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A Note From Next Years MCF President Luke Charpentier Hello, I want to thank everyone for a great MCF Symposium again this year. This was definitely one of the best symposiums that I have attended in many years. The response on the facilities was outstanding. Nice to find parking, wasn’t it? The rooms for the speakers were also well equipped and private (which was a nice change from the MCC). I hope everyone else had as good of a time as I did. At the symposium everyone voted on the officers for the organization as we head into 1999. The following individuals were elected: President Elect was Ravi Ravichandran. Ravi brings great experience and leadership to this position and will be a great asset to the MCF as we move forward. The newest director is Andrew Dallas. Andrew was the current symposium committee chair for the very successful symposium we just had. His background and experience will assist the MCF in becoming a more successful organization in the future. The secretary is Pat Sackett. Pat has expressed great longing to continue in this job and was delighted to learn that she has been elected to another 8 year term. The MCF is financially restructuring to allow us to become tax free. We have tried for a number of years to do this, always being turned down for one reason or another. This time the board has decided to hire a lawyer who specializes in tax organization and he will get the MCF tax free, one way or another. Hopefully, this will not take long as our tax bill is surprisingly large every year. I wish to thank David Whitman for his great leadership over the last year. He has kept the organization on track and moving fluidly. He will be tough act to follow. Diana Budde has done a wonderful job over the last four years with lining up speakers and also graciously taking over the newsletter. She is looking for a replacement to write the newsletter if anyone is interested call her at 481-2290. The MCF is approaching its twentieth year. It is time for the organization to look towards growth as we delve into new technologies and improve upon the old. I am asking each of you to look in your own work place and invite one of your coworkers to come out and hear the quarterly speakers or to come to the symposium to learn about new technologies and see some old friends too. This is your organization, we are simply here to keep it going. Take Care, Luke Charpentier
MINUTES OF THE 21 MAY 1998 BOARD MEETING Present: S Anderson, L Charpentier, A Dallas, D Eikens, K Grandprey, C Jones, J Jopke, R Ravichandaran, T Robison, P Sackett, D Whitman, T Wilson Minutes: Were approved as submitted. Treasurer’s Report: We’ve got around $57,000 in the bank and are doing well. Terry Wilson agreed to serve a final year as treasurer in the event of reincorporation. Education Committee Report: Course attendance was down from last year and we probably won’t break even. The upcoming intro GC course with Freeburg and Reineccius should offset the shortfall, however. No one new has been appointed to take over as chair of the committee. The Committee will consult the Symposium interest surveys for suggestions for new courses. This fall Lars will be teaching a 3-day intro and a 1-day follow-up session on designed experiments. Lars, Luke and Grant Paul are volunteering to tag team teach a potential QA course. Symposium Committee Report: A mighty thumb’s-up was given the committee for the Earle Brown Heritage Center, and we’re already penciled in for the 18th-20th May 1999. The new location seemed to have virtually unanimous approval, over 83% of respondents to the interest survey preferred it. There was an overwhelmingly positive response from the vendors, every one was pleased. We were told the decision to move was the best one we’d ever made. There were comments on too much light in some rooms and the screens in Tack A/B should be higher, but everything’s workable. Someone suggested videotaping the keynote address and maintaining a library. The would require prior approval from the speaker but will be considered. Jan is already plotting reorganization of the registration area to provide better pre- registration/ registration/gift flow. Pete Johnson may fill in as chair of the Committee next year, Dan Armstrong may be the keynote speaker. Statistics: 38 booths (41 last year), 238 pre-registered and 54 walk-ins for a total of around 290. Election: Ravi Ravichandran is our new President-Elect, Andrew Dallas our new Director, and Pat Sackett continues as Secretary/Historian. Old Business: Since we seem to have gone beyond our legal knowledge, in the interests of saving significant amounts in sales tax down the line, the Board unanimously voted to work with a tax attorney on the best way to achieve 501(c) status. We’re going to set an initial cap of $6k in fees and Board approval will be required to move beyond that figure. Discussions on the web page and possible uses continue. Pete Rodriguez, a focus speaker, was so impressed with the MCF and the Symposium that he donated his honorarium back to us. This is the last newsletter until fall. Mailings will be sent out to business card advertisers to sign up to advertise in next years 1998-1999 newsletter season. Opportunity for networking, learning and having fun: A volunteer is needed to write the MCF newsletter.*** Please call Diana Budde at 612-481-2290 if you are interested. |
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