Meeting began on the NFSS' Officer’s List via internet April 1, 2002 and ended May 20, 2002.

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TREASURER'S REPORT:
Mark Phelps’ report 1-1-02 to 6-28-02:

Please note that there are now three checking accounts shown on my report. The other two have been added to help facilitate the processing of orders for items purchased through the NFSS website.

Also, please keep in mind when reading this that income is at it's highest during the beginning of the year due to the sales of bands and a lot of Membership dues payments. The profit shown now will be eaten during the course of the year by Bulletin expenses and the purchase of bands and awards towards the end of the year.

Balances as of 6/28/02 for the period 1/1/02 to 6/28/02:

Accounts:
Checking - Main & Bands 2,000.00
Checking - Membership 100.00
Checking - FinchShop 100.00
Savings 24,055.11
Advances 100.00
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Total - 26,355.11

Income:
Bands 6,588.56
Membership 9,597.50
FinchShop 964.96
Affiliations 1,150.00
4th VP/Judges Panel Fees 240.00
Journal 712.00
Awards 1,605.00
Finch/Softbill Save 75.00
Advertising 35.72
Misc. Income 5.32
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Total - 20,974.06

Expenses:
Bands 2,129.98
Membership 385.93
FinchShop 744.18
Affiliations 48.34
4th VP/Judges Panel 0.00
Journal 3,558.90
Awards 0.00
Finch/Softbill Save 0.00
Advertising 375.00
Misc. Expenses 249.24
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Total - 7,491.57

Net Gain - 13,482.49

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MEMBERSHIP REPORT:

The following are the NFSS membership numbers as of May 8, 2002:

695 Total Members
[621 Memberships; 74 Dual (2nd Names of Dual Memberships)]

Regional Breakdowns:

Region	# Memberships	Dual Members	Total Members
1	137	12	149
2	131	10	141
3	144	20	164
4	55	11	66
5	31	3	34
6	101	17	118
7	13	1	14
8	9	0	9

Respectfully submitted,
Martie Lauster

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LIAISON OFFICER’S REPORT:

Affiliation packets were mailed to all 2000 and 2001 affiliated clubs in January. Follow up messages have been emailed to most of the clubs who have not responded. As of May 26, 2002 there are 48 clubs affiliated with NFSS.

As Liaison Officer it is my responsibility to answer questions concerning NFSS and assist clubs and individual members in any manner. In addition, I maintain a record of all individual club/delegate information and information pertaining to shows/events. These I submit to both the editor and webmaster for publication.

Liaison Officer, Ginny Allen

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FINCHSHOP

Submitted by Ginny Allen, FinchShop Manager ProTem

As the commerce division of NFSS, FINCH SHOP has functioned well as a service to finch/softbill enthusiasts. As FinchShop Manager Pro Tem, I have sought new items for the inventory that would appeal to a wide number of customers and priced them competitively.

Added were tote bags, finch nets, nestboxes, Lady Gouldian poster, and Flights of Finches cards by Sally Huntington. Some items had to be discontinued due to lack of inventory. These included t-shirts, water bottles and the Diamond Sparrow print.

All back orders have been filled or the member notified of the date the order should be filled. Our treasurer will have to present the FinchShop financial records.

Martie Lauster has compiled a FinchShop catalog, which can be duplicated for handouts at events. The NFSS website now has a Shopping Cart feature with Pay Pal.

Sue Haberkorn has accepted the appointment as FinchShop Manager and we will work together to provide a smooth transition.

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BAND SECRETARY REPORT:

We have filled 225 band orders to date for 2002. After a very slow start, this figure is slightly higher than same time last year.

We have worked out the kinks of the Pay pal and the on-line orders now appear to be running smoothly.

I continue to look for a different company to work with due to the long delays getting orders from Hughes (3+ months!) Thus far, I have been unable to find ANYONE who will make the smaller a and b bands. I have begun buying our plastic bands from Redbird as this allows lower inventory levels and faster order fulfillment.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Heeson

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EDITOR'S REPORT:

At this wring (May 8), I am in the throes of putting the May/June Journal together. This will be our first journal with a color cover and upgraded paper quality. Our new printer (Thank you Sally, Harry and Steve!) will receive the Journal electronically, will optimize picture quality, and print the Journal directly from the same software in which it is developed. We can expect very high quality output.

There have been many details to attend to. The new printer will also use a mailing house to package and address the Journal and mail to our members. We are in the process of transferring the Bulk Mail Permit to them (at a savings of $125), a test of the mailing list has been successfully completed, and we are finalizing packaging details.

The Journal will be sent to the new printer on or about May 15, and the 2-week lead time will give them plenty of room to meet the mailing deadline of June 1.

Submitted by
Martie Lauster, NFSS Journal Editor

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2ND QUARTER REPORT - ADVERTISING & PROMOTIONS
Martie Lauster

An ad has been created for publication in the show catalogs for the AFA Conference, Great American Bird Show, and National Cage Bird Show. I am waiting for a couple of further details regarding ad format/placement and will send the ad to each of these shows for their June deadlines.

Initial communication with potential advertisers for the NFSS Journal and website pointed out the need to review NFSS' advertising pricing and strategy. Investigation of our current strategy uncovered the fact that we are too expensive for many advertisers to consider us and that our prices are way out of line with industry-accepted advertising pricing standards. A new pricing structure has been developed and work is underway on an advertising rate sheet that will provide potential advertisers with a clearer description of their options. This will be brought to the board for approval, and implementation will begin during the third quarter. Many thanks to Roy Beckham for his advice and counsel on improving our advertising strategy!

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2ND VICE PRESIDENTS REPORT:

Publications - Update

The next issue of our NFSS Bulletin (now renamed as the "NFSS Journal") will be printed on a different grade of paper, with a glossy color cover. The new printer will print and handle all phases of the mailing, thereby freeing up our new Editor of this laborious task and allowing her to spend more time editing and soliciting new material for the magazine.

Website - Update

Shopping Cart technology for the FinchShop merchandise and the online membership forms has been implemented, and I am currently working on the automation of the shopping cart for band sales.

Regards,
Harry Bryant
NFSS 2nd Vice President

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3RD VICE PRESIDENT QUARTERLY REPORT

The Finch and Softbill Save Committee has completed the application forms for the FSS program. Harry Bryant, 2nd VP and Webmaster has set up all the new FSS program guidelines and application forms on the website. I posted to the NFSS Finch and Softbill Forum inviting NFSS members to take a look at the program, download the application forms and contact me should they have any questions.

Unfortunately, the FSS program did not kick off in the NFSS Bulletin's March/April issue as I had hoped. I don't know why it was not included in this issue of the Bulletin. Martie Lauster, our membership director and new NFSS Editor will be including the entire FSS program, including application forms, in the May/June issue. Thereafter, we will include a one-page card for members interested in information on FSS. I do not want to include the whole program in each issue of the Bulletin because it will take up too much space that should be used for article content.

The FSS Committee is currently working on setting up the procedures and protocol for Tier 3 of the FSS program. These procedures will be used to oversee the endorsement of Grant Rishman and Cathy MacKay's consortium. More information will be made available to the board next quarter.

I want it to go on record that Daniel Almaguer is still listed as the FinchSave Director in the NFSS Bulletin and any information mailed to him by NFSS members has not been forwarded to me.

Respectfully submitted,
Kerri McCoy

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REPORT OF THE OFFICE OF THE NFSS 4TH VICE PRESIDENT,
Judges Panel Director, Standards, Points Manager and Research, Prepared by Martha Wigmore

NFSS Judges Panel and Apprentices: As was published in the May/June 2002 issue of the NFSS Journal, two NFSS judges have recently resigned from the NFSS Judges Panel. Clayton Jones of Soquel, California, has retired after serving NFSS as a judge for 14 years, since 1988. Tom Rood of Shelbyville, Illinois, after long consideration, resigned in April after nearly ten busy years as a panel judge. Both gentlemen offered much of their time and experience to exhibitors across the country. We had good times with both and learned so much from having them at our shows! They will me missed. Thank you, Clayton and Tom.

NFSS has 26 active panel judges. One judge currently has not paid the annual judge's fee and has been contacted. At present, we have one active apprentice, Jerri Wiesenfeld of Jacksonville, Florida, who is making plans to complete her third apprenticeship this fall. In addition, we have at this time one new applicant planning to take the NFSS Apprentice Judge written test at the National Cage Bird Show in November 2002.

A Novice Reminder: For those interested in the NFSS Novice award for exhibitors, the NFSS definition of a Novice is as follows: "An exhibitor who has not placed three times in the top ten in the Finch and Softbill Division at a show(s) judged by an NFSS judge is a Novice Exhibitor for NFSS purposes." (see page 19 of the NFSS Judges Handbook.)

Standards Committees - Star Finch Standard Committee: Extensive work was done during the 1990's on a Star Finch Standard. Original committee members were Bill Parlee, Chair, Clarence Culwell and Gene Miller. Clarence Culwell has been appointed to bring the proposed Star Finch standard up-to-date and resubmit it for consideration. This work he expects to complete during May 2002. Red Headed Finch Standard Committee: First draft returned to committee to address specific recommendations on 8-29-01. No report.

NFSS Annual National Show being held at NCBS: Congratulations to Cecil Gunby of Sharpsburg, Georgia, for being accorded the honor of judging the Finch and Softbill Division at the National Cage Bird Show in Santa Clara, California on November 15, 2002! If you would like to volunteer to help steward, secretary, ribbon-tie or check-in for our Division at this show, you are 'Welcome'! Please contact me as soon as possible. Further information about the show can be found at www.ncbs.org.

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REGION 2 VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT:

Planning to set up a NFSS table at the Treasure Coast Bird Expo with TV, viewing finches in the wild, answering questions about them and the NFSS and hope to sign up new members. The show is August 18th from 9 AM till 5 PM. In Fort Pierce Civic Center, I hope to raffle some birds and the proceeds will go to the NFSS. Also, I will be going to the University of Florida later this month to present two Veterinarian Scholarships from our Club (Treasure Coast Exotic Bird Club) in memory of two of our members (Marty MacNeel and Jennifer Willies) May 24th, this month. Next year our club will be presenting a self-endowed scholarship which will be over $20,000 in the name of our club. This scholarship will be forever in the club name and memories.

Respectfully submitted
Ron Castaner, Region 2 VP

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NEW BUSINESS:

Motion 7-2002 - On May 1, 2002 the board voted to change the name of its publication to NFSS Journal. 11-YES 1-NO   PASSED

12 voting members were: H Bryant, K McCoy, M Wigmore, M Lauster, P Vance, H McBrayer, G Allen, C Heeson, J Felix, R Castaner, D Dandre, V Huntington

Motion 8-2002 - On May 20, 2002 the board voted on the motion that the NFSS absorb all costs associated with PayPal. 11- YES 2- No PASSED

Motion 9-2002 - Same date, the board voted on naming the on-line list the NFSS FInch/Softbill Forum 13 - YES  PASSED

13 members who voted: A Lee, H Bryant, K McCoy, M Wigmore, M Lauster, P Vance, M Phelps, G Allen, C Heeson, J Felix, R Castaner, D Dandre, V Hungtinton

Motion 10-2002 - Take a look at 'by-laws' to include position of 'Legislative Attache'
9 - YES 2 - NO 1 - abstained  PASSED

Motion 11-2002 - Harry Bryant to chair Legislative Attache Committee
9 - YES 1 - NO 1 - abstained  PASSED

12 board members who voted: H Bryant, K McCoy, M Wigmore, M Lauster, P Vance, M Phelps, G Allen, C Heeson, J Felix, R Castaner, D Dandre, V Huntington

Regarding Motions 10 and 11-2002: to create the position of Legislative Attache requires a vote by the general membership to amend the by-laws of the NFSS. In the interim, President Sally Huntington has officially appointed Harry Bryant to chair the committee of "Legislative Attache."

During the quarter there were discussions concerning the recommended leg band sizes for various avian species with the question of possibly forming a committee to study recommended band sizes for birds not currently listed as well as possible changes to the recommended size for a couple of species that are currently listed. A discussion of possibly producing a calendar for NFSS to be sold out of FinchShop, details to appear later.

Another discussion concerned the upcoming election to fill the positions of Region 8 Vice President, Executive Secretary and Band Secretary. Ballots to be included in the July/August NFSS Journal. Note: Paula Hansen, of Salem, Oregon, has graciously agreed to serve as band secretary Pro Tem. Welcome, Paula!!

The board wishes to express its sincere gratitude to Ron Castaner for his donation of a pair of Gouldian finches to last year's NFSS raffle winner, Jim DiDonato of Florida. Many thanks, Ron!!

And, finally, the 2002 Regional NFSS Shows are:

Region 1 Baltimore Bird Fanciers
Region 2 Aviary and Cage Bird Society of South Florida
Region 3 National Institute of Red-Orange Canaries and Other Cage Birds
Region 4 Fort Worth Bird Club
Region 5 Rocky Mountain Society of Aviculture
Region 6 (pending)
Region 7 Asociaction De Criadores De Finches del Este
Region 8 Essex-Kent Cage Bird Society

Respectfully submitted
Patrick Vance, Acting Secretary

Last modified: July 07, 2002
Copyright © 1999 National Finch and Softbill Society