Minutes
Minutes
Board of Directors Meeting
Colorado Springs, CO
May 2-3, 2003
*The Meeting—held in the Silver Room of the USOC Athlete Center at Colorado Springs—was called to order at 6 p.m. by President Sheri Pittman. Other Board members present: Tawny Banh, Tim Boggan, Bob Fox, Tong Lee, Robert Mayer, Jimmy McClure, Hank McCoullum, Barney Reed, Todd Sweeris, and Jiing Wang. Board members absent: George Brathwaite and Eric Owens. Present, representing Headquarters, were Executive Director Doru Gheorghe; Director of Programs Debbie Moya; Accountant Deborah Gray; Administrative Coordinator Chris McCartney; and Intern Tommy Perkins. Also present were USATT Pro Bono Attorney Dennis Taylor and USATT Magazine Editor/Webmaster/Club Programs Director Larry Hodges.
*Sheri opened the Meeting by introducing Chris Vadela and Leslie Gamez who often work together on USOC Sports Partnerships matters, and who were soon to address us regarding the Membership and Credentials Report being submitted to the USOC on our Board’s governance of the Sport.
*Asked for a statement on the Minutes, Tim replied that they were all up-to-date (later he would call attention to the two instances on the web where a Board member who’d not voted was said to have abstained; this was incorrect, and it was agreed the changes would be made).
*Sheri oriented Chris and Leslie with her President’s Report that briefly emphasized such USATT preoccupations as clearly delegated Lines of Authority…in order to better continue implementing the Board’s Intentions/Plans…that would be in compliance with USOC restructuring guidelines. Case in point: the commendation we received from our USOC Auditor, Waugh Associates, for successfully implementing all their prior recommendations. Thanks go to Treasurer Tong Lee and especially to Deborah Gray, the professional we hired whom Waugh agreed improved our accounting records. Sheri then briskly walked us through her many presidential peregrinations this past year so that we could see where and how in the line of duty she’d represented the USATT.
*Treasurer Tong Lee presented his 2002 Fiscal Year Financial Report. Revenues were $1,203,313 and expenses were $1,070,426, resulting in a net change in assets of $132,887. Of these, $117,300 was derived from grants from USOC and El Pomar Foundation for the purchase of a 17% equity share of a building at which USATT headquarters is now located. Net total assets, defined as total assets less total liabilities increased from $38,335 to $171,222 during the year. Although a mistake was found in our Accountant’s reporting (since explained, understood, and corrected), the USOC Auditor noted that “USATT has strengthened internal controls and it appears they are on track to rebuilding their reserves.” Tong is therefore pleased to report that “we have our financial operations well under control.”
*Chris then began his presentation (later, Leslie would offer an occasional assist). As he was going to be critical of us, he had to admit that the USOC itself had been going through some turmoil (Lloyd Ward, for example, the CEO who’d addressed us at our Board Meeting in Nov., 2001, was gone, no longer with the USOC). Under Jim Scherr, Chief of Overall Sport Performance, the USOC had a new mantra: Athletes First. The USOC Mission Statement was all about athletes achieving “sustained competitive excellence”—hence partnering with NGBs to achieve that end was very important. The USOC was going to be “a much better organization,” said Chris, for, focusing on Task Force recommendations, we’ve “cut, refocused, streamlined” our approach—most notably by urging that USOC Committees and Board members be drastically reduced. To everyone at the table it was clear that the USOC priority was winning medals, and that it was our task to put a system in place that might allow us to do that. “Every World Championship,” said Chris, as if he thought we thought winning medals was too dauntingly far in the future and needed encouragement, “is to be a pipeline for future achievement.”
*Chris then began to speak of how he wanted to deliver a strong message to the Board. We were not to underestimate the Membership and Credentials Committee’s concerns. We had to continue to prove to the USOC we were capable of administering the Sport—for, as they’d shown with NRA, they had the power to decertify and with Boxing appoint their own Executive Director. Fortunately, Chris and Leslie were extremely pleased with Doru and with his 3-year guaranteed contract. Indeed, said Chris, given the USATT’s recent turnovers of EDs, if we’d not hired Doru, the USOC would have considered us very close to being decertified and would have suspended our payments. As it is, however, though not granting us at the moment the programs and services of the Olympic Training Center in San Diego, they are releasing our May quarterly check.
Since Chris welcomed discussion, Hank persisted in questioning just how serious was our situation, was something unsaid being said here? Well, replied Chris, first there were the Audit problems—which your Accountant Deborah has done a great job fixing. Then of course the ED turnovers—but since Doru is so new to the job and we’ve confidence in him, we’re willing to give him at the outset considerable latitude; we know he’s needed at the World’s and afterwards must deal with some personal matters in Romania. What bothers us is that the USATT has no long-term Strategic Plan in place. The pages and pages presented as such weren’t at all meaningful. As Jimmy was replying sotto voce, “They were pipedreams,” Larry broke in to say, “It wasn’t a working document—there was no implementation for any plan.”
In response to more questioning by Hank who still feared unsaid repercussions, Chris said decertification was a long, drawn out process, and he did not want to start that. This exchange prompted Dennis, concerned about ample USOC feedback, to ask if he could have documents pertaining to such policies and procedures. Of course, said Chris in closing—and sample Strategic Plans from other NGBs if we wanted them.
Sheri thanked Chris and Leslie for speaking with us, and reminded them to inform Credentials and Memberships of the positive steps that the USATT has been taking: the hiring of Doru and the termination of the debilitating Oakbrook contract; the outsourcing of our Ratings; the unanimity with which we voted in our new V.P., Bob Fox; the positive cash flow we now have, and no criticisms from our most recent audit; the Continental Federation money given us for camps; the Paddle Palace support for our on-line League; and the success of our girls in qualifying for the World Junior Championships. These suggest our Association is very much alive, not moribund.
*After taking a short break that coincided with Chris and Leslie’s departure, the Board resumed its Meeting with a report from Jimmy.
*Jimmy gave his USOC and NGB Council Reports. The USOC was becoming “streamlined,” as Chris had said, but Jimmy and others felt the paring down of Board members and committees was much too drastic. How, he argued, can the USOC run things with just 9 Board members, however diverse their experience, and with only 4 committees?” Jimmy thought highly of Robert G. Marbut, Jr., the former mayor of San Antonio, and now the Chair of the National Governing Bodies Council. Everyone should recognize that the NGBs are the workhorses of the USOC. After all, the NGBs have the athletes 47 out of the 48 months in the quadrennium; the USOC only 1 month.
*Tim, as Second Delegate to the ITTF Annual General Meeting in Paris, was willing to share his sentiments as to how the USA representative (First Delegate was Aly Salam) ought to vote on the Propositions and Resolutions facing him in Paris. After a discussion of various Propositions on Law changes, service rules, and whether, as China proposed, play should revert to the 21-point game format (the Board, though somewhat divided, was against that), Tim’s time was up, and it was tacitly agreed that the Paris Delegate use his own best judgment.
*Barney presented his Olympic Training Center Report—had with him a map of the Chula Vista Center and an architect’s drawing of the table tennis facility he proposed there. He pointed out that Stan and Olga Kahan, on visiting the area, liked the idea of a permanent table tennis facility with its public Olympic pathway leading to a Table Tennis Hall of Fame, and that perhaps their recommendation would be helpful in securing a sponsor. Dennis asked, “Suppose we get the looked for $5 million from a sponsor, what assurance do we have that the USOC will say o.k.?” “Well,” said Barney, “we may well have this window of opportunity now. And, if so, we ought to act. Of course we have to go through the USOC, but would they turn us down?”
*Hank, in his Grassroots Collegiate Committee Report, urged that USOC training centers—such as the Chula Vista one that could provide “residency and in-state tuition”—would be very helpful to “USATT elite athletes whose career paths require that they attend college.” At our May Meeting a year ago, Sheri urged that ways be found for the USATT and the NCTTA to work cooperatively together. But, said Hank, this is easier said than done. First, the USATT needs to draft a minimum standards document before it considers partnering itself with such student organizations. This year Hank’s committee cooperatively “coordinated the activities of the ACUI and NCTTA so that their tournament events would occur concurrently [at the same University of Pennsylvania site],” thus minimizing costs and travel time. Emphasis continues to be placed on acquiring more USATT members among college players.
*There was momentary discussion regarding the SARS epidemic in China and any possible repercussions that might have on the World Championships in Paris. Bob Fox was well aware that players and officials had to be assured that security precautions were being taken (and he would later propose appropriate motions to that effect).
*Eric Owens was originally going to give a short Elite Athlete’s Report, but as he wasn’t attending, Tawny filled in for him. No doubt the players about to leave for the World’s, Tawny included (after listening to Bob Fox and Jiing Wang on SARS), had some short-term second thoughts about Security. But the long-term questions remained for all Elite Athletes seeking career milestones. Where could they cluster-train? Where could they compete? How could they subsist, and for how long? What could the USATT offer its best hopes for 2012 and beyond medal winners—its most promising younger players? What assurances could be made, if any, if both these players and their parents agreed to make sacrifices? What future awaited them?
*George Brathwaite sent in his Northeast Region League Report, in which he speaks of a single elimination tournament for his League players “scheduled for June 28-29, 2003 at the beautiful Riverbank State Park facilities in upper Manhattan, New York.”
*Debra’s waited patiently that she might this evening rather than on the morrow answer any questions we have as she goes over her Financial Report (including Statements of the Association’s Financial Positions as of Dec. 31, 2002 and Mar. 31, 2003, as well as Actual vs. Budgeted Income and Expense from January through March, 2003). I recall no difficulties in following this Report, and only a few questions, such as “We cleared how much at the last National’s—$27,000? or “Accounts currently payable—that’s $28,000?” Certain that USTTA accounting records have never been as clean as they are now, Tong and all of us thanked Debra for her professionalism.
*Adjournment.
*Saturday’s session—again held in the Silver Room—was called to order at 9 a.m. by President Pittman. Other Board members present: Banh, Boggan, Fox, Lee, Mayer, McClure, McCoullum, Reed, Sweeris, and Wang. Absent Board members: Brathwaite and Owens. Also present were Dennis, Doru, and Larry—but as the Board would be in Executive Session Doru and Larry were asked to leave.
*Following the Executive Session, Larry Hodges presented sheets of succinct, well-ordered Reports that (Vision; Goal; Plan; Status; Recommendations) spoke for themselves with regard to the Magazine, Web Page, Larry’s USATT League, and his Club Programs. Magazine ad revenues were way up, and the hope was that, though non-table tennis advertising was difficult to come by, newsstand sales might be possible in a few years (the magazine is now on sale at amazon.com). As for the USATT Web page, professional improvements there too might raise the hits considerably, especially with the success of the upcoming USATT League. Were the League very successful, the USATT membership would grow to numbers heretofore not considered possible. It’s a must that Larry be appointed League Director. Larry hopes that USATT club growth can be greatly stimulated by an association with Bally’s fitness centers. “There are over 400 Bally’s in the U.S., and nearly all have a large room, mostly for aerobics, with room for 5-8 tables. The rooms are essentially never used after 7PM, Mon.-Fri, and have many openings on weekends and during the day as well.” Larry’s working on plans to have regular seminars to train professional coaches in the business of coaching, and thinks Bally’s would be a perfect match as a place for these professional coaches to coach at. Larry has a vision of full-time table tennis centers with leagues and junior programs springing up all around the country, and to that end will prepare a Primer on how to establish such a center and make it work. No one could doubt that Larry has the knowledge and the energy to pursue these tasks.
In conjunction with Larry’s League discussion, Robert Mayer passed out a paper he wrote that detailed how the USATT might expand their membership offerings to produce growth. History will bear out Robert’s contention that “our membership and its associated services is centered almost exclusively around the tournament player.” What we need do, says Robert, is “meet the needs of the common ‘basement’ player.” Robert’s aware that t.t. players are notorious in some circles for being “cheapskates” (USTTA President Zeisberg called them that back in the 1930’s). Although now the USATT, of all the USOC NGBs, has the lowest membership fee ($30), Robert says, Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do, and proposes a substantially lower 1-tournament only (1 copy of the magazine only) fee—call it an Associate fee—of $12 (additional tournaments $7). An idea that apparently needed time for digestion.
(Lunch Break)
Time now for Motions.
After some momentary discussion as to whether such a listing was really necessary:
*MOTION I: Moved that the Board implement a Standing Rule to highlight, in a separate list in the Ranking section of the USATT magazine, the Olympic Eligible players.
Proposed by Barney Reed; seconded by Robert Mayer.
Passed: 11-0.
Hank, in passing, made the point that regardless of whether we’re moving motions at a Meeting table or via e-mail we ought to follow Robert’s Rules of Order consistently. Regarding e-mail procedures, the following correction was needed: a “move to amend the time-frames for discussion and voting,” and a “move to table consideration of a motion” require “the affirmative vote” of, not 75% of all Board members to pass, but just a simple majority. The Board decided it didn’t want a 60-day moratorium on e-mail voting, so…
*MOTION II: Moved that the Board continue its e-mail voting procedure pending adoption of a By-Law amendment to that effect.
Proposed by Jiing Wang, seconded by Hank McCoullum.
Passed: 11-0.
*MOTION III: Moved that we accept the Proposed Sexual Harassment Policy.
Proposed by Barney Reed; seconded by Jimmy McClure.
Passed: 11-0
*MOTION IV: Moved that the Board accept the Proposed Revisions in our Financial Policies and Procedures Manual. (One signature, not two, now required for all check disbursements; and obligations of the Financial Manager/Bookkeeper spelled out. Also, additions to Table of Contents in 1.5.)
Proposed by Tong Lee; seconded by Todd Sweeris.
Passed: 11-0.
*MOTION V: Moved that the Board accept the Proposed Revision in our Expense Reimbursements. (Revision: Expenses must be submitted no later than 60 days and during the same calendar year in which they occurred, or 30 days after year-end for accurate budget reporting. Expenses submitted more than 60 days after they are incurred, or 30 days after year-end may not be processed.
Proposed by Tong Lee; seconded by Todd Sweeris.
Passed: 11-0.
*MOTION VI: Moved that the Board accept a Change in our Vacation Leave Policy #504 for both Exempt and Non-Exempt Employees.
Proposed by Tong Lee; seconded by Bob Fox.
Passed: 11-0.
*MOTION VII: Moved that the Board implement the ITTF/USATT Rating Conversion Chart prepared by Barney D. Reed, subject to revision by the USATT Rating Committee.
Proposed by Barney Reed; seconded by Hank McCoullum.
Passed: 11-0.
*MOTION VIII: Moved that the motions and votes of the Board shall be published on the USATT’s web page within five (5) days of the closing of the vote; and that the minutes of Board meetings, reflecting the motions and votes therein, shall be published on the USATT’s web page within forty-five (45) days of adjournment.
Proposed by Tim Boggan; seconded by Barney Reed.
Passed: 11-0.
*There’s a hiatus between Motions now—just as Dhiren Narotam comes in for a visit that, sorry, is immediately aborted, and as Barney D. Reed recuses himself, since a discussion is about to take place on his son, USTTA-suspended Barney J. Reed. Dennis gives a History of the events involving Barney, Jr since July 6, 2001 when his urine test showed he’d ingested a banned substance. Barney was suspended for two years, appealed, then played tournaments, won money in them while his appeal was being taken up. On Apr. 22, 2002 the Arbitration went against Barney and he was ordered to pay back all the prize money he’d won in that July-April interim. A July 26 letter from the then USATT ED Ray Essick to the USOC said the USATT was enforcing the penalties and that they pertained to both domestic and international play (a challengeable point). At a Dec. 17, 2002 hearing, Barney Jr.’s request to have the suspension reinvestigated was denied by the Arbiter, for Barney, Jr. hadn’t protested within the necessary 21 days. The cost of the arbitration—for the Arbiter and Barney, Jr.’s legal fees—was $5,832. This was likely too quickly paid by the USATT, for steps should have been taken to see if the USOC would have paid these fees (in fact, such steps might yet be taken?). Barney might still appeal, but as his case stands now, if he pays back the prize money he’ll be reinstated July 6.
*Tawny had to leave the Meeting shortly after 4 p.m.
* Tim brought up the Rudermans’ request that the USATT help support the 17 different shows of “Table Tennis Beyond Imagination” (Highlights of Pro Tour and World Cup play, for example) that Gary’s produced for the Tennis Channel. Each show would be viewed four times within one week, and 30-second ad spots were available to the USATT rather cheaply considering the many millions of viewers there’d be. Surely this was a great chance to publicize our Association and its benefits.
On the other hand, it was thought that spending USATT general funds on TV advertisements was not worth the financial outlay. And, as Tong said, there’s no sense in the USATT spending money when the contract we have with Butterfly requires them to support such ads. Doru will work on getting Butterfly to advertise in broadcasts on the Tennis Channel of the 2002 or 2001 Pro Tour for which USATT has broadcast rights in the U.S.
*Mention was made of the continuing interchange between the USATT and the Palm Beach County Sports Institute in regard to Table Tennis’s place in the Institute’s Olympic Development Program.
*MOTION IX: Given Club Director Larry Hodges’ strong recommendation, the Board moved to rescind its Nov., 2002 elimination of the 15% commission to clubs for selling USATT memberships. The elimination of the commission was mentioned in the discussion of the 2003 Budget, and reflected in the Budget passed by the Board.
Proposed by Jiing Wang, seconded by Barney Reed.
Passed: 9-0 (Tawny now permanently absent; Sheri very briefly absent).
Mindful of Jiing and Bob’s comments on SARS, the Board passed the following motions:
*MOTION X: Moved that, due to the SARS epidemic, members of the U.S. Team shall be given the choice of going or not going to the 2003 Paris World Championships without jeopardizing their stipend, insurance coverage, or Athlete Agreement.
Proposed by Bob Fox; seconded by Todd Sweeris.
Passed: 10-0.
*MOTION XI: Moved that the USATT strongly encourage the ITTF to take aggressive measures to ensure the safety of all delegations (athletes, officials, supporters) at the 2003 Paris World Championships.
Proposed by Bob Fox; seconded by Todd Sweeris.
Passed: 10-0.
*The remainder of the Meeting was spent on defining the role of the ED and establishing three Board-driven committees and their priorities.
With regard to the ED, it was understood that anything to do with staff was his domain, he could act on his own, so long as it was within the Budget. If something he wanted was not within the Budget, he’d have to come to the Board for their approval.
As Board accountability was necessary, the following structure, with the following specific appointments, was put into place:
NOMINATING & GOVERNANCE/ DIRECTION/ STRATEGIC PLANNING
Scope: Sets expectations; vision, focus & mission; transparency; communication; ethics; setting of contingency plans; structural issues; succession planning; Board recruitment; Board orientation; role of magazine and website; plans for collaborating institutions (USOC, ITTF, NATTU, LATTU, China, international relations, community-based organizations), development of athletes, coaches, clubs, volunteers, staff; medal acquisition strategy; policy direction.
Chair: J. Wang. Members: R. Mayer, B. Reed. Athlete: E. Owens. (President)
AUDIT
Scope: Sets budget expectations, financial accountability, asset protection, revenue generation, financial management, selects independent auditors, communication & transparency, financial policies manual, long-range financial plan; ethics.
Treasurer:
T. Lee. Members: G. Brathwaite, J. McClure. Athlete: T. Sweeris. (President)
COMPENSATION/ COMMITMENT REVIEW/ OVERSIGHT
Scope: Selects, compensates &, responsible for his job description, evaluates ED; reviews By-Laws; legal compliance; brand protection; insurance; interfacing with other parties; accountability/liability; review standards; ensuring that the interests of USATT are represented; protection of health & security; legal & regulatory compliance; communication; oversight of magazine & website; standards of transparency and standards of confidentiality; disciplinary oversight (Board appeals); ethical oversight (setting standards for Ethics/Disciplinary).
Chair: H. McCoullum. Members: T. Boggan, B. Fox. Athlete: T. Bahn. (President)
Adjournment.
Respectfully submitted,
USATT Secretary,
Tim Boggan
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