Minutes

Meeting of the Society of Professional Journalists, Valley of the Sun Pro Chapter

May 9, 2020, 10 a.m., via Zoom

Started: 10:04 a.m.

Attendees: Tim Eigo, Deb Krol, Mark Scarp, Teri Carnicelli and Robert Leger …  Guest: Josh Weiss, 10to1 Public Relations

Opening

• Secretary’s report and approval of minutes from Jan. 25, 2020 – unanimously approved
• Treasurer’s report – Our investments took a serious hit this last quarter, but are on their way back up, Teri reports. Teri will have quarterly reports and other information for our annual report to Tim this week. Tim says that will be OK, as the deadline for annual reports has been extended by national HQ.

Old Business

• Canceled: SPJ Region 11 conference, Honolulu, March 20-21, 2020 (http://www.hawaiispj.org/News/1119conferencenewsletter.html)
• Chapter e-newsletter– content ideas always welcome
• SPJ chapter annual report – It’s due June 19 (and we can request a waiver of the financial review by 3 members until after EIJ20: https://www.spj.org/annualreports.asp)
• ASU chapter – Deb reported confusion at HQ over their calling it “Cronkite chapter,” giving HQ staff mistaken belief that the ASU chapter no longer existed. It’s being straightened out.

New Business

• Publicity Summit update – The board held a one-hour discussion of possible options, including virtual means, for the 17^th annual Valley Publicity Summit, currently scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, at Barrett. the Honors College, at ASU in Tempe. Nothing was agreed to at this meeting. Robert will research meeting planners whom we would pay to put on Summit online in an effective, glitch-free manner. Teri will ask Patty Talahongva (her sister is a videographer) about recording video presentations by journalists. Mark will gather this and other information and prepare a report for the board he will deliver in early June.
• Dubin Award nominees – Deb asks that if the board knows anyone who has been an excellent SPJ chapter member, to let her know quickly so a nomination can be put in. Deadline is nearing; Deb will email board with the exact date.
• June party and elections: June 20 is the Summer Solstice. Should we hold a Soiree? Board agreed to wait and watch to see if marketplace supports going out to eat. Announcement of event can wait until early June. Elections: An open Zoom meeting can be held with voting and virtual happy hour if we do not gather in person.

• Scholarship Update – Tim said he had no news. Right now we are looking at a question to put out there, but Tim doesn’t think he will have the time to come up with one and administer it.
• FOI Awards (determine honorees by mid-July, awarded in late September)
  • Silver Keys – Need three awardees
  • Phil Alvidrez Award – Teri needs to order three more trophies (even though one person is traditionally honored per year)
• Update from Region 11 and National HQ – Deb said we are all waiting on whether EIJ will be virtual or not. Region 11 conference was among last to be canceled, and Hawaii chapter was quite disappointed about it. If one is to be held in 2021, Hawaii should have right of first refusal to be host. (San Francisco was to be 2021 host before the pandemic, then us in 2022.)

PROPOSED NEXT MEETING: Saturday, July 11, 2020

Adjourned: 11:47 a.m. (1 hour, 43 minutes)

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary