MINUTES OF IPRN MADRID AGM APRIL 2001
Sunday, 22 April 2001
MEMBERS ATTENDING
The Chairman: LUCA Comunicación (Luis G. Canomanuel) - Spain
General Secretary: Nexus Choat (Jonathan Choat) - London, UK
Vice-chairman: Minerbi/Silveira Comunicación Corporativa (Guido Minerbi) - Argentina
c-matrix (Alfred Kocher) - Switzerland
Communicor (Anthony Hardingham) - France
Corporate Kudos (Geoff Drucker ) - Australia
Corporate Kudos (Inge Drucker) - Australia
Decitime (Yossi Lempkowicz) - Belgium
Dix & Eaton (Gary Wells) - Cleveland (Ohio) USA
Edson Evers (Keith Webb) - England
Harkonsalo & Vesa (Anne Harkonsalo) - Finland
Harkonsalo & Vesa (Karry Vesa) - Finland
Headline pr (Julia Lajos) - Hungary
Headline pr (María Kélemen) - Hungary
Information and Communication (Barbara Fleetwood) - Sweden
Item Communicaçao (Laura Gonçalves) - Brazil
Jan Prusak Communication Consulting (Jan Prusak) – Czech Republic
JP: PR PR-Beratung GmbH (Denés Széchényi) - Germany
Mary Crotty Public Relations (Mary Crotty) - Ireland
Oxigen (Claude Sauber) - Luxemburg
Perego & Solera (Jeanne Perego) - Italy
PRx (Steve Mangold) - San José CA - USA
The Maggi Fox Consultancy (Maggi Bonner Fox) - London, UK
TL Kommunikation APs (Uffe Lindum) - Denmark
- Welcome to the 21 agencies (24 participants) in attendance
2. An introduction to the VI IPRN AGM was made by the Chairman, Luis G. Canomanuel, highlighting some points:
- Permanent changes make knowledge transfer and exchange of ideas the most important reason behind the existence of IPRN
- The balance between new recruitment and members that have left is positive. Quality over number on member incorporations is preferred.
- **New members are to have a member as mentor/sponsor, responsible to do a follow up on this member once in IPRN.
- Necessity for awareness on the fact that Committees are the only way to make progress in IPRN
- A better communication system between members has been achieved
- Reminder of the main aim of the AGM meetings: to share information and know each other better
- The need to include new proactive members
- Apologies for absence of 10 members
Herman Verkroost - Holland
Ellis Kopel - UK
Roar Moll - Norway
Barbara Dickens - Zimbabwe
Sadri Barrage - Saudi Arabia
Alex Mendez - Mexico
Rami Naori - Israel
Annekatrin Koch - Germany
Mike Stringer - USA
Andrea Von Beckerath - Germany
Elisabeth Babnik - Austria
- Approval of vote by proxy submitted by Barbara Dickens for Jonathan Choat
5. Approval of minutes for Cleveland AMG proposed by Gary Wells, seconded by Maggi Bonner Fox; approved by the majority present and signed by the Chairman
6. Financial matters
6.1.Guido Minerbi moved for approval of accounts year ending 31.12.2000; Keith Webb seconded; majority approved and Chairman signed
6.2.Budgets year 2001: Maggi Bonner Fox proposed the approval of budgets and subscriptions for year ending 31.12.2001. Jeanne Perego seconded. The motion was approved by the majority present
6.3.Any special items for budget year 2002
Discussion on billing members who do not attend the AMG:
- Proposal 1. Made by Jonathan Choat: A sum of 200 £ should be included in each member’s subscription for the year which will be set against their cost of attendance at the annual conference /AGM. This sum is not returnable in the event that the member does not attend the AGM in which case the sum of 200 £ is used against the cost of each attending member. Maggi Bonner Fox seconded. This proposal was approved by the majority.
- Proposal 2. Made by Maggi Bonner Fox, seconded by Mary Crotty : The agency managing the AGM Conference should charge the IPRN 1000 £ defray the cost of their time and administration. Majority approved.
Last day discussion on Financial relation between members concluded with the agreement to modify point 6 on the Guidelines to be observed by all IPRN members for professional conduct between them, as follows:
The member receiving a commission, may pay an optional negotiated percentage of up to10% of the fee element involved in a job, for each and every client, to the commissioning member, if this agreed in writing between them at the time of commissioning. However......
7. General Secretary´s report concludes as follows:
- Email will be the major form of communication throughout the network in the future
- Payment of fees should be in sterling pounds where possible, and paid by the due date, unless alternative arrangements are made
- An estimate of the time and load of work of the General Secretary will be presented in November with the budgets for year 2002
- Request updated membership list from all members this will be sent quarterly
- Members that left IPRN in 2000-2001 were:
MSG (Carlos de Sousa) – Portugal
E.V. & Associates (Eva Veloudakis) - Greece
MKM Marketinginstitut (Michael Rink) - Germany
PR Fabrik Grublt (Peter Düll) - Germany
The Foristall Company (Tom Curtis) – USA
HB – Pres (Wilhelm Börke) - Germany
White Public Relations Co. (Hajime Nonaka) - Japan
- Overall administrative costs will be controlled and if possible reduced
8. Election of Officers
Appointment of Jonathan Choat as General Secretary was proposed by Maggi Bonner Fox , seconded by Karry Vesa and approved by the majority
Appointment of administration committee: Luis G. Canomanuel proposed adding a new member due to Ellis Kopel´s situation. A committee comprising Keith Webb , Maggi Bonner Fox , Jonathan Choat, Guido Minerbi and the Chairman was approved.
Appointment of auditors: Jonathan Choat proposed a new auditor: Carringtons. The motion was seconded by Inge Drucker and approved by the meeting.
9. Results and conclusions of the IPRN members’ survey “How we see it. What we will like it to be” were discussed. The survey and conclusions presented can be seen in the IPRN website.
- Committee reports
10.1. Approval of a number of amendments to the Constitution proposed by Maggi Bonner Fox, seconded by Guido Minerbi and approved by majority, as follows:
-The President figure is eliminated and the functions taken over by the Chairman
-Members shall pay in advance the whole year’s subscription, deleting in all document references to the possibility of payment by quarter
-Reference to means of communicating change from “in writing by post” to “in writing by post, email or fax”
-The General Secretary to update and amend the Constitution and re-issue to all members
10.2. Approval of amendments to the document Guidelines to be observed by all IPRN members for professional conduct between them took place with the proposal by Maggi Bonner Fox, seconded by Gary Wells; approved by majority.
-Liason: members will place an update on their agency on the website intranet each quarter by 1st December; 1st March; 1st June and 1st September
-Competition: Membership of other network is approved as long as this is made known to the General Secretary for evaluation.
Maggi Bonner Fox proposal that all members should meet these guidelines as a condition for membership was seconded by Steve Mangold and approved by the majority.
The General Secretary to update and amend the Guidelines and re-issue to all members
10.3.GS presented a proposal from Hallmark for a pan African membership scheme that gave way to a discussion on fees for members of developing countries.
The proposal from Hallmark for the pan African membership year 2001 was proposed by Geoff Drucker , seconded by Maggi Bonner Fox and approved by majority.
10.4.The subject of an entry fee for new members was postponed for the 2002 AMG. The Recruitment committee should make a proposal within 3 months of the actual AGM to vote on.
10.5.Denés Széchényi proposed that the members of the network be the Companies, which have to name a representative. This motion was seconded by Uffe Lindum and approved. Amends in the constitution will be made to include this change (cf 10.1. above).
10.6.A discussion arose on regional meetings. The final conclusions were that Chairman and General Secretary have to be informed of contents and all members invited to attend.
10.7.The official language for communication and administration in IPRN is English.
10.8.Committees
- All previous committees remain
- The Policy Committee to include the past Chairmen and to include Gary Wells.
- The Recruitment Committee to include “membership” topics. Jan Prusak joins this committee
10.9.400£ will be refunded to those founding members who claim for this refund.
10.10.Other policy issues discussed without proposals:
- Attendance at AGM considered very important. Remaining in Guidelines and Constitution the same.
- Conference costs arrangements to be informed by organizer with cancellation costs.
11. Recruitment: reports from Chairman of Regional Committees.
11.1. Western Europe. Alfred Köcher.
A) New members recruited as of 03/01:
-JP:PR . Düsseldorf and Frankfurt
-Focus Communications Consulting GmbH, Vienna
-Communication Consulting, Prague
-First Public Relations, Warsaw
B) Other countries in process with special experience in Technology and Pharmaceutics; Healthcare; Investor Relations.
11.2 Eastern Europe. Anne Harkonsalo.
-First PR in Poland recruited.
-In Russia recruiting a member currently.
-In Estonia an agency rejected to join because of expensive fees.
11.3. Latin America. Guido Minerbi presented a report on Latin America and concluded the targets should be Chile, Peru, Uruguay and perhaps Venezuela. It was agreed most agencies in these countries without English as a second language should be recruited.
Currently agencies have been recruited in Mexico and Brasil.
11.4. North America – Gary Wells presented the North America Membership Commission Report, concluding that:
- Two agencies with requisite capabilities in consumer products and health services have been contacted.
- Allowing agencies to belong to different networks will help recruiting in North America (cf 10.2.).
11.5. Asia Pacific. Geoff Drucker concluded his report stating priorities for recruitment will be in Singapore, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
11.6 Middle East. Jonathan Choat presents the results:
-Headline PR has been recruited.
-Countries that are considered as priority are Saudi Arabia, United Arabic Republic and Lebanon are covered by Headline.
-No further recruitment required.
11.7 Future actions plans.
- Gaps on specific areas within a country should try to be covered with new members. In case there is already an agency in that country, the referral procedure will be followed as in the Constitution.
- Members agreed to make the effort to bring in a new member. Luis G. Canomanuel asked IPRN members to follow this line.
11.8 Appointment of Regional Committee Chairman:
-Western Europe: Alfred Kocher
-Eastern Europe: Anne Harkonsalo
-Latin America: Guido Minerbi
-North America: Gary Wells
-Asia Pacific: Geoff Drucker
-Coordinatory Recruitment Chairman: Jonathan Choat
12. Project of the year. 6 candidates will be presented in this conference:
-Commitment and participation is asked of all members.
-Members are requested to prepare scripts of past years presentations and submit to Geoff Drucker.
-Luis G. Canomanuel invites other members to join the project of the year committee. Geoff Drucker and Mary Crotty accepted.
- Marketing
13.1. Review of IPRN website was presented by Geoff Drucker, responding to various issues:
- Client list update is responsibility of each member.
- Members are encouraged to post news, which will be monitored by Geoff Drucker (cf also 10.2.).
- Members should facilitate a list of the important related media companies of each country.
- A new list for interesting links will be included.
- Members are asked to include in their websites a link to the IPRN website.
13.2.Members information
- Intranet has all the information on each member.
- The majority of members present prefer to have their client by markets/skills matrix list on the IPRN website in the “Find an Agency” section. Members who DO NOT want their client list on the web have to inform G. Drucker inmediately.
13.3. Other publicity/ reference sources
-Discussion and ideas on the website continue.
-Copyright: Ex-members should be instructed in writing to not use any reference to IPRN.
-No Advertising should be taken Hollis, O’Dwyers to support IPRN next year.
13.4. Members are requested to review the document International Public Relations Network. Briefing notes and contribute with suggestions in order to use this document as presentation of IPRN on the website. This is particularly relevant to the first “Homepage”.
13.5. Instead of having all members vote on new membership, if there is no objection perceived by the General Secretary notice within 14 days of the notice it is understood that the new member is agreed.
13.6. Goeff Drucker was voted as Chairman of Marketing Committee. Steve Mangold and Denés Széchényi to join the marketing committee.
- Policy
14.1. The following Policy Committee was elected and agreed for the future:
The Chairman for the year ahead (2001/2): Guido Minerbi.
The Past Chairman (2000/1): Luis G. Canomanuel.
The General Secretary: Jonathan Choat and Gary Wells.
15. Buenos Aires as venue for 2002 AGM was confirmed. In order to complete the AGM content proposals should be sent to Guido Minerbi to complete an agenda. The dates of the conference were agreed as Friday 19th –Wednesday 24th April 2002
- AGM 2003 was voted to be in Luxembourg. Claude Sauber is elected as vice-Chairman. Proposals for next AGM to be presented by:
-Mary Crotty in Dublin
-Alfred Kocher in Switzerland
-Julia Lajos in Hungary
- No further business: the AGM closed.