First I wish to thank Ron Daubach, Osram-Sylvania, for locating and working with the hotel for the meeting. We had hoped that we would have 50 people here for the technical session, but I think we were too optimistic.
2008 has been a frustrating year for me. I reluctantly accepted the President’s job, even though my 4-year term ended last October. The reason, of course was that the Nominating Committee could not find anyone to run for as President. The reason for my reluctance was that I had taken responsibility for overseeing the operation of an international Swedish-American ethnic lodge called the Vasa Order of America. I had planned that the overlap period would be short. I accepted however with the promise of help from everyone. At last year’s meeting the by-laws were amended to create two new Vice President’s positions, one for Communications and the other for Membership as well as some other items. With several new board members I thought it would work out quite well.
And things went well for a while. About the time of our mid-year meeting in Sarasota, FL, I appointed Norb Johnson as VP- Communications, and Kathleen Muray, VP-Membership. With Norb’s leadership and help from his committee a brochure was created, a new membership dues plan developed. Further, Ron Daubach had obtained this hotel, and we announced the annual meeting in good time even sending the announcement to all our members using a postcard that Norb created. I thought with improved PR and a focus on membership we might be able to get the organization financially stabilized.
But then, in the last three months, things fell apart badly. Norb, for whatever reason, decided to resign his position as VP-Communications. Norb also resigned from his position on the CIE Finance Committee. About the same time Scott Davis, our new secretary, who was also appointed by me to fill a VP position on the CIE Board of Administration, resigned. Scott also resigned from his position at IDA, and is changing careers in mid-life. Further, J. Rennislson, Chair of the Nominating Committee, was unable to come up with any nominees for the two open Board Member positions, nor any names to replace the persons resigning. Thus we have the prospect of a non-functioning Executive Committee.
Further, the Treasurer, Bill Daiber, has not been well the last six months. As a result, as of the date of this writing, no invoices have been sent out. That is of course a very big problem.
Yoshi Ohno discussed our sad state of affairs at the Board of Administration meeting last month. CIE will try to do everything in their power to prevent CIE/USA from closing. At least they are willing to help us work out a deal on finances. But that is only half the problem. We also need people to operate the organization. Lately we are very short of manpower.
Per suggestions from J Rennilson and others, I have discussed merging with IESNA, with current President, Ron Gibbons, as well as Past President, Alan Lewis, and others. The major hurdle preventing CIE/USA becoming a committee of the IESNA is the fact that IESNA is an international organization already and we, of course are a National Committee. Hopefully something along that line came out of the Executive Committee discussion yesterday. If it turns out that we all agree to dissolve the organization we need to get legal help but even more so we need to get input from CIE Board of Administration on how to handle that end of things.
This year, ending at the end of November, 2008, we again have been awarded the DOE grant for $25,000 “to directly support the development of Standards and Test methods for Solid State Lighting (LED) products.” Since the standards are now pretty well done, I suspect that we will not be able to get any more grants from DOE.
I thank Phil Wychorski for his effort to make the ANSI TAG for ISO/CIW work, even despite his not being up to par physically. The fact that CIE/USA is now an ANSI TAG for ISO/CIE standards is a great benefit that we need to use in recruiting members. I think that CIE/USA being an ANSITAG is a benefit to member recruitment, but we have to have someone out there getting us members. Also with all the new LED companies we have the opportunity of getting the membership large enough to pay our dues, but we need manpower to recruit them. Hats off
to Phil!
In summary some goals proposed a year ago were accomplished but now everything is at risk unless we get some commitment to make CIE/USA work. I need your help. Are enough peoplewilling to join me in making CIE/USA work? If not we must dissolve the organization.
Respectfully Submitted,
Rolf S. Bergman, President
7 October 2008