Fall 2013 Semi-Annual Report
NAI Region 5 – The Heartland Region
Member Services
Workshops: NAI region 5 did not hold a regional workshop in 2012 due to being the host region for the National Interpreters Workshop in 2011 at Saint Paul, MN. The 2013 workshop took place in Aurora, NE from April 3 – 6. The 2014 workshop will be in Rockford, IL April 2-5. Venue contract is complete and there is a full committee in place. Many committee members for Rockford attended the NE workshop to give a short presentation on the 2014 event. The 2015 workshop is scheduled for Ames, IA in April 2015 and Lewis Major and Heather Hucka have been organizing that. A workshop committee is in place and a site selected. A venue contract is now being completed.
Newsletter: Our newsletter, The Buffalo Bull, has been going out regularly on schedule thanks to Lily Jensen who remains our newsletter editor. Each issue contains a variety of regular and timely contributions and Lily maintains a fresh look with new color themes and art while maintaining the “Bull” look.
Web Presence: Trish Greninger remains as our web master and has kept the regional web site up to date in a very timely fashion. The board continues to work to determine other possible offerings. Some information gaps remain to be addressed but these are going to be placed on a priority list. Corrections and additions to the site are processed almost immediately by the web master.
Elections: Regional Deputy Director and Secretary were up for election in this cycle. The sitting Deputy Director and Secretary both ran for second terms and ran unopposed. We continue to struggle to fill election slates with more than one candidate per position but recruitment efforts continue and the new draft strategic plan addresses this issue.
Budget
Treasurer Reports: Draft budget for 2014 previously submitted. The region operated at a loss for 2013 and has a projected loss for 2014 depending on the financial outcome of the 2014 workshop. The 2013 workshop failed to produce sufficient revenue due, in part, to some shortcomings in the planning process and failure of board oversight. These issues have been addressed with regard to board procedures and a heavily revised workshop manual is in draft by the Deputy Director. The current board believes the issues that arose leading up to, during, and following the Nebraska workshop are not going to be repeated
Projects
Strategic Plan: A draft of a new strategic plan has been completed and a review and vote on it by the regional board is pending.
Regional Policies and Procedures Manuals: Dialog continues regarding updating the policies and procedures to align with the new national by-laws, standardize some language, and to include some items previously missing such as one of the regional awards that was intended to mirror the NAI President’s Award. This work has been slowed while dealing with other regional issues.
Executive Board and Leadership Council: Region 5 currently has a complete board. Recently the Regional Treasurer resigned and an acting replacement has been identified and appointed by the Director to fill the remainder of that term. Recruiting for treasurer for the next election cycle is beginning although it is early. The Leadership Council is nearly complete with all but Manitoba and Nebraska representatives in place, and of course, Nunavut.
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