Minutes

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

July 13, 2019, 10 a.m., Wildflower Bread Co., 4290 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85018

Started: 10:07 a.m.

Attendees: Mark Scarp, Tim Eigo, Teri Carnicelli, Deb Krol and Chelsea Young

Opening

• Secretary’s report and approval of minutes from May 11, 2019
• Treasurer’s report
• Two dues checks arrived from SPJ, each dated June 23, 2019, one for $200, and the other for $290
• New process for a monthly treasurer’s report, available to the Regional Director
• Moving forward, send via email monthly and create an amended report for meetings
• Mark’s Mighty Minute!
• First Amendment Coalition meetings – still do not have anyone to attend. Keep an eye out for when next meeting is.
• We pay $500/year to be a part of First Amendment Coalition
• When/if we receive an invoice, we should talk to the FAC about its operations and what members and journalists get for the investment.

Old Business

• Summer Solstice Soiree follow-up – success! 25-30 people in attendance.
• SPJ chapter annual report successfully filed before deadline of May 24
• SPJ Delegate Verification form uploaded: Delegates Tim E., Robert L., Alternate Deb K.
• FOI award honorees have been notified: Craig Harris, Elvia Diaz, Bill Orovan, Steve Benson
• Chapter e-newsletter launched in December – content ideas welcome
• Members love to hear about training and job opportunities (job opportunities come and go so might be a better fit for the e-blast).
• Teri has been doing e-blasts – need someone else to take this over and Mark has volunteered to do so.

New Business

• Publicity Summit planning update
• Committee agrees unanimously that we should move Publicity Summit as National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Awards are that evening (Sept. 14).
• Next open date is Sept. 28 and this will be the date of Publicity Summit.
• Friday, Sept. 27 is PRSA Awards
• Treasurer transition/procedures manual
• Teri will leave treasurer’s binder with SPJ board before she moves; she can do remote work without it.
• Recruiting and appointing a new Treasurer after Teri’s departure
• Scholarship Update: Issue this fall? If so, it will be advertised in September – submissions due October 15 – award(s) to be given at annual chapter holiday party
• Thinking open it up to programs that aren’t specifically journalism (like GCU professional writing)
• Application includes: cover letter, which must explain why student wants to pursue a career in journalism and the essay, which is based on the following prompt: “How can storytelling still be the prime objective of journalists even in an era of rapid technological change?”
• Scholarship is $500
• Update from Region 11 and National – Deb Krol
• Deb intends to visit some chapters in Southern California
• Deb reported there is still some unrest among membership regarding search for new executive director.
• Regional next March is in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• Networking/event ideas:
• Incoming SPJ President Patti Gallagher Newberry reached out to us and Deb in Region 11 to suggest Julia Wallace (and Kristin Gilger) as event speakers, given their newly published book There’s No Crying in Newsrooms: What Women Have Learned About What It Takes to Lead. Patti says, “Julia was in my area for a long while, with Cox Ohio in Dayton, and at the Atlanta Journal Constitution before that.” And Kristin was honored by our chapter last year with an Order of the Silver Key Award.
  • There is a Changing Hands event for this book in early September. SPJ can help promote this event.

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, September 14, 2019 at Wildflower

Adjourned: 11:18 a.m.