Happy New Year everyone! Here are the results from the AAEC election:
By a near unanimous vote, the membership has agreed to change the bylaw regarding the term of office for President from one year to two, effective immediately.
Kevin Siers automatically steps up from President-Elect to President, and will now be the chief executive for 2019 and 2020.
Mike Thompson is elected Vice President.
Monte Wolverton is retained as Secretary-Treasurer.
Ed Hall is elected for a two-year seat on the Board of Directors.
Ann Cleaves remains on the board to finish out her second year as a Director.
Finally, after Mike Thompson agreed to run for Vice President, everyone realized this would leave his seat on the board of directors open one year into his two year term. The bylaws say the board can fill any empty chair, and after considering three highly-qualified members who volunteered to serve, chose Liza Donnelly to finish out Mike’s term.
Pat Bagley steps down to Immediate Past President
Patrick Chappatte remains as the non-voting International Member Advisor
Odd and ends:
Extending the term of the Presidency is a big deal, and will enable the person serving to focus on some of the bigger challenges facing the Association and member cartoonists. During the last few years, as one unresolved project after another was handed down from executive to executive, it was clear a change needed to be made. This also brings the executive position in line with the board of directors, who now serve two years each.
After extensive discussion by the Board and Nominating Committee during and after the business meeting, it was decided to leave the office of “President Elect” open for the time being as the position is reevaluated. Long story short, there was some confusion over the candidates for the office, and what the anticipated change to the term of President meant for the other executive positions. If the bylaw change was rejected by the membership, things stayed the same; if, as we hoped, the membership voted to extend the presidency, it would mean all the offices would have to be adjusted as well.
Now that that has happened, the Board and Reboot committee will be discussing and debating suggested changes for the offices on next year's ballot. Stay tuned!