1. Our Region will continue to be governed by a WR President and Vice President and a representative from each WR Chapter.

2. Our future Institute Directors will be nominated by our WR Nominating Committee. No more than (4) nominees will be sent to Institute Nominating Committee.

3. Our Region Presidents and Vice Presidents will no longer have a dual Institute Director roll (after 2010).

4. The West Region has two candidates for West Region Vice President. This will be a one year term to replace me when my term expires in June, 2009. David Willis of the Fresno Chapter, and Eric Camin of the Sacramento Chapter are your candidates. They will have candidate statements out shortly, and will be on the Institute Ballot. Future officers will be elected under our new West Region By Laws effective June, 2010.

Because of the changes to the dual Institute/Region rolls our leaders have had in the past, Institute funding for Region business and travel to our Chapters will be eliminated. Nationally, all Regions were faced with a true dilemma. How would we fund Region business and officer travel in support of leadership guidance and mentoring to our Chapters if funding is further reduced.

An affirmative vote was passed via recommendation by our Region Allocation and Probation Task Team. This vote will have an important impact on the method in which future Region assessments are collected and distributed. As of June, 2009, our Chapters will no longer bear the burden of collection and payment of West Region assessments; instead, Institute will collect Region assessments with each member’s Institute dues and re-distribute them monthly, to each Region. All CSI members will share in support of their Regions.

The Institute Board of Directors is cognizant of the responsibilities each Region has to provide programs designed to assist Chapter leadership in mentoring, training and education programs. Our Institute task team will be developing expanded guidelines to provide a standard of performance for each Region.

We would expect a review of Region services and programs would be made to Institute each year. We would also expect that non-performing Regions would be subject to action on the part of the Institute and it’s Board of Directors. We will have more on this as the guidelines for performance are developed.

We are really excited by the opportunities that will be provided by the changes tor funding of assessments. This will allow our Region to re-energize member programs that have been cut over past years due to lack of funding.
So – where do we go from here? Duane and I will be contacting members of our Board and our Chapter Officers to further discuss these procedural changes . We ask all to offer their ideas and suggestions for future member programs. and services. With the wealth of talent, experience and volunteerism in the WR, we expect our expanded programs to be second to none.

This is an exiting time for CSI and we are privileged to be a part of a renewal of the Institute, the West Region, and our Chapters. Leadership is NOT a Spectator Sport. Together, we will make the WR Chapters the best, healthiest and strongest in theNation!

As a final note, take the time to enjoy your family and friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Even during these trying times we have much to be thankful for. Our best wishes to all of you during the coming Holiday Season.