Annual Call for Board Nominees

The AAW Board of Directors

The AAW has a volunteer nine-member Board of Directors to represent the membership and move the organization forward. Any member in good standing for the past three years is eligible to run, regardless of geographical location.

Becoming a Board Member

Do you have the leadership experience, time, energy, and ideas to be a part of AAW’s operations, as well as a willingness to help make it a better organization?

The Board is most effective with a diversity of skills represented. Members with experience, such as working with nonprofit organizations, especially in the areas of finance, strategic planning, nonprofit governance, or legal matters, are especially encouraged to apply. It is more important to emphasize your business and interpersonal skills rather than your woodturning skills in a candidate statement.

After a review of the application materials and conducting phone interviews, the Nominating Committee will select up to six qualified candidates for the three open Board positions. AAW members will elect two Board members, and the Board will appoint a third Board member for a three-year term beginning the following January. A photo and candidate statement for each candidate will appear in the American Woodturner August issue and on the AAW website. Online voting is held August 1-31 and the election results will be announced in early September.

If you are interested in serving on the Board, send a statement of intent, with the following information to Jennifer Newberg ([email protected]) by email no later than April 1st:

• Current resume
• A candidate statement of approximately 300 words, which includes your qualifications and reasons for applying. Applicants who have nonprofit organization experience and leadership skills are highly desirable.
• Letters of recommendation from two individuals who can confirm your organizational and leadership abilities.
• A high-resolution head-and-shoulders photograph of yourself. 

 Time Involvement in Board Meetings
• Beginning in 2024, the Board will have six (6) scheduled Board meetings a year.
• Three Board meetings will be held via Zoom and normally last less than two hours.
• Three in-person board meetings will be held each year. The AAW provides lodging and reimbursement for expenses associated with the in-person meetings. In-person meetings, except during the symposium, usually begin with a travel day on Friday, and end late Sunday morning.
• One Board meeting is held during the AAW Annual International Symposium (in June or July) and will require travel from Sunday prior to the symposium to Monday afternoon following the symposium.
• One meeting is in November in St. Paul, MN.
• The third meeting will be at a location determined by the Board each year.
 
Other Time Involvement
• Check e-mail daily.
• Stay current with the AAW website.
• Serve as volunteer on AAW committees. Depending on the committee, work may average one to three hours a week.
• Additionally, we believe it the responsibility of a Board member to interact with the AAW membership by attending chapter functions and regional symposiums whenever possible. However, there is no reimbursement for a Board member to attend events other than the three in-person meetings.