Association News
February 2010
Executive Director's Column
by Jeffrey Sventek, M.S.
Greetings
What an honor and a privilege it is for me to serve as your Executive Director. As I write this first column as your new
Executive Director, I want to attempt to lay out my thoughts for this new role. During my 30+ years as a member of the Aerospace Medical
Association, I’ve watched and learned how the Association works to provide all of us an appropriate venue for communication, collaboration,
and learning. I’ve volunteered for several positions within the Association and I’ve studied the governance structure and business aspects
to gain an appreciation for the processes designed to move our Association forward. I learned early on the Association is a collection
of multiple parts, including the Executive Committee, the Council, constituent organizations, affiliate organizations, certification
boards, and numerous committees. The Executive Director serves as the glue that holds all of these moving parts together into
one strong and cohesive Association.
Our Association owes a huge debt of gratitude to Dr. Russell Rayman for his 18 years of Executive Director leadership and
management. Many of us have watched Dr. Rayman perform his magic during these 18 years and were held spellbound by his performance. As
your newly approved Executive Director, my first goal is to maintain the level of excellence and professionalism Dr. Rayman and the previous
Executive Directors have established for the Aerospace Medical Association.
There are several areas I plan to focus on during my initial time as your Executive Director. Working with the Council
and Executive Committee, I would like to find effective and efficient ways to improve communication and collaboration for all of our
members. Digital communication has developed over the years and now is commonplace. Social networking services offer powerful capabilities
to quickly and efficiently communicate important information to our members and between members. I plan to evaluate the effectiveness of
using these services to open the communication aperture for the Association.
Another focal area will be fiscal efficiency. Managing the Association for the membership is a huge responsibility and
fiscal issues are always a balancing act for the Executive Director. I plan to review current management practices and determine if more
effective and efficient management processes could be implemented. My findings and recommendations will be presented to the Executive
Committee for their consideration and direction. Fiscal efficiency is critical to the continued success and viability of our Association.
Member services such as the journal and the annual meeting must continually be reviewed to ensure you value your
membership with our Association. Our journal is an excellent scientific publication and serves the Aerospace Medicine communities very well.
Working with the editorial staff we will continue to look for ways to improve the journal for our members. The same holds true for our
annual meetings. Mr. Walt Galanty and his staff at AIM Meetings and Events continue to provide the Executive Committee with outstanding
meeting venues for consideration. We realize the membership looks forward to the annual meetings and we want to ensure
we offer our membership a convenient, professional, and cost effective site for the meetings.
Thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve our Association as your Executive Director. A huge thank you for a job
exceptionally well done to Dr. Russell Rayman for his tenure as our Executive Director. I look forward to the challenges ahead and I am
excited about our Association’s future.
Proposed Changes to the AsMA By-Laws
In accordance with Article XII of the Bylaws of the Aerospace Medical Association, the following
proposed chaged to the Bylaws are printed herein. They will be voted upon at the next Annual Business meeting, to be held Tuesday, May 11,
2010, at the Sheraton Hotel in Phoenix, AZ. The meeting is open and all members are encouraged to attend (no lunch purchase is necessary
to participate in the meeting).
The omissions are listed as strikethroughs. The additions are underlined.
ARTICLE VIII ORGANIZATIONS
SECTION 1. Constituent and Affiliated Organizations.
C. Representation on the Council: Each Constituent Organization shall be represented on the
Council by an individual who is a member of the Association elected or selected designated by
the Constituent Organization. Each such organization shall present the name of its elected designated
primary representative to the Executive Director for publication at the annual business
meeting. In the event the primary representative cannot attend a Council Meeting, the name of
an alternative representative shall be presented to the Executive Director or Secretary.
ARTICLE VII COUNCIL OF THE AEROSPACE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
SECTION 2. Membership of the Council.
Membership of the Council shall consist of the President, President-Elect, the immediate Past
President, the four Vice Presidents, the Secretary, the Treasurer, 12 elected members, one member
selected by each of the Constituent Organizations, 1 member selected by the Fellows Group,
1 member selected by the Associate Fellows Group, the Aerospace Medicine Regent of the
American College of Preventive Medicine, the Parliamentarian (ex-officio member without vote;
appointed by the President and approved by Council), and a student or resident representative
selected by the Aerospace Medicine Student Resident Organization. The Executive Director
shall be an ex-officio member without vote. Of the 12 elected members, four shall be elected to
the Council each year for 3-year terms. No such elected member shall be eligible for more than
two successive terms as an elected member. In the event a an elected member of the Council resigns
or is otherwise unable to complete a term on the Council, the Nominating Committee shall
propose a nominee or nominees for election to fill the remaining year or years in that term. In
the event a non-elected member resigns, is incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to attend a
Council meeting, the appointing entity may designate an alternate by notifying the Executive
Director or Secretary.
ARTICLE XII MEETINGS
SECTION 1. The Association shall hold at least one scientific assembly meeting each year at a
time and place selected by the Executive Committee. The annual business meeting shall be held
during the annual scientific assembly meeting at a time selected by the Council. The annual
business meeting shall be devoted to the reception of annual reports and other business, including
the nomination and election of officers.
