18,000 Members by 2015 - More Members for More Service!
White Paper on Reorganization Plan
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Executive Summary
Over the past few years, district leaders have sought organizational ways to best to support clubs, members, service and growth. Several approaches were discussed, but considered incomplete, including re-divisioning the District. Governor (2006-2007) Bill Yarborough appointed a committee on District Reorganization to assess the district's structure and to make recommendations to the Executive Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees for improving our organization. The committee is comprised of: Chairman Russ Wagner and members: Howard Kline, David Vaughn, Sharron Frahm, Doug Day, and Gary Cooper.
The Organization Committee proposed formation of a new Board of Trustees to be the primary governing body of the Carolinas District. Their assessment is that the makeup of the current distict Board of Trustees, which includes all Lt. Governors, is too large with 32 members-the majority of which serve only a one-year term. The current Board of Trustees' size can be unwieldy, and one year terms do not provide for adequate long range strategic planning and continuity of support for divisions, clubs and members in the core priorities of the district: service, strength through growth, leadership and leadership development.
In February, at the District's mid-year conference and mid-winter board meeting, the Organization Committee presented its proposal for restructuring the governing organization of the district. The board approved the recommendation to bring the proposed changes (by-laws) to the delegates at the 2008 District Convention in August, 2008.
The plan creates a new governing board that will consist of the Governor, Governor Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, the Immediate Past Governor, and the previous Immediate Past Governor and nine (9) Trustees representing nine Regions, and elected at the District Convention. These Trustees will serve staggered three-year terms.b
The regional structure will include regional committees and chairpersons, serving under the trustees, and coordinated with District Committee Chairs to support Lt. Governors, divisions committee chairs Clubs and members.
Lt. Governors will be responsible to the Governor, focused on their divisions as leaders and directors for service, membership growth, communications with their clubs and conducting meaningful division council meetings.
When the reorganization is ratified by the delegate body at the 2008 District Convention, the current Executive Advisory Committee (EAC0, will carry out a transition plan that will include implementing required policies and procedures, communicating the transition steps and progress, and culminating in phasing out the EAC, election of the nine new trustees and implementation of the newly restructured Board of Trustees at the 2009 District convention.
This is not a new concept. It was proposed in our district in 1991 and was discounted because a change in the International by-laws would be required. Since 2005, these by-laws were modified for the Pennsylvania District. Since that time a number of districts have incorporated similar structures.
To show this graphically, the figures below show both the current structure and the new structure:
This paper provides, in question and answer format, the details of the district leadership plan and restructuring.
Click the question below to go directly to that answer.
How did the committee assess our district structure?
How Will the Trustees be elected and how will the District organization change?
How will the Board of Trustees come to pass?
How does one qualify to become Trustee?
What will the Lieutenant Governors do?
Why are we doing this and why do we need to change?
Who will comprise the new District Board?
How does this affect the Governor and other officers?
Have any other districts done this?
How much will my dues increase?
How will a Trustee be more effective than a Lieutenant Governor?
Isn't the Regional Trustee System another layer of Bureaucracy?
Won't this give a lot of power to a very few?
How will this affect our Midyear conference and District Convention?
Can a trustee run for Governor-elect while in office?
Why have term limits?
Won't this reduce the impact of Kiwanis in each division?
How will this get us 18,000 members by 2015?
What is the chain of command for a trustee - their role?
How were the regions established?
What is the timeline for this change?
What are the benefits to the Kiwanis members?
What will the Board of Trustees do?
Carolinas District Leadership Plan for 2009 and Beyond
Question & Answer Format
How did the committee assess our district structure?
The committee looked first at what the top three strategic objectives or initiatives ought to be, based on our core3 vision of 18,000 Kiwanians serving children and communities in the Carolinas by 2015. That process found that our core vision will best be achieved through three initiatives for service, strength, and leadership:
1. Increase Service to the Children of the Carolinas
The district will help clubs to focus resources to serve more children in their area.
Also, our district will support our Service Leadership Programs which will create the desired growth for our organization so we can continue to serve even more children.
2. Strengthen our Clubs
The district will provide more coordinated communications, publicity and marketing for our clubs so that our clubs can effectively get their service stories published, and bring those interested tour clubs to become members.
Increasing club membership with people of like mind and vision will help to strengthen our clubs.
3. Promote Leadership Development Throughout Our Organization
By creating regionalcommittees and regional conferences where the district can train and assist more members we can increase and diversify leadership opportunities throughout the district. Our regional trustees will work with our Lieutenant Governors and Club Leadership for expanded service opportunities.
We have dubbed these initiatives as the "Core 3"
Service
Strength
Leadership
In assessing how to achieve the core three initiatives, the committee agreed that we needed to create a roadmap for success!
- That Change provides opportunity
- An organization with more clear focus improved our ability to improve our vision
- And better management would realize our goals
The Executive Advisory Committee:
In the past four years we have had in place the Executive Advisory Committee. This committee consists of the Governor, Governor Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, three Past Governors, and six past lieutenant governors who represent their respective regions and are elected by their peers to serve two-year terms.p
This committee is intended to:
- Streamline Board Meetings through policy recommendations
- Help the Governor and Secretary with fiduciary decisions and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees
- Assist and mentor the current Lieutenant Governors within their respective divisions
- Assist in strategic planning
- Meet four times a year
It has been efficient and effective in providing policy support and decisions
NOTE: A new, smaller Board of Trustees would replace the current Executive Advisory Committee, but would be asked to make more of a contribution at the regional level than what is currently being done. Instead of a selection process, members of the new board will be elected by their regional constituents.
How Will the Trustees be elected and how will the District organization change?
The Trustee will be an elected position. The election of trustees will be held at the district convention.b There will be nine regions--three in Eastern NC, three in Western NC and three in SC.p Trustees will serve a three-year term.b Three will rotate off each year, providing a consistency in leadership for the district.b
At division council meetings held at the District Convention, club representatives will elect their Lt. Governors for the coming year, and then move into regional conferences, where the club representatives will elect their region's trustee(s)b
Lieutenant Governors will continue to report to the Governor and will be supported by their regional trustee. b
Regional committee chairs will be added to better serve and support clubs with publicity and marketing initiatives which will support our campaign of providing service to the children of the Carolinas. These regional positions will allow more members to be involved with Kiwanis at the District and International levels and provide leadership positions to more of our members.p
How will the Board of Trustees come to pass?
These Trustees (elected by you) will serve a three-year term, with three Trustee positions in rotation each year. This will require a bylaws change with a 2/3 vote by our House of Delegates at the district convention in August 2008.
- Nine Trustees will be elected by Region to staggered three-year terms and then rotate off at the District Convention. Three Trustees will rotate off each year.b
- Terms will be 1, 2, and 3 years for startup:b
- The trustee from each area will select a 1, 2 or 3 year term. If there is no consensus, a drawing will be held to determine which regions, will be 1, 2, and 3 years.
p
- Those elected for 1 and 2 year terms may run for a 3 year term without having to rotate off the Board.p
- In the event of a vacancy in the board, the Governor will appoint a new trustee from the region until the next convention where a new trustee will be elected to serve out the remaining term.b
How does one qualify to become Trustee?
- Served as a Lieutenant Governorp
- Be an active member in good standing of a club within the region from which he or she is electedb; this club shall be the member's primary clubp
- Been endorsed as a candidate for Trustee by the candidate's primary clubp
- Been endorsed as a candidate for Trustee by the candidate's primary divisionp
- Be willing to fulfil the Trustee requirementsp
What will the Lieutenant Governors do?
- Be responsible to Governorb
- Appoint and supervise division committeesp
- Conduct meaningful division council meetings and assist with regional conference(s)p
- Be the Leader and director of the divisionp
- Be the Liaison between clubs and Districtp
- Be responsible for membership growthp
- Attend the Lieutenant Governor Training Sessionp
- Attend Conventions, the Midyear Conference and their Regional Meetingp
- Ensure continuity for the division leadership by recruiting candidates for Lieutenant Governor-electp
With the exception of the Lieutenant Governors' no longer serving on the District Board, their positions will remain unchanged. Their time and energy would be spent working with clubs in their divisions and assisting with local issues.
Why are we doing this and why do we need to change?
We need governing body that has a strategic view of the District's goals and a focus toward our growth to 18,000 members. With our current structure, our growing to 18,000 members would create a scenario with too many divisions, a board too large to be effective in its current organization, and be logistically impossible for scheduling Governor's visits. We are not re-arranging the district, merely the way it is managed.
The new structure provides a more streamlined, consistent board as elected Trustees will generally serve more than a one-year term. Having a regional Trustee take over District Board responsibilities could make the Lieutenant Governor's job more inviting. Lastly, the trustee could be a strong mentor to the sitting Lieutenant Governor, and the Trustee would assist them with their leadership position.
The smaller Board of Trustees would be more involved with district finance, policy and planning, and committees as needed. Trustees could make every effort to see that divisions in their region all have serving Lieutenant Governors, with Lieutenant Governor-Elect positions filled as well.
Who will comprise the new District Board?
Fifteen voting members: Governor, Governor-elect, Immediate Past Governor, the previous Immediate Past Governor, nine (elected) Trustees, Secretary and Treasurer. The Administrative Secretary will be an ex-officio member of the board.b
How does this affect the Governor and other officers?
There is no change to the duties or the election of these officers. The Governor will preside over all board meetings and appoint committee chairmen. The Board will add the long-term vision so the District follows the strategic plan as it grows to 18,000 members.
Have any other districts done this?
Members of the Organization committee talked with leaders from many of the districts in Kiwanis International who adopted the 'Trustee Concept.' Actually this change was recommended in the Carolinas back in 1991 and was rejected because of the changes required in the International bylaws. The International bylaws have now been changed, and this leadership change was started in the Pennsylvania District. It is now in place in the Capital, Louisiana-Mississippi-West Tennessee, Wisconsin-Upper Michigan and California-Nevada-Hawaii Districts. All these districts have reported positive outcomes to the change.
How much will my dues increase?
The cost of a change to the Board of Trustees is offset by management efficiencies. The Lieutenant Governor-Elect will continue to be subsidized for attendance at the International Convention and the Lieutenant Governors will continue to be subsidized for attendance at the District and the International conventions; they will no longer be required to attend the Board of Trustees meetings. This will save on travel costs for the district. It is anticipated that the resulting savings will pay the travel cost and conventions' subsidies for the Regional Trustees. In addition the costs for the Executive Advisory Committee will be eliminated.
We anticipate no additional cost will be incurred by the District's membership for this new board. The reduction in travel reimbursement for the sitting Lieutenant Governors and the elimination of the Executive Advisory Committee should cover the additional costs of the nine Trustees. Other districts have actually seen a cost reduction with this concept.
How will a Trustee be more effective than a Lieutenant Governor?
A three-year view is stronger for district policy and financial development. A Trustee, having already served a term as Lieutenant Governor will be starting his or her term with a level of experience not ordinarily present in the current structure. The Trustee will have the advantage of knowing that he or she will be responsible for planning for three years and will be positioned to look at the long-term goals of the District.
Isn't the Regional Trustee System another layer of Bureaucracy?
What this plan does is to create a smaller Board of Trustees who will address district issues over a longer period of time which will provide continuity of leadership. Since this proposal creates a new type of district officer, yes, it could be viewed as a new layer of bureaucracy. However, the new system will allow the lieutenant governors to work directly (and primarily) with the clubs in their divisions in the areas of membership growth, retention and new club building. The trustees will focus on planning, management and governance of the Carolinas District. Lieutenant governors will continue to be in charge of their divisions, council meetings, planning, new club building, and other responsibilities the board or governor might request. This new board will also REPLACE the current Executive Advisory Committee. This concept is not intended to add another layer of bureaucracy, but to add a strategic Board of Trustees.
Won't this give a lot of power to a very few?
Actually prior to formation of the EAC, district decisions were basically made by the Secretary and the Governor because the board was so large and unwieldy. The EAC as an advisory committee solved this issue. This new board will replace the EAC. The new board provides balanced leadership and policy oversight. And, if necessary, the new board could meet easily via teleconference.p
How will this affect our Midyear conference and District Convention?
For the first few years this will have no impact on the two major district meetings. Moving forward the board and the Lieutenant Governors may choose to have regional meetings in lieu of Midyears. Regions would have one or more training/educational meetings in the regions in addition to the Midyears and convention.p
Can a trustee run for Governor-elect while in office?
There is no restriction on anyone running for Governor-elect as there is no change in the district Policy and Procedures for the election of Governor-elect. We will however add the requirement to run for Governor that the candidate must also have been a Trustee for at least one year after the first year that the new board is in place. The current rotation of the three areas will remain unchanged.p
Why have term limits?
To encourage new members to run for this board we will limit the term that a trustee may serve to no more than 5 consecutive years. This will create opportunities for new ideas and new leaders to continue to improve the District's plan for the future.p
Won't this reduce the impact of Kiwanis in each division?
No, it should (prove to) have a greater impact in clubs and divisions - as other districts that have this leadership structure in place have reported. The addition of regional committee chairs will emphasize the regional activities of the clubs.
How will this get us 18,000 members by 2015?
It will not, by itself. However, the district will put a major emphasis on regional PR to support the club's increased service initiatives. We will grow because of this emphasis if clubs follow this Marketing and PR plan and invite more people to become members. The goal is 18,000 members, but how do we get there? This proposal is designed to create a structure of leadership that will be able to answer the "how" by thinking and acting strategically. Pennsylvania district has seen two positive years of growth and they attribute this to the new structure.
What is the chain of command for a trustee - their role?
As with a commercial business, the Board is a policy-setting organization. Lieutenant Governors and committees will continue to report to the Governor and the district officers. One of the strengths of the current structure is the link between the clubs, their Lieutenant Governor and the Governor. This will not change under the proposed plan.b
How were the regions established?
Regions will be established by splitting the current geography of North and South Carolina into three regions: Western NC, Eastern NC and South Carolina. This was primarily done by geography with an attempt at an equal a number of clubs per region. (This was done with thoughtful consideration of creating an equal number of clubs in a given geographic relationship per region.)p
The Three District Areas as Defined in the District Policy and Procedures for election rotation of Governor are:
Western NC Divisions 1-9p
Eastern NC Divisions 10-19, 26 and 28p
South Carolina Divisions 20-25 and 27p
These have been subdivided into (nine) Trustee Regions:p
| Region | Divisions | # of Clubs |
| I | 1,2,3 | 24 |
| II | 4,6,7 | 26 |
| III | 5,8,9 | 29 |
| IV | 12,13,15,19 | 34 |
| V | 10,11,26,28 | 32 |
| VI | 14,16,17,18 | 18 |
| VII | 22,25,27 | 20 |
| VIII | 20,23 | 23 |
| IX | 21,24 | 18 |
What is the timeline for this change?
Our proposed time line is:
- Presentation to District Board and approval of the board at the Midyear Conference in February 2008. (complete)
- Forums at the Midyear Conference and District Convention explaining the plan and the advantages for the club and the district.
- Proposed bylaws changes submitted for a vote to the House of Delegates, August 2008. This requires a 2/3 majority to pass.
- Election of Nine New Trustees at 2009 district convention. This new organization will take effect in October 2009.
What are the benefits to the Kiwanis members?
- Many more opportunities to participate at all levels;
- Lower costs of attending Kiwanis functions. Regional meetings would be one day, no hotel costs, and lower meal costs. Regional meetings should attract more members at the club level than just President and Secretary and offer educational opportunities for those members
- Regional Meetings will get more members involved in regional and district events
What will the Board of Trustees do?
Develop and Embody a District Visionb
- A vision of where our organization wants to be in the future.
- A series of goals and strategies to reach that vision.
- A system of delegating tasks necessary to achieve the goals.
- A process to monitor the progress.
- Strategic planning.
- Responsible for district policies and procedures.
- Will be the District legal and fiduciary entity.
- Will meet at least quarterly.
- Will support the Governor.
- Will appoint regional committee chairs to promote the primary goals of the district. While not yet defined, these could be:
- Marketing and Public Relations
- Membership Growth
- New Club Building
- Service Leadership Programs
- Etc.
