NOTICE! UMFA BOARD ELECTION BALLOT

[pollyf...@yahoo.com]

Dear UMFA Members: PLEASE VOTE YOUR BALLOT, BELOW.  USE "REPLY" TO SEND YOUR VOTE.  (The ballot is also included as an attachment if that works better for you,) (Skip the purple part if you're in a hurry!) BACKGROUND: For several years, your Executive Board has been serving without paying much attention to the prescribed election process in our Bylaws.  We have decided that this has gone on long enough, and we are re-instituting an election/turnover process aligned with our newly-amended Bylaws (attached to this email for your information). The Executive Board, working closely with the Presidential Nominating Committee (Peggy Doerrie, Marcia Metzger, and Judy Ranheim), has created the positions of two Co-Presidents and a Co-President Elect (with a three-year rotation) to replace the previous positions of President and Vice President. Here are the most pertinent bits of the Bylaws, as amended in June 2009: Election and Term of Office:  Officers for the Executive Board shall be elected by the UMFA membership by ballot between May 15 and June 15 of each year.  Ballots may be distributed by mail, by e-mail, or on the UMFA website.  The Communications Chair shall be responsible for coordinating the election process.  The term of office for Executive Board officers starts on July 1 of the fiscal year (July 1-June 30).  The Leadership Team of two Co-Presidents and a Co-President Elect shall cover a three fiscal-year rotation.  The first year a person shall serve as Co-President Elect and then for the second and third years shall serve as a Co-President.  A new Co-President Elect shall be elected each year.  The term of office shall be two fiscal years for Secretary, Treasurer, Programs Chair and Communications Chair.  Secretary and Communications Chair shall be elected in odd-numbered years.  Treasurer and Programs Chair shall be elected in even-numbered years.  Any elected officer may succeed him/herself, but no elected officer shall serve for more than five consecutive terms.  Polly Meyerding, who has served for over five years as UMFA President, is stepping down effective June 30, 2009.  The other 4 current members of the Board will continue on in the newly-constituted version of the Board. They are: CO-PRESIDENT ELECT:  Jennifer Kennard TREASURER:  John Petroff PROGRAMS CHAIR:  Cindy Farrell COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR:  Kristen Kinnear-Ohlmann Three UMFA members have graciously agreed to come onto the Board:  Peggy Doerrie, Jenny Hanson, and Martha Jamsa.  The Ballot below confirms your acceptance of these members joining the Board, or registers your disapproval.  You may ask, "Why should I vote when there's only one candidate for each position?"  Good question!  The answer is:  Not just because the Bylaws says to, but so that the Board knows the members are interested and paying attention, for one thing, and to let the candidates know that they are supported by the membership as they take their places on the Board. Obviously, this will not be a secret ballot, but that is not required by our Bylaws.  We will all rely on the goodwill and cooperation of all concerned in counting the ballots without regard to who sent them. We hope you will vote!   *********************** BALLOT: ELECTION FOR OFFICERS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE UPPER MIDWEST FLUTE ASSOCIATION PLEASE SEND A “REPLY” TO THIS EMAIL BY MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2009, WITH A “YES” OR “NO” VOTE TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING SLATE OF CANDIDATES. Three candidates have agreed to serve on the Upper Midwest Flute Association Board of Directors: CO-PRESIDENT  (Two year term): MARTHA JAMSA  is Lecturer in Flute at Carleton College, where she teaches flute, coaches chamber music and directs the Carleton Flute Choir.  She is also Studio Instructor of Flute at Macalester College with similar responsibilities.  For nine years she was Principal Flute with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and the Dakota Wind Quintet, and has been a substitute flutist with the Minnesota Orchestra since 1990.  In past years she has served on the Board of Directors of UMFA, the South Dakota Symphony and Thursday Musical.  Martha has a B.F.A. in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota, and a M.M. in Flute Performance from the Indiana University School of Music, where she was Associate Instructor of Flute.  Her primary teachers include James Pellerite, Walfrid Kujala and Keith Underwood. CO-PRESIDENT  (One-year Term): PEGGY DOERRIE serves as Principal Flutist with the St. Cloud Symphony (since 1990) and Northern Symphony (since 2003).  She is active as a flute instructor, chamber/church musician and is the Office Coordinator at St. Frances Cabrini Church. Bachelor of Music Education degree from Cornell College.  Master of Fine Arts degree in Flute Performance from the University of Minnesota as a student of Elaine Eagle.  Solo recital work with Thursday Musical, Schubert Club,  Hauenstein Series, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and American Swedish Institute.  Chamber playing has included Lametti Chamber Winds, Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theater, Riverside Theater, Kenwood Trio, Windsong Flute & Harp Duo and Guitar & the Wind.  Peggy has served previously on the UMFA Board of Directors and on the Thursday Musical Board.  SECRETARY (Two years): JENNIFER HANSON is currently persuing a master's degree in flute performance at the University of Minnesota, where she also received a bachelor's degree, and has studied with Julia Bogorad-Kogan, Adam Kuenzel, Keith Underwood and Immanuel Davis.  Jennifer is a flute and piano instructor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church and MacPhail Center for Music and serves as the New Member Liaison on the Minnesota Music Teacher's Association Convention Committee.  She is an active chamber musician and performs with The Gilded Lily Trio (flute/oboe/bassoon), the Como Avenue Jug Band and the Brian Just Band. ************** AGAIN, PLEASE SEND A “REPLY” TO THIS EMAIL BY MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2009, WITH A “YES” OR “NO” VOTE TO APPROVE THE FOLLOWING SLATE OF CANDIDATES. THANK YOU!