By-Laws and Standing Rules.

As you can imagine, the weakened economy has presented some unique challenges to the leadership of GAWDA. Fortunately, the members have continued their strong and loyal support. Thank you for your personal support and encouragement during my tenure as your President.