2008 Convention Report

The convention business sessions were attended by 234 delegates representing 44 State Delegations and the District of Columbia. In addition to electing National Officers and Directors (list follows), the delegates approved the 2009 Statement of Policy and the 2009 Top Issues. These policy papers are available on our web site. The delegates were also briefed on the AFA Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 which was approved by the Board of Directors on September 13th. The plan contained an important change to the third element of AFA’s “Educate, Advocate and Support” mission statement by adding the words “aerospace education.” That portion of the mission now reads, “Support the Air Force, the Air Force Family and aerospace education.” The delegates also considered and acted on four Field Resolutions after taking into account the recommendations of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.

The delegates did not concur with a resolution to return to the requirement for a chapter to send a quarterly newsletter to each member, voting instead to retain the more flexible policy instituted in 2007 allowing chapters to poll members once each year and then service only those desiring to receive the newsletter. They did, however, concur with the sense of another part of the resolution that there needed to be better training of chapter leaders.

The delegates also did not concur with a resolution to return to the chapter payment formula used prior to 2008 until such time as the group exemption for chapters as 501(c)(3) organizations is approved. In this they also reiterated that membership recruitment was an important part of every chapter’s mission.

The delegates also did not concur with a resolution to provide each surviving spouse a free copy of AIR FORCE Magazine, recognizing that this general topic was being worked by the leadership as part of the overall AFA membership strategy, still being formulated.

Finally, the delegates voted to reverse the 2006 decision to merge the positions of National Secretary and National Treasurer and approved making the necessary changes to the Constitution to reflect that decision.

National Officers
(elected to a one-year term)

Joseph E. Sutter
Knoxville, TN
1st term Chairman of the Board

James R. “Jim” Lauducci
Alexandria, VA
1st term Vice Chairman of the Board Field Operations

S. Sanford “Sandy” Schlitt Sarasota, FL
2nd term Vice Chairman of the Board Aerospace Education

Judy K. Church
Lenexa, KS
3rd term AFA Secretary

Steven R. Lundgren
Fairbanks, AK
4th term AFA Treasurer

National Directors
(elected to three year terms)

At-Large – Max Friedauer (FL)
At-Large – Len Vernamonti (MS)
East Geographic Area – Scott P. Van Cleef

Newly Elected Region Presidents

Midwest – Frank Gustine (IL)
Far West – Wayne Kauffman (CA)
Northeast – Bob Nunamann (NJ) Northwest – Fred Rosenfelder (WA) South Central – Mark Dierlam (AL)

Continuing Region Presidents

Central East – Mason Botts (VA)
Florida – Tim Brock (FL)
Great Lakes – Ron Thompson (OH)
New England – Ron Adams (MA)
North Central – Ron Mielke (SD)
Rocky Mountain – Joan Sell (CO)
Southeast – Don Michels (GA)
Southwest – Jim Wheeler (AZ)
Texoma – Terry Cox (OK)

Acknowledgements

Credentials Committee
Joan Sell, Chairman
Marguerite H. Cummock
Deann Faiferlick

Inspectors of Election
William R.Goerges, Chairman
James F. Diehl
Tomas W. Gwaltney

Parliamentarian Joan Blankenship