Young Professionals Network
Board Policies
Introduction: The Young Professionals Network is an organization of the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, which operates under the Community Relations Division.
I. Mission Statement
The Santa Rosa Young Professionals Network is the premier organization dedicated to developing our community’s current and future business leaders.
II. Board Selection and Terms
A. Board Member Terms
Board members shall serve a term of three (3) years. No board member shall serve more than six (6) years total. If a board member is chair in his/her sixth year as a board member, then that individual will remain on the board as the immediate past chair (a seventh year) as an ex-officio board member.
B. Vacancies
There will be 12 to 16 board members, but no more than 16. If there is a board member vacancy that needs to be filled in the middle of a term, then that vacancy will be filled by an appointment made by the current board chair at the next following board meeting. At that board meeting, the board will vote to approve the recommended replacement board member. Once approved, the replacement board member will be instated to fill the remainder of the vacated board member’s term.
C. Nominating Committee
The nominating committee will consist of the Chamber Board Chair, the Current YPN Board Chair, the YPN Chair Elect, the YPN Immediate Past Chair and the YPN Staff Liaison. They are responsible for nominating to the board the following years Chair Elect, as well as nominating the applicants for the following year’s board member vacancies. The board at large will have an opportunity to recommend potential board members and to discuss the nominations. The nominating committee shall meet every October to have the process completed by the end of November, at which time the YPN board will take a vote to approve the list of new board members. The list of recommended board members shall be subject to the approval of the Chamber’s Executive Committee or the Chamber Board, per Chamber policies.
III. Board Responsibilities
A. Respect our Mission Statement
B. Attend the installation dinner
C. Attend at least 8 of 12 board meetings a year
D. Attend 50% of all YPN events (minimum 11 events annually)
E. Be an active member of a board subcommittee
F. Be an effective ambassador who reflects positively upon our Chamber
G. Demonstrate loyalty to our board and organization
H. Actively recruit new members
I. Maintain timely payment of organization dues
J. Make membership calls as requested
K. Be familiar with our Chamber bylaws
L. Maintain employee/owner Chamber membership of good standing
M. Use our board contact information for the purposes of Chamber business; do not use proprietary Chamber/YPN membership information for purposes beyond the scope of our board
N. Identify organization improvements
If a board member is not able to uphold their responsibilities, they will be asked to step off the board.
IV. Board Subcommittee Responsibilities
A. BigWig Lunch
The BigWig Lunch committee should consist of 2-3 current board members. The goal of the committee is to coordinate six (6) lunch events annually (one every other month), unless otherwise directed by the board. Each lunch will highlight a local "BigWig", or successful member of the community who has managed to incorporate his/her passion into a successful career. Our members will be able to listen to these "BigWigs" and learn from their experiences. The size of the audience should be limited and appropriate to the speaker in an effort to keep the event intimate, with easy access to the message.
B. Morning Buzz Groups
The Morning Buzz Group committee should consist of 2-3 current board members. The goal of the committee is to present our members with the chance to network with other members on a more personal level. They are responsible for breaking down our membership list into smaller groups where our members can focus on truly establishing community partnerships through cross-industry communication as they meet during a morning hour.
C. Educational Lunch
The Educational Lunch committee should consist of 2-3 current board members. The goal of the committee is to provide edifying opportunities for our members to learn valuable information that would enhance their professional and personal well being, as well as their community relations. This committee is responsible for putting on six (6) luncheons annually (one every other month), unless otherwise directed by the board. Our programs should contribute to the quality of life our members maintain, through informative workshops/ lunch seminars.
D. Social Committee
The Social committee should consist of at 2-3 current board members. The goal of the committee is to facilitate networking opportunities for our members in a social setting. This committee is responsible for three main priorities: 1) putting on 11 BASHes (Business Aficionado Social Hours) per year (one of which may be in conjunction with a Chamber After Hours Business Mixer); 2) a signature event which will take the place of that month's BASH; 3) other casual get-togethers on an as needed basis, unless otherwise directed by the board. Recognizing that many business relationships can begin as friendships, these events should provide a venue where friendships and networking can be fostered.
E. Public Relations
The Public Relations Committee should consist of at 1-2 current board members. The goal of this committee is to create and maintain positive media exposure for the Santa Rosa Young Professionals Network (YPN). This includes covering all events with timely press releases and photos, providing fresh public relations content for the YPN website and seeking additional opportunities to inform our target demographics about the benefits of, and what's going on with YPN.
F. Philanthropic
The Philanthropy Committee should consist of 1-2 current board members. The goal of this committee is to offer philanthropic opportunities where our members can contribute their time for betterment of the community. Philanthropy events should not focus on fundraising, but rather on our members spending quality time enhancing the community in which we live.
V. Quorum
A. A quorum shall be 50% + 1 of the existing YPN Board members
VI. Voting
A. Motions will be approved by 50% + 1 of the attending YPN Board members; a quorum is required for voting.
VII. Finances
A. The finances and budget of the YPN are monitored by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce’s Finance Committee.