VENTURA COUNTY PROFESSIONAL WOMENʼS NETWORK
Post Office Box 6329  Oxnard, CA 93031  (866) 275-4134  www.VCPWN.org
Minutes
VENTURA COUNTY PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S NETWORK
LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING,
NOVEMBER 15, 2012
IN ATTENDANCE: Alison Balter, Rita Frayer,
Mary Gabriels, Jann Huling, Shirley Jones,
Sheila Lowe, Jim Nicoll, Sue Osborn, and Darian
Taylor.
Some ideas discussed:
•
An incentive for bringing a guest - two
people for $45, no restrictions on the guest.
Single person gets the regular price.
•
Carnations for the women in attendance.
•
A sit down dinner, rather than the usual buffet
(note, we must guarantee 30 people, which
shouldn’t be too difficult).
•
Jann H. has a friend who grows strawberries it might be possible to bring chocolate-dipped
berries, although this would have to be
coordinated with the Wedgewood, for health
department concerns. Darian T. will ask
them.
ABSENT: Bernadette Cardenas, Shirley
Lorraine, Michelle McConica
President Mary Gabriels called the meeting to
order at 6:30 p.m. at her home.
Mary raised the topic of Sheila doing the
VCPWN.org website. The annual fee is $250.
We need to pay for this service. There will be a
period where Rick was providing the service
before Sheila took over, and Sheila will work this
out with Rick.
Jim Nicoll moved that we pay for one year of
service and Darian Taylor seconded. The motion
passed unanimously.
Sheila Lowe moved that the October minutes be
approved and Alison Balter seconded. Motion
passed unanimously.
Webmaster/Membership – Sheila Lowe
So far this year twenty-two new members have
joined the group. Jann is contacting members
who joined but haven’t attended.
Lydia Ramos wants to sponsor in January.
Our February meeting will take place on
Valentine’s Day, so ideas were explored for
enticing people to attend.
Networking – Alison Balter
Blow Your Own Horn and Member Connections
are going very well. There is an issue with
making change when members only have twenty
dollar bills to pay the three dollar charge for
BYOH. This will be resolved by giving Alison
some change beforehand.
President-Elect – Darian Taylor
The speaker for January is Alison Balter - her
topic is Smart Phones, Smart Women & Men.
Lydia Ramos will sponsor.
In February the speaker will be Roylin Downs
from Kama Sutra Closet. Need a sponsor.
Promoting the professional and personal growth of Ventura County women
through education, mutual support, and sharing of resources
In March our speaker will be our own Jann
Huling who will talk about disaster preparedness.
Jim Nicoll is interested in sponsoring, if he can
team up with someone else - perhaps a property
and casualty insurance person
April’s speaker will be Dr. Kalee Pasek, a
veterinarian who will talk about healthy pets. We
need a sponsor.
In May, we’ll have Holly Gene Leffler to talk
about the history of hats. All attendees will be
invited to wear hats to the meeting. We need a
sponsor for this date.
Finance – Shirley Jones-Snyder
Silent auction results: Total sales were $1,391,
consisting of $1,254 in deposits plus $137 in
VCPWN Bucks. It was our most profitable
auction ever!
The leadership team will recruit someone to take
over invoice creation and mailing. The process
to set up recurring invoices will be time
intensive, but once established, should not
require a lot of work. There is one area of
caution because the password required would
give this person access to everything.
The LT decided to recruit someone at the January
meeting, then revisit at the next LT meeting. It
was suggested that as an incentive, we offer 1/2
price membership.
Alison Balter motioned that we offer 1/2 price
membership to a member who steps up to take
over invoice creation and mailing. Rita Frayer
seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
Hospitality – Jann Huling - NEW!
Jann is enjoying the position and appreciated Rita
F.’s help at our last meeting - her first in the role.
Attendance was 42 people.
At the end of the event, when just a few of the
leadership team were cleaning up, they decided
to give Alex, the bartender who has been so
helpful and supportive of us, a $50 gift. All
present approved of this gesture.
Shirley circulated the Cash Flow statement for
review. The group is financially healthy.
Kathleen Miles has our files - we don’t have to
file a return this year.
There was some discussion about changing the
renewal date for all members to the same date
each year, which would enable the group to
budget and plan events knowing how much we
can afford, rather than hoping we get the money.
The logistics of such a change will present some
challenges and pros and cons were discussed.
The topic was tabled until a later date.
We seem to have used up all the guest badges at
the Expo. Jim N. will check our storage to see if
we have more there. If he does not find more,
Jann will have to purchase more.
At the meetings, each table should have a hostess
and a board member assigned - it was requested
that board members not sit at a ‘Board Member’
spot unless assigned at check in.
Some discussion ensued about encouraging more
members to become table hosts/hostesses. In
January, Jann H. will try having the table Board
Member assign someone to the role.
Special Events – Bernadette Cardenas
A synch up with Bernadette is needed about the
role and all the work it entails for certain events.
The board has not had a chance to do this. Mary
will talk to Bernadette and the committee
members for an update.
Promoting the professional and personal growth of Ventura County women
through education, mutual support, and sharing of resources
Member at Large – Rita Frayer and Jim Nicoll
Rita mentioned that Sue Gary asked about the
silver bags left over from the table top expo.
Shirley J. has them - Darian T. will collect them
and they will be put into storage.
Jim will do an inventory of the storage unit.
Jim thinks it’s a good idea to go after specific
industries to round out the group’s membership.
Sheila L. said Jim has this list to pursue.
Communications – Michelle McConica
Michelle was absent, but Mary G shared the
news that Michelle’s husband recently broke a
swimming record set by a 17 year old - an
amazing accomplishment.
President – Mary Gabriels
Fun group status: People who expressed interest
will be informed in January.
New member orientation status: Sue O.
mentioned that she will try to coordinate timing
of the breakfast with the nominating committee,
and is thinking of Mimi’s and Marie Callender’s
as possible locations.
LT Christmas party scheduled for December
13th. Possible caterers discussed. Mary will
make the arrangements. Gift exchange will be at
$20.
Mary will continue the table settings auctions in
January.
The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. The next
meeting will be in January.
Respectfully submitted,
Sue Osborn, Recording Secretary
Note: Christmas party date has since been
changed to December 20th, at Mary Gabriels’
home.
Promoting the professional and personal growth of Ventura County women
through education, mutual support, and sharing of resources