Flathead Valley Community College Foundation

Board Meeting

Thursday, January 25, 2007

3:30 PM, Blake Hall, Room 140

 

~ Minutes ~

 

Present:      FVCC Foundation Board of Directors - Kathy Barkus, John Bowdish, Henry Brown, Nancy Gordley, Leslie Mercord, Andy Miller, Diane Morton, Aaron Mower, Jarrod Shew, Margie Simpson, Ralene Sliter, Dan Vogel, and Cheryl Wilson; FVCC Foundation Associate Members – Carol Larson; Ex-Officio Members –John Engebretson; and FVCC Staff and Administration – Ruth Ackroyd and Sue Evans.

 

Excused:     Russ Barnes, Lynn Bauer, Carol Blake, Sally Elliman, Pat LaTourelle, Donna Lawson, Kippy Redman, and Pat Winkel. 

 

FVCC Foundation Vice Chair, Margie Simpson, chaired today’s meeting.  Margie reported on the sad news of the passing of FVCC Foundation Treasurer, Paul Williams, and a moment of silence was observed in Paul’s honor.

 

Margie welcomed Dan Vogel to the Foundation Board of Directors and Dan shared background and career information. Formerly Wine Division Manager at Fun Beverage, Dan now works for ProfiTech, an inventory management software company.  Dan is a graduate of Spokane Falls Community College, where he served as Associated Student Government President, and he writes the “Wine Life” section of Flathead and Missoula Living magazines.

 

I.                APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF November 9, 2006

                  Nancy Gordley motioned to approve the minutes of November 9, 2006.  Cheryl Wilson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

II.               COMMITTEE UPDATES

                 

                  Executive Committee

                  Margie Simpson reported that the Executive Committee met with Tony Vanorny of Junkermier, Clark, Campanella, and Stevens on December 1, 2006, to review the Foundation’s 2005 audit.  The Executive Committee is recommending approval of the 2005 audit of the Foundation’s financial statements.

 

                  Kathy Barkus motioned to approve the 2005 audit of the FVCC Foundation’s financial statements.  Ralene Sliter seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

 

                  The 2005 audit concluded the FVCC Foundation’s three-year contract with JCCS, and a letter of engagement has been received from JCCS for the 2006-2008 audits.  It was noted that in response to the Sarbanes/Oxley Act, the AICPA has changed some of its auditing standards which will result in an increase in fees to the FVCC Foundation.  JCCS’s letter of engagement calls for the fee for the 2006 audit to remain the same as the fee for the 2005 audit at $5,800, however, the fee will increase to $6,400 per year for 2007 and 2008.  The Executive Committee is recommending approval of JCCS’s letter of engagement to conduct the Foundation’s audits for 2006 through 2008.

 

                  Cheryl Wilson motioned to approved the letter of engagement submitted by Junkermier, Clark, Campanella, and Stevens.  Nancy Gordley seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Finance & Stewardship Committee

                  Ruth Ackroyd provided the Treasurer’s Report.  The Foundation’s Statement of Financial Position as of December 31, 2006, was reviewed.  Foundation assets are nearing $6 million, with total assets of $5,934,070.42 as of December 31st.  A semi-annual transfer to the college of $134,745.30 for scholarships and programs will be completed before the end of January.

 

Ruth noted that the Executive Committee discussed a replacement to fulfill Paul Williams’ remaining six month term as Treasurer.  The Committee plans to appoint an Acting Treasurer as soon as possible and nominate a permanent Treasurer with the slate of officers to be proposed at the annual Foundation Board meeting in May.

 

                  Resource Development Committee

                  Nancy Gordley reported that she and Ruth will be meeting with Stephanie Wallace, Public Relations and Human Resource Manager at Flathead Electric Cooperative, in March.  Stephanie has indicated an interest in serving on the Foundation Board in the coming year.

 

                  Special Events

                  Sue Evans reported that the spring tours of the Bibler Home and Gardens will be held Saturday and Sunday, May 5th and 6th, and Saturday and Sunday, May 12th and 13th.  Each tour will again be one and one-half hours with four tours per day.  Sue and Ruth will be meeting with Carol Bibler and Rande Simon, manager of the Bibler Home, on Monday, February 5th to begin planning.  Sue will be recruiting volunteers and training sessions will be scheduled.  Master Gardner, Miriam Ascher, will be in attendance at each tour to answer questions in the gardens.  The possibility of a Master Gardener’s class will be explored for spring.

 

III.             ARMCHAIR LECTURE SERIES

                  Ruth Ackroyd reported for A&A Chair, Suzy Williams.  The Ambassadors & Alumni Association is planning an Armchair Lecture Series on the Inuit Art in the Bibler collection this fall, and the committee has met with Jane Wheeler of the Hockaday regarding a possible partnership for the event.  John Houston, noted Inuit Art expert on the Cape Dorset period and owner of a gallery in Nova Scotia, has received digital photos of the collection and indicated an interest in lecturing on the pieces. 

 

IV.              PRESIDENT’S REPORT

                  John Engebretson, Chair of the FVCC Board of Trustees, reported for President Jane Karas.

 

                  Senate Bill 12 has passed in committee.  The bill will provide for a new funding formula for community colleges which incorporates both fixed and variable components.  The college is optimistic the bill will become law.

 

                  The Board of Regents has given final approval of FVCC’s LPN program.  Classes in the new program started Monday, January 22nd.

 

                  The Occupational Trades Building will be ready for classes the first week in February.  Equipment will be moved into the building over the coming weekend.

 

                  Sheila Gestring, Chief Financial Officer, has accepted a position at the University of South Dakota.  Current staff members in the Business Office are sharing Sheila’s responsibilities, and Jack Burcham will return to the college on a part-time basis to fill in during the hiring process.  The title of the position has been changed to Vice President of Administration and Finance, and the search committee is considering applications and checking references.

                  Jane and Kathy Hughes attended a meeting at Blackfoot Community College in Browning to discuss exchanging classes with the tribal colleges.

 

                  FVCC has signed an agreement with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry to allow students’ education to count toward both the apprenticeship work experience and education hours the state requires for plumbing and electrician licenses.

 

                  On Monday, January 22nd, the Board of Trustees approved signing a contract with Stamats of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to develop an interactive website for the college.

 

V.               BUILDING FOR SUCCESS CAMPAIGN UPDATE

                  Nancy Gordley announced that First Interstate Bank of Kalispell has generously pledged $90,000 to support the Building for Success campaign and name the Teacher Resource Area and Children’s Reading Area in the Early Childhood Education and Care Center, and Jarrod Shew presented a check to Nancy and Board of Trustees Chair, John Engebretson.  Nancy thanked First Interstate Bank for their partnership and Jarrod for his active involvement as a member of the FVCC Foundation Board of Directors.

 

                  Copies of the first Building for Success campaign bulletin were distributed to Board members.

 

                  Three shop bays have been named in the Occupational Trades Building.  The Flathead Building Association, Schellinger Construction, and Columbia Falls Aluminum Company have each pledge $30,000 to name a shop bay and their company logos have been painted on the door of the bay they have named.

 

                  Tom and Ralene Sliter and Sliter’s, Inc. have made a significant gift of $30,000 to the Foundation.  $15,000 of this gift will support the Building for Success campaign and name the Student Conference Center in the Occupational Trades Building, and the remaining $15,000 will establish an endowed scholarship fund at FVCC to support students in the Building Trades program.

 

                  An Executive Campaign Committee meeting will be scheduled next week to continue planning for the campaign.  (n.b. – The Executive Campaign Committee meeting was held on Tuesday, January 30, 2007, at 3:30 PM.)

 

VI.              DEVELOPMENT REPORT

                  Ruth Ackroyd reported on the status of the 2006 annual fund drive.  To date, over $103,000 has been received in response to the solicitation, compared with $1,071 in 1992, the first year the annual fund drive was conducted.  A breakdown of designations of gifts received for the 2006 annual fund drive was reviewed.

 

                  Andy Miller, Leslie Mercord, and Jarrod Shew met as the Needs and Resources subcommittee of the Finance and Investment Committee on Friday, January 19, 2006, to discuss the process for awarding Foundation funds.  The committee came to a consensus that funds will be awarded for “extraordinary” projects, and the group is awaiting funding priorities from the college.

 

Sue Evans reported that the Whitefish Credit Union scholarship selection committee met on Thursday, January 18th and awarded a total of $1,800 to seven students for the spring 2007 semester at Flathead Valley Community College.  Throughout the twelve years of this successful program, Whitefish Credit Union has awarded $53,545 in scholarships to 171 students enrolled at Flathead Valley Community College.  The Whitefish Credit Union’s annual meeting is scheduled for Saturday, February 10th at 10:00 a.m. at Grouse Mountain Lodge.  John Bowdish and Ruth Ackroyd will be in attendance to thank Whitefish Credit Union for their generous support.

 

VII.      NEW BUSINESS

            Sue Evans reported that a volunteer is needed from the Foundation Board for this year’s Eagle Award committee.  The Eagle Award is the highest award bestowed by FVCC to someone who has made a significant impact on the college. The award is typically presented to the recipient at the annual President’s Dinner in May.  All committee work is conducted via email, coordinated by President Karas’ secretary, Carolyn Shriver. Diane Morton volunteered to serve as Foundation representative on this year’s Eagle Award committee.

 

            Ruth noted that the Special Events Committee will be meeting in early February to begin discussing this year’s Christmas Tree Excellence event, and United Way has donated a fully decorated, black and white Christmas tree to the Foundation for the benefit.

 

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m.