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ABRF EBrief for November and December

  • 1.  ABRF EBrief for November and December

    Posted 12-18-2024 11:11


    December 18, 2024

    ABRF Members,

    The ABRF Executive Board is pleased to share updates from their recent meetings:

    ABRF EBrief

    December 2024

    The ABRF Executive Board met December 12, with a focus on reviewing the 2024 and 2025 budget information and the next steps toward developing the updated ABRF Strategy.  The current projection for 2024 includes net revenue of $70,562 due to effective expense management at the 2024 annual meeting.  The 2025 budget includes a small level of net revenue of $3,430.  The Board reviewed sources of variance between the 2024 budget and projection and identified options to reduce future variances. 

    The Board also reviewed the preliminary results of the recent ABRF Strategy session, which included in the identification of four draft goals for 2025-2027, along with initial measures of success.  Work will continue to create annual operating plans for each goal.  The Board looks forward to sharing the initial work on the new Strategy with ABRF members beginning in January to collect additional input and suggestions. 

    The Board discussed the current 3-year term for board members and considered extending the term to 4 or 5 years, with an additional year for the president and treasurer roles, allowing for more experience before taking on these roles.

    The Board agreed to continue with the current structure, with the option to re-elect members.

    The Board reviewed updates on the 2025 annual meeting, including program content, registration, abstracts, and sponsorship. Early registration rates are available through January 15.

    Updates from ABRF Research Groups and Committees were also discussed.  Semi-annual reports will be requested to share progress and accomplishments with all ABRF members.

    On behalf of the entire Executive Board, I'd like to thank you for your continued support and participation in ABRF.   If you have any questions or suggestions for ABRF, please contact me (president@abrf.org).

    ABRF EBrief

    November 2024

    The Executive Board held an in-depth Strategy Retreat following the 2024 WACD Annual Meeting November 14-15, which resulted in a preliminary set of goals and initial success measures to guide ABRF's efforts from 2025-2027.  More information on the results of the retreat will be shared early in the new year.

    In addition to the Strategy discussion, the Board received updates on the 2024 Executive Board election, which will conclude on December 20, along with the proposed changes to the ABRF By Laws to clarify Board roles and terms of service.  The proposed updates will be distributed to ABRF members and included on the agenda of the March 2025 Members' Meeting at the ABRF Annual Meeting. 

    The Executive Board reviewed draft notification messages related to ABRF Code of Conduct incidents, which have been updated to improve confidentiality and reporting options.  The Board also reviewed a draft overview of the Incident reporting process. 

    To support implementation of the Code of Conduct, the Board agreed to establish a standing Code of Conduct Committee.  This Committee will include representatives from the ABRF Chapter Advisory Board, Executive Board, and the DEIB Council.  Incident reports will be sent directly to the Committee for their review and evaluation. 


    Program planning for the 2025 annual meeting is nearly complete.  Registration is underway and sponsorship support is ahead of schedule.  Additional outreach is planned in January to recognize the ABRF and DEIB Award recipients. 

    The Executive Board agreed that any sponsor opportunities impacting chapters should be discussed in advance with the CAB to ensure they agree and that activities are in alignment with the needs of each chapter.  The Board also discussed the potential impact on other sponsors who have been asking for consolidated sponsorship, recognizing some of the larger sponsors may be frustrated if similar options are not available to them.

    The Board approved establishing a policy to require any Executive Board member attending regional Chapter meetings to register and request reimbursement, so that the Chapters receive the applicable registration revenue.

    The Executive Board met in Executive Session to discuss the Executive Director's 2024 Performance Evaluation. 

    We hope this summary is helpful.  Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions for the Executive Board. 


    Thank you for your support for ABRF.

    Soma
    Thayumanasamy Somasundaram

    ABRF President



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    Ken Schoppmann
    ABRF
    ken.schoppmann@abrf.org
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