SPJ: Phoenix, Arizona Chapter

Minutes

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

P.O. Box 1488, Phoenix, AZ 85001-1488

July 13, 2025, 10 a.m.

Meeting called to order: 10:06 a.m.

Attendees: Tim Eigo (President), Nicole Greason (Vice President), Mark Scarp (Secretary), Kerry Fehr-Snyder (Treasurer). Absent: Deb Krol (Board Member), Teri Carnicelli (Board Member).

NOTE: Board actions, either votes or assigned tasks, are in italicized type.

Opening

  • Secretary’s report/approval of minutes from May 18, 2025 – Board action: Moved (Nicole) and seconded (Tim). Unanimously approved as amended to change 2024 to 2025 in Secretary’s Report/Approval of Minutes
  • Treasurer’s report – Kerry reports our investments with Russell Life Points/Northwestern Mutual as of July 11 gained $683.10 in the past quarter, to $20,638.92. Our checking account as of the same date contained $1,488.17, compared to $1,855.35 on May 18, 2025. Board members discussed what documents are still required for the annual report. Copies of Wells Fargo and Northwestern Mutual statements will be used by Tim and Kerry for the report.
    • Mark suggested using any overage in the Northwestern account over a set amount of the principal, say $20,000, to be deposited each quarter into the chapter checking account for use toward our activities. Board action: Moved (Tim) and seconded (Nicole) to have any overage above $20,000 in the Northwestern account every two months before each board meeting to be deposited in the chapter checking account for board use. Kerry was instructed to contact Christa at Northwestern to set it up; if it can’t be done, the decision would be subject to recission by the board. Unanimously approved.
  • Mark’s Mighty Minute – none this meeting

Old Business

  • Follow-up from PEN America AZ chapter on journalist-authors, May 24 – Great event, well-attended and we want to keeping doing such events.
  • Follow-up from Solstice Soiree/board elections event – Good turnout, but expensive as downtown establishments are charging minimums.
  • First Amendment Coalition of Arizona update – Morgan Loew said he will finally write up the proposal for financial support for the coalition to the Arizona Media Association.
  • Don Bolles memorial bill – HB 2578 didn’t pass by the time the Legislature adjourned this year. But we will still keep trying and will ask for help at the regional next spring.
  • ASU Mark of Excellence certificates – next steps – Tim will contact the Cronkite School dean’s office to ask them to mail the certificates to the winners if they are no longer current ASU students who can pick them up in person.

New Business

  • SPJ Foundation Grants Information Session, 9 a.m. Thursday, July 17 — “Proposals that champion advocacy for journalists and journalism will receive priority consideration. Applications are now being accepted.” Registration required at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/WF3SVODOSYe489AZ4omt5g#/registration. Board members discussed applying for funds. Nicole said recently the Arizona Latino Media Association received a $5,000 grant to support its annual high school students’ media workshop. Applying “isn’t terribly difficult,” Nicole said.
  • Chapter annual report due to HQ on July 18 (for May 1, 2024 – April 30, 2025).
  • Publicity Summit 2025 update, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 – Mark reported 16 media people have been procured, a great number given the total last year was 27; committee will continue soliciting sponsorships; this year we will experiment with having no panel discussion, reflecting past attendees’ requests; registration should open soon as we have enough journalists to tout.
  • Possible AI Editing Tools Zoom training (by Mike Reilley) — Trainer Mike Reilley will walk you through a dozen free editing tools that will make you more efficient. You’ll work write prompts for LLMS and custom GPTs to clean up copy and write SEO-driven headlines. You’ll also work with standalone editing tools such as THSRS, LosetheVery.com, Quillbot, Hemingway App, Eleven Labs, custom GPTs, Headline Hero, LLM Adviser and many others. It’s a hands-on session and you’ll get exercises you can take back to your staff and practice with.
  • SPJ national conference, Oct. 15-19, Washington, D.C.: https://www.spj.org/convention/ — Nicole will be representing the chapter and will attend business sessions and the Region 11 meeting.
  • SPJ AZ hosts the SPJ Region 11 conference in Spring 2026 – Tim has been soliciting ideas from local journalists about topics for sessions. He’s being told that regional conferences should be shorter and slimmer. Right now we’re planning a Friday night mixer and sessions Saturday. Maybe we can move the Friday mixer to Saturday night after it’s over. We are still looking at April 11-12 or April 18-19, 2026, for the dates, possibly using the Clarendon Hotel is a possible location, or at least a site for a reception for the dedication of the plaque noting it as an SPJ National Historic Site in Journalism.

Adjourned: 11:25 a.m. (79 minutes)

NEXT BOARD MEETING: Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, 10 a.m.

(NOTE: Meeting date changed to 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, to accommodate board members’ schedules).

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Scarp, Chapter Secretary