December 2, 2024
The ESA Governing Board met on November 9 in Phoenix, Arizona, prior to the start of the 2024 Annual Meeting. During the meeting, the Board took the following actions:
- Approved the 2025 budget.
- Approved minor modifications to the ESA Policy Manual, which mostly focused on updates to ESA committees and task forces
- Selected the site for the 2029 ESA Annual Meeting (city to be announced once contracts are completed).
- Approved the selection of Hugh A. Smith, Ph.D., to become the new editor-in-chief of the Journal of Integrated Pest Management.
- Supported the recommendation from the Common Names of Insects Committee to adopt the "twice-banded bean thrips" as a common name for Megalurothrips usitatus.
- Approved recommendations from a Governing Board task force to make changes to the process by which ESA Fellows are selected.
- Approved the roster of nominees seeking Emeritus Membership.
- Approved reports from the Branches, Sections, and a variety of committees as well as the September Governing Board and October Executive Committee meeting minutes.
The Board also:
- Approved a motion authorizing staff to either seek a favorable renewal option with Oxford University Press for the next term of the Society's publishing partnership or to go out for bid to pursue the same.
- Discussed budgeting philosophies as they reviewed and approved the initial work from the Financial Task Force.
- Reviewed and approved progress on the 2023–2025 strategic plan.
- In executive session, conducted the annual review of the executive director.
- Considered a proposal from the Formal and Informal Teaching pilot section to advance to Phase Two of the process of becoming a full Section. After discussion, the Board declined to act on the recommended motion and instead invited the Section to make a formal presentation at the June 2025 Governing Board meeting.
- Discussed the outcome of the recent U.S. elections and the impact they may have both on ESA's advocacy efforts and relationships established with federal partners.
- Acknowledged and thanked the work of outgoing Board members Marianne Alleyne, Julien Saguez, Jamal Hunter, W. Rob Morrison, and Jesus Esquivel and congratulated Andrew Short on his election as incoming vice president-elect.
The ESA Governing Board also convened as the ESA Certification Corporation Governing Board. During that portion of the meeting, the Board:
- Approved the 2025 Certification Corporation budget.
- Received updates on the certification program's 2024 performance.
- Approved the minutes from the prior meeting.
Following that, the 2025 ESA Governing Board convened and welcomed incoming Board members Surendra Dara and Jaqueline Maille, who were in attendance, in addition to Justin Talley, Rory McDonnell, and Jennifer Zaspel, who could not attend.
President Bernaola provided a preview of her goals for 2025, including the charges she recently had sent to direct to the various ESA committees as well as renewing the Better Common Names Project and the Financial Task Force and establishing a new task force on the proposed Governance Upgrade. She also discussed her proposed meeting theme for the coming year, "Bridging Generations with Innovation, Legacy, and Passion."
Karla Addesso and Erika Machtinger were elected to the Executive Committee as at-large members. The 2025 standard operating procedures manual for the Board was approved. The Board then conducted a brief exercise to set the stage for a planned update to the ESA Strategic Plan.
See past news and updates from the ESA Governing Board.
Minutes from past Governing Board meetings are available online following Governing Board approval.
For more info, visit the ESA Governing Board page.