Difference between revisions of "Board of Directors"

Revision as of 08:02, 5 December 2010

Free Geek's 501(c)(3) status requires that we have a board of directors. And that carries with it certain implications, not the least that the BOD is responsible for seeing that decisions are responsible and in the best interest of the corporation, which also implies that the BOD would have the right/responsibility to last word on any decisions made by Council. There has been discussion on the purpose and makeup of the Board.

Goals and priorities

(10/2009): "The Board resolved that increasing staff compensation is our highest priority."

Active projects

Obtaining and preserving documentation from previous incarnations of the Board
Creating Board Orientation materials, including a New Director Agreement to detail the responsibilities of board members
Creating a more effective fundraising strategy, developing relationships in the community
Preparing Free Geek's processes and records for auditability

Board Meetings

The board meets quarterly; meetings are on the second Wednesday of the month in January, April, July, and October. The board meeting customarily starts at 6:30. The October meeting is the annual meeting as required in the bylaws.

There is a Meeting Template that may be used when setting up a new Board Meeting. (Remember to copy commitments from the previous meeting's minutes.) Meeting minutes are posted to the directors email list and to the minutes list.

Occasionally the board will have to make decisions via email: our policy on that is outlined here.

Current Board Members

Board members are elected to two year terms, except where indicated. (When the board re-formed in October 2005, half of the positions were for one year terms to implement staggering of terms.)

Laurel Hoyt, Chair: Former Free Geek Education Coordinator; current volunteer.; Initially elected September 2005; Chairperson, October 2005 - October 2006, January 2010 - present; Secretary, October 2006 - January 2010; fourth term, ends October 2012

Jon Van Oast, Secretary: Current volunteer. Programmer, code-mercenary.; In order to avoid having to fix bugs in the DOS-based SMTP gateway he wrote for a Novell network, coupled with the fact that perl4 in DOS was frustrating him, Jon built his first linux box in 1992. It ran for 2 years hidden above the acoustic ceiling tiles in sub-basement level B of the university medical center where Jon worked. It ran for 4 more years there after he left, until he showed up in the middle of the night on a trip back home and took it with him back to Portland. Now you know how he and linux fell in love.; third term, ends October 2012

Anne Glazer, Director: Intellectual Property Attorney; A geek about Free Geek. Crypto-hippie. In her spare time, Anne likes to collect, sort, cut and fold used paper.; second term, ends October 2012

Curt Pederson, Director: (bio needed); Curt Pederson comes to us from the OSU Open Source Labs and is the CIO for the Oregon University system.; second term, ends October 2011

Sayer Jones, Treasurer: (bio needed); second term, ends October 2011; Selected to fill vacated term at Council Meeting on April 15, 2009.

Open seat

Past Board Members

this may not be a full list

Bob Griggs, October 2005 - March 2006
Joe Buckmaster, October 2005 - August 2006
Wren Ng Thornton, October 2005 - August 2007
Aaron Burt, October 2006 - October 2007
Tim Collier, ??? - October 2008
Oso Martin, August 2005 - February 2009, Free Geek founder, original incorporator of Free Geek.
Seamus Campbell, October 2005 - October 2009
Marie Deatherage, September 2005 - December 2009

Brent Campbell
Laura Berg
Jeff Finz
Kenneth McGair
Jim Deibele
John Telford
Michelle Brooks
Mark Neiman-Ross
Dennis Bridges
Lewis Barr

Board Committees

Established at board meeting on October 14, 2009.

Audit committee: aims to make Free Geek prepared for an audit; Chair: Sayer; Additional members:; Staff representative:

Propagation (Intergalactic, Trademark Licensing, etc.): merged with staff propagation committee, deals with issues surrounding other free geeks.; Chair: Anne; Additional members: Jon; Staff representative:

Board recruitment and development: Chair: Laurel; Additional members:; Staff representative:

Relationship Development: developing free geek's social skills; Chair: Shannon; Additional members: Brittany, Curt; Staff representative:

Useful links

Bylaws
Oregon Sec of State nonprofit services page
Board election checklist
Board email list
Minutes list for keeping track of other stuff in the operation
Meeting tips: Facilitator, Scribe
Board officers:

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 : ''Chairperson, October 2005 - October 2006, January 2010 - present''
 : ''Secretary, October 2006 - January 2010''
-: ''Third term, October 2008 - October 2010''
+: ''fourth term, ends October 2012''
 ; Jon Van Oast, Secretary
 : Current volunteer. Programmer, code-mercenary.
 : In order to avoid having to fix bugs in the DOS-based SMTP gateway he wrote for a Novell network, coupled with the fact that perl4 in DOS was frustrating him, Jon built his first linux box in 1992.  It ran for 2 years hidden above the acoustic ceiling tiles in sub-basement level B of the university medical center where Jon worked.  It ran for 4 more years there after he left, until he   showed up in the middle of the night on a trip back home and took it with him back to Portland.  Now you know how he and linux fell in love.
-: ''second term, ends October 2010''
+: ''third term, ends October 2012''
 ; Anne Glazer, Director
 : Intellectual Property Attorney
 : A geek about Free Geek.  Crypto-hippie.  In her spare time, Anne likes to collect, sort, cut and fold used paper.
-: ''first term, ends October 2010''
+: ''second term, ends October 2012''
 ; Curt Pederson, Director
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 : ''second term, ends October 2011''
 : Selected to fill vacated term at Council Meeting on April 15, 2009.
-; Shannon Beutel, Director
-: ''(bio needed)''
-: ''first term, ends October 2010''
 ; Open seat