President Howard Frank called the meeting to order at 10:05 am.
Attendance:
Ken Bloem (via conference call), John Capinera, Teresa DuChene, Howard Frank, Steve Lapointe (via conference call), Richard Mankin, Rob Meagher, David Oi, Stuart Reitz (via conference call), Lois Wood
Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes
Motion to approve the December 17 minutes, approved unanimously. In response to the Secretary’s postscript, H. Frank commented that Business Manager and Editor are not voting members of the Executive Committee.
Business Manager Report (Teresa DuChene) - written report on file
Financial report is current through February 28, 2003: Morgan Stanley $83,165.56, Bank of America $19,314.98 for total assets of $102,480.54.
We have seen a good start to 2003 as both full membership (185 vs. 213, respectively) and student membership (16 vs. 19, respectively) has increased from last year’s numbers. T. DuChene believed some of the increase was due to members requesting a hard copy of the Journal. However, library subscriptions were down from 167 last year to 83 this year.
The sales tax exempt status will expire in a few months and T. DuChene has already called the State of Florida to obtain the necessary paperwork for renewal.
T. DuChene has been working with R. Mankin toward the conversion of the present FE-5 database to a Microsoft Access database format.
The Annual meeting is on schedule.
Financial Report approved.
Computer Resources Committee (Richard Mankin)
H. Frank released the email voting results of the Executive Committee to allow Tom Walker to proceed with putting Florida Entomologist on PubMed Central on the condition that the added expenditures not exceed $50 per issue. The Executive Committee voted 7-1 in favor.
E. O. Painter successfully formatted Florida Entomologist files and sent them to BioOne.
Program Committee (Richard Mankin)
Four symposia are being organized by Steve Lapointe, Russ Mizell, Wayne Hunter, and Greg Wheeler. A wood-destroying organism workshop is also being organized. It was suggested to possibly include a fifth symposium focused on new products from the chemical industry.
Local Arrangements Committee (Steve Lapointe)
Poster boards and digital projectors will be needed for the Annual meeting. We usually rent boards from a company near Tampa, but they must be transported to the meeting and returned. Digital projectors will be donated by USDA (Ft. Pierce, Gainesville, and Tallahassee) and the University of Florida (Entomology and Nematology Dept.).
Honors and Awards (Ken Bloem)
The committee needs nominees for all awards by the June deadline. The Executive Committee recommended that a new award for a Regulatory Entomologist be announced and awarded. L. Wood will place an announcement in the next newsletter.
Newsletter (Lois Wood)
The February/March newsletter is on the website and has been mailed. Items for the May/June should be to L. Wood or E. Buss by late April.
Education Committee (R. Mankin for Jim Price)
Several volunteers provided excellent information to the public during the State Fair, although more volunteers will be needed for next year’s Fair. USDA (Gainesville) will be sending 6 judges to the State Science Fair in Jacksonville in April. They will present the FES awards. The committee will provide additional certificates for deserving student presentations with an entomological theme.
Caribbean Conference (H. Frank)
Venezuela as a possible meeting site has been eliminated. The committee will start to look at hotels in Miami or Miami Beach.
The next Executive Committee meeting is
tentatively scheduled for May 20th.
Adjourn 11:15 am
MINUTES PREPARED BY R. MEAGHER, SECRETARY.