May 2006 Board Minutes

 AMFA Board of Directors

MEETING MINUTES

May 10, 2006

The AMFA Board of Directors meeting was called to order by President Dave Hogan at 10:45 A.M. on May 10, 2006.  The meeting was held at Hibbing Community College.

Present: Dave Hogan, Gene Betts, Tom Vacca, Gary Werkhoven, Vickie Tuskan, Dave Sarvela, and Dan Larson.  Representing AMFA-ET: Mary Brandt, John Eagleton, Heidi Timm-Bijold.

The minutes of the April meeting were reviewed and approved after a short discussion.  Motion: Betts; 2^nd: Vacca.

Financial Report  The April financial report was reviewed and approved.

• Motion: Larson; 2^nd: Betts

Committee Reports

Membership Committee – Vacca reporting.

• Members at issue
  • Cirrus                                      Eagleton to call
  • Floe Int’l                                   Larson to call
  • Hibbing Comm. College          Brandt
  • P&H MinePro                          Brandt to call
  • Screen Graphics                     Eagleton to call
  • Twin City Plating                     Helland to call
  • UMD CED                               Larson to call

In regard to delinquent members, there was some confusion as to which values in accounts receivable are from membership dues or advertisements or other.  Another question was, “When does a member become delinquent?”

• NEW Membership application approved for The Laurentian Group.  Motion Betts, 2^nd Werkhoven

Marketing/Public Relations Committee –Betts reporting

1.      MMA member benefit for those purchasing workers compensation insurance, called the Trifac Fund.  Trifac often pays a dividend to participating members; this is not well publicized.  Gene suggested a conference call with MMA to discuss ways to market this benefit.

2.      UMD-CED Student to Business Initiative

a.      Students did a presentation to Betts, Hogan and Sarvela on May 1^st, and will present again at today’s AMFA meeting.  Many good suggestions on how to maintain and improve membership, including:

                                                   i.      Sending meeting invitations to a list of potential members

                                                 ii.      Advertising in local media outlets – TV/newspaper

                                                iii.      Creating business cards to give to potential new members

                                               iv.      Expanding benefits by joining James J. Hill Library

                                                 v.      Change marketing image – new logo and tag line

b.      AMFA members were surveyed; all respondents said they found value in their AMFA membership

c.      There is a full report on the student suggestions.

3.      Shoptalk: more features have been added, including monthly article on “safety” and by-monthly column from DEED.      

Program Committee – Brandt reporting

• Concern about meeting attendance
• Vickie will send attendee list to board members, to be evaluated for a pattern of attendance
• Suggestion: survey members that used to attend meetings and ask why they stopped coming and what they would like from the AMFA meetings
• SONTEC low attendance affected fund raising and thus programs (Heidi)
• John expressed concern about feeder programs for mfg. and declining participation
• Suggested speaker: Katherine with China Connection, “Expanding Business Into China.”
• AMFA-ET Golf Social – currently no one registered to attend.

Government Affairs Committee – no activity

AMFA-ET Report

• The Educational Trust cleared $3,300 at the SONTEC event.
• Committee will meet today to discuss funding requests
• Free golf for recruiting three new hole sponsors

Old Business 

• Sandy Kashmark is updating the website
• John suggested that the Mobile Training unit from Teamworks attend the golf outing to show off their equipment.

New Business- Gene reported on DEED’s workforce research; asked for a comprehensive study on the workforce in Northeast Minnesota.

Respecfully submitted,

Dave Sarvela