The offices of the Secretary and Treasurer were separated for the first two years of ABA’s existence. Victor Grabel served as Secretary (1930-1932) and Albert Austin Harding served as Treasurer (1930-1932). Glenn C. Bainum became the first combined officer (Secretary-Treasurer) and served in this capacity from 1932-1964, except for 1947-1948 when Harold Bachman served as Secretary-Treasurer to permit Mr. Bainum to be President of the Association. William F. Santelmann served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1965-1975, and Jack H. Mahan served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1975-1988. Richard E. Thurston served as Secretary-Treasurer from 1988-2003. William J. Moody served as Secretary-Treasurer from 2003 to 2015 at which time Thomas V. Fraschillo was elected at the Reno, Nevada, convention in 2015.
The office of the Secretary-Treasurer is the administrative office of the Association, and though elected annually, it is the only ABA office held traditionally by one person for an extended period. The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer are as defined in the ABA Constitution By-Laws and include all of the normal functions of a secretary and a treasurer. This person operates as an executive secretary serving at the direction of the President and the Board of Directors and otherwise follows established procedures and policies necessary for maintaining the on-going operations of the Association.
There is a discretionary expenditure of funds by the Secretary-Treasurer necessary to the normal on-going operation of the Association. When there is an unusual or especially large expenditure, the Secretary-Treasurer confers with the President, asking permission to make such expenditure. When appropriate, the President or Secretary-Treasurer, as agreed upon by them, canvasses the Board of Directors by written or electronic means for approval of an unusually large expenditure.
The Secretary-Treasurer is a member of the ABA Foundation Board (ex-officio member), which meets annually at the convention a day before the convention begins, usually Wednesday morning. The Secretary-Treasurer sits at the head table with the officers during meetings at the annual convention.
CHRONOLOGICAL DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY-TREASURER
This chronological listing of Secretary-Treasurer activities begins with the election to the office on Saturday of the Convention.
Saturday of Convention (Last day of Convention)
- Call a Board of Directors meeting of the old and new Board Members for the purpose of considering pertinent business that needs attention. Notify new Board Members of future meetings.
- Give the new Vice-President the Basic Guide for Officers.
- Obtain the convention attendance information from registration and a supply of official convention programs for Past Presidents not in attendance.
- Make copies of the Nomination for Active Membership forms turned in by sponsors and give the originals to the new Vice President.
At Home after Convention
- Write thank-you letters as appropriate.
- Have a second letter prepared and ready to be sent to those individuals who accept ABA membership. With this second letter, each new Member should be notified of their dues obligation, convention expectations, and of “Lest We Forget,” indicating that this document is kept up-to-date on the website.
- Write the guest band directors for the next convention about conductor selection for their bands and send an excerpt from the Convention Guide. Send subsequent e-mails regarding Conductor Selection.
- Printed new member certificates (currently from Herff-Jones) are ordered and then applied with signatures of the President and Secretary-Treasurer. The certificates are then mailed to the new members.
- Write the Convention Report and when completed, post on the website and send a pdf version to each member, associate member, widow, and the Archives at the University of Maryland.
- Check Past President Pin and Membership Pin supply and order more if needed.
Note: If listing of new committees was distributed at the Convention, verify accuracy with the President before it is uploaded to the ABA website and printed in the Convention Report.
April
- ABA website updates: Update Lest We Forget; edit Committees; edit Officers; edit Executive Committee; and edit Board of Directors. The Annual Report will appear only on line.
May/June
- Early May: The Annual Report is now attached to an email to members.
- Prepare and mail the first mailing of one-third of the membership for the Harris Fund solicitation with a June 15 deadline. The membership is divided by thirds alphabetically.
August
- Ask for Hotel Reservation materials and convention information from the Host.
- If necessary, notify the President whom to contact to arrange for the two dinners of the Past Presidents and their spouses/significant others, and the Board of Directors and their spouses/significant others.
September
- September 1 is the date an email is mailed to the membersship. This message includes the procedures to notify Secretary-Treasurer by email of the wish to conduct at the next convention with an October 1 deadline.
October or sooner
- Order Past-President Plaque. (Recognition Awards: sales@recognition.com) Conductor requests should be completed and by email, conductors of the bands should choose those whom they wish to conduct.
- Write a check (approximately $5000) to the ABA JOURNAL of BAND RESEARCH. We subscribe for the entire membership, including all Honorary Members and Associate Members. ABA pays per person one-third of the cost of a 3-year subscription.
November
- Finalize the script, design, and art work for the Official Convention Program.
- Contact Chairman of Board and President for agenda items for Midwest Board Meeting.
- Prepare Midwest Board Meeting Agenda and notify those who are to attend.
- Mail out dues notices with a deadline of January 15. This mailing should also include the convention location, dates, and housing information. A Convention Schedule, if available, should also be included.
December
- Discuss Convention details with the President who must plan two Tuesday evening dinners (1) Past-Presidents and their spouses/significant others and (2) Board of Directors and their spouses/significant others. Other items to finalize are the meeting rooms, Saturday banquet seating, menu, and program. The President is responsible for organizing and collecting the money for the two dinners and for notifying the Past Presidents and Board of Directors.
- Midwest Board Meeting: Thursday, 2:00 pm in a room designated by Secretary-Treasurer, or held online.
- Write minutes of the Board of Directors meeting and send them to the Board Members for verification.
- Begin to prepare the Treasurer’s Report, that, in a sense, has been on going with expenditures and collection of dues. The final report can be given to the CPA after the December bank statement has been received.
January
- Prepare the congratulatory letters for new Members. Write one for each candidate and bring the signed letters in sealed envelopes with un-affixed postage to the convention ready to be mailed to those elected as soon as possible on the day of election. Use Friday’s convention date for all.
- Destroy letters for candidates not elected. The Convention Report should reflect Friday election for everyone.
February
- Request a list of persons to be thanked for the upcoming convention from the Convention Host. Insist that the list be as limited as possible.
- Check with Chairman of the Board of Directors and President about the agenda items for the Convention and Board of Directors Meeting. The Chairman of the Board is responsible for the agenda. Notify Board Members of the meeting.
- Sends out pertinent information and any agenda items to the Nominating Committee for their Wednesday meeting before the convention begins.
March
- Items to take to the Convention:
- Past-President’s Pin; Past-President’s Plaque.
- Agenda for Board Meeting.
- Host(s) appreciation certificates.
- Associate proposals for Membership.
- Goldman Citation Nominees need Confirmation by the Membership Committee.
- New Member Notification of Election letters.
- A complete Treasurer’s Report.
- Bring additional Nomination for Active Membership Forms.
- Bring one-half dozen Closing Ceremony Agenda Blanks and give them to the Chair of the Nominating Committee for the Nominating Committee meeting.
- Important: While at the convention, assure that the Convention Host and future Convention Hosts each have a coordinated plan for transferring the ABA banners and Flags to the next convention site.
During the Convention
Send notification to the newly elected members after the business meeting on Friday. Note: Nominations are to be kept totally secret until they are made during the closing ceremony. The President or no one else is pre-informed.
The Secretary-Treasurer acts as an overseer of all convention activities. They attend all meetings with the exception of the Nominating Committee Meeting if they are not a Past President. They must be constantly alert to possible omissions or infractions of the Constitution and ABA traditions.
It is the Secretary-Treasurer’s responsibility to assist the President and Officers in keeping ABA aligned with its objectives as stated in the constitution. Each President expects this of the Secretary-Treasurer and will appreciate this guidance.
The Secretary-Treasurer must remember that most convention hosts are novices when it comes to ABA traditions and thus should be available to monitor and assist in convention planning and execution. To be safe one must expect the unexpected.
The Secretary-Treasurer makes a photocopy of the Nomination for Active Membership forms before turning these over to the newly elected VP.
Miscellaneous
When word reaches the Secretary-Treasurer of a death in ABA, a notification is sent to all members through a MailChimp Mailout.
The Memorials Chairman should get copies of all news clippings about the deceased. The Secretary-Treasurer sends a contribution to the ABA Foundation as a memorial for the deceased; the normal amount is $100 for a regular member, $200 for a Past President.
In December a $9,000 check should be sent to the University of Maryland Archive. This amount in addition to $9,000 from the Foundation provides a permanent part- time archivist for the ABA. The Secretary-Treasurer will remind the Chair of the Board of Directors to ask the Foundation for the check.
An updated copy of Directory labels should be sent to the editor of the Journal of Band Research.
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