Minutes of the Pacific Branch 2003 Executive Committee Meeting

March 23, Tucson, AZ


Attendees: Diane Alston, Ed Bechinski, Sue Blodgett, David Bragg, Brian Bret, David Byrne, Bill Chaney, ZB Mayo, Lisa Neven, Lucia Varela, Kurt Volker, Doug Walsh, Steve Watkins, Stuart Wooley

2002 Executive Meeting (Brian Bret)

Motion to approve by Susan Blodgett.
Second by Ed Bechinski.
Approved.

Introduction and Comments from National ESA President (ZB Mayo)

Personnel
National staff reduced from 21 to 7. A variety of functions have been outsourced to reduce expenses. 

Membership Services
DMG Assoc. manages database for membership. Differences in computer compatibility between DMG and the national office has created difficulties and a backlog of membership updates. These differences are being addressed.

Financial Report
Financial improvement has been realized by the association.
$500K lost in 1999-2000.
2001 budget balanced.
2002 $250K surplus anticipated. This surplus will be applied to the overall deficit.
2003 $136K surplus budgeted. Surplus will continue to be applied to the deficit.

Membership Report
ESA continues to lose members. Since 1999, 20% decrease in members, although student membership remains steady. Retention of students as they graduate declines. Also, emeritus membership and regular membership are declining.

Governing Board Report (John Stark, presented by Kurt Volker)

  • The national ESA building is still for sale. The association is trying to increase income from rentals. Maintenance costs are largest concern. 

  • The Board decided to no longer sell ESA items such as calendars, coffee mugs.

  • Manuscripts are now being reviewed online with electronic review software

  • The national meeting will be held in Cincinnati Oct 26-30. LCD projectors will be available in all meeting rooms.

  • Program Enhancement Funds to Pacific Branch were $2,474.

Other Business

Deceased Members (Brian Bret)
Pacific Branch members who passed away since June 2002 are as follows:

  • Alan Carpenter

  • Elmo Hardy

  • Elliott McClure

  • Norman McCalley

A moment of silence was held in their honor. Their names will also be read in front of the membership and a moment of silence held at the plenary session on Monday morning.

Audit Committee (Tad Gantenbein)
Branch Financial records were reviewed and audited by Tad Gantenbein and approved.

Local Arrangements/Operations (Steve Watkins)
Kurt Volker recognized Steve Watkins and David Byrne for their efforts. For the first time, Pacific Branch is outsourcing AV equipment at a cost of more than $3,000. Each room will have LCD projectors and laptops. The hotel will provide audio equipment. Employment opportunities folder will be available at Registration Desk.

Awards Canvassing Committee (Doug Walsh)
E-mail solicitation was made for award nominees. All nomination packets were received electronically and forwarded to an anonymous selection committee. For the first time in many years, we have filled all the awards.

Pacific Branch award winners for 2003 include:

  • C.W. Woodworth Award - Dr. Keith Pike, WSU

  • John Henry Comstock Award - Mr. Christian Krupke, WSU

  • ESA Distinguished Achievement in Teaching - Dr. Richard Zack, WSU

  • Entomological Foundation Recognition Award in Urban Entomology - Dr. Art Antonelli, WSU

  • ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Extension - Dr. Elizabeth Grafton-Cardwell, UC-Kearney Agricultural Center

  • ESA Distinguished Achievement Award in Regulatory Entomology - Mr. Erik Johansen WA State Dept. of Agriculture

  • Entomological Foundation Award for Excellence Integrated Pest Management - Mr. Walt Bentley, UC-Kearney Agricultural Center

  • ESA Recognition Award in Entomology - Dr. John Trumble, UC-Riverside

  • Entomological Foundation Graduate Student Award for Leadership in Applied Entomology - Chris Storm, WSU (now with Lodi-Woodbridge Wine Grape Commission)

  • ESA Student Activity Award - Diana Johnson, WSU

Congratulations to all the award winners.  Plaques and certificates will be awarded at the luncheon Tuesday afternoon.

Registration Committee (Lucia Varela)

Preregistration:

  • 66 members

  • 23 complimentary

  • 14 students

  • 3 non-members

  • 4 spouses

Walk-in Registration:

  • 4 members

  • 4 students

Total Registration:

  • 70 regular members

  • 23 complimentary members

  • 18 students

  • 3 non-members

  • 4 spouses

  • 110 total

$6,280 to date in registration fees.

The following motion was made by Lisa Nevens: “In order to encourage student participation at future branch meetings, students who are members of the Pacific Branch will not be charged pre-registration fees (including lunch and reception) for the Montana and Monterey meetings in 2004 and 2005 respectively.”
Seconded by Doug Walsh.
Motion was approved.

Program Report (David Byrne)
Seven symposia are scheduled for the meeting. Symposia titles and organizers are as follows:

  • Glassy-winged Sharpshooter: A Multidisciplinary Control Approach, Symposium - Jacquelyn L. Blackmer

  • Hands Across the Border: The Integration of Trade and Science, Symposium - Victoria Y. Yokoyama

  • From Physiology to Communities: a Symposium on the Ecology of Arthropods of Arid Ecosystems, Symposium - Richard A. Redak

  • Advances in Integrated Pest Management of Key Arthropod Pests of Field Crops in the Western U.S., Symposium - Larry D. Godfrey

  • Techniques for Marking Insects for Dispersal Studies, Symposium - James R. Hagler

  • Novel Insect Management, Symposium - David E. Bragg

  • Systematic Discussion - Peter S. Cranston

In addition, there will be a graduate student symposium on Tuesday. Stuart Wooley is the coordinator and moderator. There will be five 25 minute talks.

Topics: 3 systematics, 1 ecology, 1 physiology. 

One suggestion made for improving the graduate student symposium was to clarify roles and responsibilities of the student moderator/organizer and Program Chair.

Linnaean Games (Sujaya Rao)
Only one team from WSU prior to the meeting. Cannot automatically give $500 to the team to go to the national meeting. Second team will either be one person from UC-Riverside or a President's Team?

Student Paper/Poster Contest (Sujaya Rao)
A full slate of student papers and posters have been submitted. Winners will be announced at the luncheon on Tuesday.

Nominations Committee Report (Keith Pike)
2005 President Elect - Victoria Yokoyama
2003-2006 Exec. Board Members-at-Large - Dave Bragg and Pete Goodell

Executive Committee Members-at-Large nominations approval by Executive Board Committee and introduced during Preliminary Business Meeting for additional Nominations.

Site Selection Committee (Bill Chaney)
Asilomar in Pacific Grove was considered. Asilomar is part of the UC system. 1, 2 or 4+ people per room priced per person including 3 meals/day.
Single Room - 136-170/person/night
Double Room - 90-100/person/night
One large room plus several smaller rooms. Smaller rooms not adjacent to each other.

Sue Blodgett moved to have the 2005 meeting in March in Asilomar in Pacific Grove (http://www.visitasilomar.com).
Second by Lisa Nevens.  Approved unanimously.

Website and Abstracts (David Allison, presented by Kurt Volker)
David Allison has volunteered his time to manage the Pacific Branch website. Website keeps changing every year. Branch desires permanent location and continuity. National ESA office is discussing hosting/managing of branch websites (John VanDyk/Alan Kahan). This is supported by Pacific Branch.

Bylaws Revision Committee (Kurt Volker)
The Branch bylaws were written in 1985 and are outdated. Need an ad hoc committee to review the bylaws and revise and amend as needed. A suggestion made to split up the bylaws by committee/subject matter and forward to each of the respective committees to have responsible for converting to electronic version and begin reviewing and revising. Ad hoc committee would coordinate each committee's recommendations.

Lisa Neven volunteered to chair an ad hoc committee to transform existing bylaws into electronic version. Doug Walsh, Lucia Varela volunteered to assist. Suggestion to ask Frank Zalom to also participate since he was the one who last revised the by-laws in 1985. 

Brian Bret as Secretary will forward a copy to Lisa Nevens, Doug Walsh, Lucia Varela, Bill Chaney, Ed Bechinski

The Executive Committee Meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m. 

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