Minutes

ACBL Educational Foundation

Board of Trustees

Reno, NV

March 20, 2004

President Barbara Nist called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 20, 2004.

Present: President Barbara Nist, Vice-President Donald Mamula, Treasurer Geoffrey Cross, Secretary Eugene Kales, Richard Anderson, Dewitt Hudson, Christopher Shaw, Jonathan Steinberg, Jerry Thorpe. (none absent)

Also present: Jay Baum, ACBL CEO, Al Levy NY-NABC planning committee, and Charlotte Blaiss, ACBL Education Department.

[4.a.] Without objection, the chair next invited Charlotte Blaiss to present her report on the School Lesson Programs. The teaching reimbursement has been raised to $350 from $270 where it had been for many years. Jay Baum commented on the College Bridge Championships and that marketing efforts had gotten more schools involved. Three scholarship awards had been approved by Secretary Kales via fax so far in 2004

1. Approval of Minutes

The minutes of the November 22, 2003 New Orleans, LA meeting were approved without dissent.

2. Treasurer’s Report

Foundation Treasurer Geoffrey Cross reported that the year-end statement is not yet final. The Audit Committee of Hudson, Shaw, Thorpe, and him will meet and approve the Auditor’s report after this meeting and “approve” the annual report. Cross concluded that the Foundation is in good financial health, and reported on the Restricted Asset Accounts and their balances. (Exhibit A)

3. Grants

3.a. Educational Department application for a grant of $200 to hold a “Mini-Tournament for Caddies” at this New York NABC approved unanimously. (Exhibit B)

[6.a.] Without objection, the chair next invited Al Levy of the New York NABC planning committee to speak about upcoming Junior activities in New York. The WBF, ACBL, and Educational Foundation are sponsoring the over 100 juniors who will attend. He made a funding request for $5,000 to cover room subsidies, ceremonies, and other activities. Motion was made that contingent upon receipt of appropriate paperwork, the Foundation approve the grant request; passed unanimously.

3.b. Educational Department application for a grant of $2,000 for the Scholarship awards for the School Bridge Lesson Series Instant Matchpoint Game scheduled for April 28, 2004. (Exhibit C) Motion to approve grant request. Approved unanimously.

3.c. New Jersey Unit 140 requested $4,100 for its School Bridge Program. (Exhibit D) Motion was made and passed unanimously to request from the applicant a complete budget and source of income before action by the Foundation will be taken. The program is for Fall 2004 and Spring 2005.

3.d. Educational Department application for a grant of $20,000 for the 2005 North American College Bridge Team Championship. (Exhibit E) Motion was made to grant up to a maximum of $20,000 for the 2005 event. Approved unanimously.

4. Old Business

4.d. Our Bridge prints are being distributed by ACBL President and recent trustee Bruce Reeve in his travels to ACBL tournaments, signed by him and as from the Educational Foundation. There were approximately 1,600 prints as of May 2003. Motion made that President Nist negotiate cost and price of dispersal. Approved unanimously.

4.e. D & O Insurance will be purchased directly by the Educational Foundation starting in May of 2004.

4.b. Mamula submitted a rough draft of amendments to Foundation bylaws. Comments and suggestions by various trustees on only the proposed technical and cosmetic amendments were made for each article. See attached Exhibit F with attendant notes. Consideration of substantive amendments was deferred to the Summer meeting in New York.

5. New Business

5.b. Treasurer Cross brought to the attention of the Board that a grant had been dispersed without approval of the Board. The disposition of grant request 3.b. from the Fall 2003 meeting in New Orleans is reflected in the minutes:

“Fairfield Bay Duplicate Bridge request for $3,500 for its Bridge/Out Reach program is deferred. President Brown will contact Fairfield for additional information and at that time, with the Treasurer’s concurrence, will fund up to $3,500.”

However, $3,500 was dispersed without those conditions being met. Motion made that Treasurer Cross investigate and report; approved unanimously. In the future we may have to explicitly vote down a request rather than approve with contingent requirements.

5.a. Secretary Kales moved that an Educational Foundation cell phone be purchased for $95 and quarterly charges of $20 be reimbursed to the Secretary for use on Foundation business. Approved unanimously. (The number is 517-214-4827)

6. Miscellaneous

6.b. Steinberg brought to the attention of the Board the almost successful move to lower the current maximum age of a ‘Junior’ from 25 to 21 at the most recent ACBL Board of Directors meeting. He and others requested that the Educational Foundation communicate its position on this matter to the ACBL. Discussion of appropriate cutoff age for Juniors and several motions followed…

(i) Motion was made to defer to our summer meeting. Defeated; Cross, Mamula aye.

(ii) Motion was made to state our position that “The Educational Foundation considers a Junior to be an ACBL member in good standing up to the member’s 26^th birthday,” and that the President of the Foundation shall compose a letter to the Board of Directors. Approved; Anderson, Mamula, Nist nay.

(iii) Motion was made to state our position that the Educational Foundation supports and encourages the concept of reduced entry fees for Juniors. Motion failed for lack of a majority; Anderson, Hudson, Mamula, Nist nay; Cross, Kales, Steinberg, Thorpe aye; Shaw abstain.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00 noon.