APPROVED
Telephonic Board of Directors Meeting
December 10, 2009                                                             

Present
Guy Bonney, Vice Chairman & Secretary Treasurer
Catherine Murphy, Director
Marian Ritland, Director
Greg Schweizer, Director
Jim Shelton, Chairman of the Board
Ed Phillips, Unisys Liaison
Kenn LeFever, Conference Planning Vice Chair
Mary Lou Regan, Chief Operating Officer 

Guest
Lynn Lovelace, UNITE Business Office 

Chairman Shelton called the Board of Directors Meeting to order at 1:36 p.m. ET on December 10, 2009. 

The Board of Directors reviewed the Minutes of the November 7 & 12, 2009 Board of Directors Meetings. Greg Schweizer moved to approve the Minutes of the November 7 & 12, 2009 Board of Directors Meetings as amended. Seconded by Marian Ritland. The motion passed unanimously.

Old Business 

The Board discussed whether or not to consider holding a conference at the Hyatt Minneapolis Hotel in 2011 in order to mitigate some of the attrition charges realized from the 2009 conference at the Hyatt Minneapolis Hotel. Marian Ritland moved that Mary Lou Regan be authorized to inform the Hyatt Minneapolis Hotel that UNITE was not prepared to book a UNITE conference in 2011 at their hotel or at any other location at this time. Seconded by Guy Bonney. The motion passed unanimously. Mary Lou will notify the Hyatt accordingly. Marian Ritland moved that Mary Lou Regan be authorized to pay the 2009 UNITE conference bill and attrition charges from the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis Hotel. Seconded by Guy Bonney. Four voted in favor and one abstention (Greg Schweizer). The motion passed.

Chairman Shelton called for additional new business items. 

New Business

The Board talked about the letter Mary Lou Regan forwarded to them about the promotion from the Baltimore Convention and Visitors Bureau regarding the “Visit Baltimore” for booking an event in Baltimore. The Board authorized Mary Lou Regan to sign the agreement if/when the Board agreed to sign a contract with the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel for the May 23-26, 2010 Conference.

Mary Lou Regan then informed the Board that she, Jim Shelton, and Ed Phillips scheduled a site visit at the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Monday, December 14, 2009. They will report back to the Board.

Chairman Shelton suggested the Future Business Models discussion be postponed to a future Board Meeting. The Board agreed.

Guy Bonney said in order to begin financial planning for the next year and beyond, he asked that he and Jim Shelton be authorized funds to travel to Detroit, Michigan for a face-to-face budget committee meeting with Mary Lou Regan. Marian Ritland moved that Jim Shelton and Guy Bonney be authorized to travel to Detroit for a budget committee meeting and to cover travel expenses for them up to a maximum of $1,500. Seconded by Catherine Murphy. The motion passed unanimously.

Chairman Shelton then informed the Board that Unisphere Media asked if UNITE would consider archiving the Unisphere 5 Minute Briefing newsletters on the UNITE site along with a subscription link. The Board agreed. Mary Lou Regan was asked to inform Unisphere of the Board’s decision. Mary Lou was also asked to publish the UNITE related articles that appeared in the 5 Minute Briefing newsletters on the UNITE website.

Marian Ritland recommended the number of exhibitors’ badges and corporate conference badges allocated to the participating vendors be changed. The Board discussed the proposal and tabled further discussion until the next face-to-face Board Meeting.

The Board then talked about whether or not to continue the Unisys Engineer Program and the fee structure for the 2010 Conference. The Board agreed to table further discussion until the next face-to-face Board Meeting.

The Board discussed whether or not to schedule a face-to-face conference planning meeting in conjunction with a face-to-face Board Meeting. The Board agreed a conference planning meeting in conjunction with the Board Meeting was not necessary. Catherine Murphy suggested she, Kenn LeFever and Ed Phillips meet in Philadelphia to finalize the conference schedule. The Board agreed. Chairman Shelton asked the Board to send Mary Lou Regan their availability from January 8 – February 14, 2010 for a weekend Board Meeting.

Catherine Murphy submitted the Working Group slate of officers for 2010-2011 for appointment by the Chairman. The following Working Group officers were appointed by Chairman Shelton. The Board agreed.

Chairman Shelton called for Good of the Order.

Guy Bonney moved to close the Board of Directors Meeting. Seconded by Greg Schweizer. The motion passed unanimously. There being no further business, Chairman Shelton adjourned the Board of Directors Meeting at 2:57 p.m. ET.

Respectfully submitted by,

Mary Lou Regan
Chief Operating Officer

Attested by,
Guy Bonney
Secretary/Treasurer