Board of Directors Meeting: Wednesday, February 23, 2022

 

WEST POINT SOCIETY OF DENVER

Board of Directors Meeting

MINUTES OF MEETING – Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Meeting conducted remotely via Zoom

 

1.      Call to order – Joel Martin at 11:33 AM

a.      Twelve voting board members in attendance, making a quorum.

b.      Board members attending: Tim Griesmer, Joel Martin, Jace Johnson, Sam Thiessen, Cory Wroblewski, Andy Benson, Bob Walcott, Brian MacDonald, Chad Dalton, Sam Thiessen, Steve Best, Mike Euperio

c.      Incoming board member Shannon Sharrock joined the meeting and will be voted onto the board at the General Membership Meeting in March.

 

2.      Secretary’s Report/Approval of Minutes – Tim Griesmer

a.      Minutes from the February 8, 2022 annual planning meeting were approved 12-0.

 

3.      Admission- Jace Johnson

a.      Parents Club

                                                    i.     All Academy Ball at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs is being planned for some time during the 2022 holiday period; details will be announced when they become available.

                                                   ii.     Parents Club has new co-chairs - both live in Colorado Springs.

b.      WPLEC

                                                    i.     Informal save-the-date messages and formal emails with sign-up link sent to over 700 high school counselors and college advisement personnel in Denver Society catchment area (districts 1, 2, 4, 6, & 7).

                                                   ii.     Email also sent to high schools that have produced offered & accepted candidates over past 5 years.

                                                  iii.     Also sent to all 2019 and 2020 (cancelled) school POCs.

                                                  iv.     Also sent to over 75 candidates (mostly current juniors) that have recently opened files for class of 2027.

                                                   v.     6 schools have already asked to set aside slots for their schools with attendee details TBD.

                                                  vi.     There will be a need for follow up commo for schools & attendees to send out 2 or 1 week prior.

c.      Founders Day

                                                    i.     Currently have invites with a sign-up link out to all accepted and offered candidates in the WPSD area.

                                                   ii.     10 Class of 2026 candidates have committed with another 14 family members; their sign-ups should be trickling into Sally Port. Steve Best and Shannon Sharrock will assist with the candidate hour.

                                                  iii.     Prefer 8 person rounds; plan is to sit together in back right of ballroom.

                                                  iv.     Jace is hosting the 5-6 pm candidate meet-&-greet with additional 1 or 2 Field Force Reps; will have CPRC Cadet Tobias Hild (Yearling-2024) in attendance; focus is a Q&A with candidates & parents on best practices to prepare for R Day & Beast. Jace would like MG Best to introduce himself and briefly discuss mission of 50-year class affiliation; might have one CO Parents Club rep there too; prefer at least 30 chairs set up facing raised level on the opposite side of room from entrance - theater set up with aisle down the middle; water service would be nice.

 

4.      WPLEC – Joel Martin

a.      Event is fully funded again this year and within the budget that was approved.

b.      The goal is participation by 150 juniors and 50 middle schoolers.

c.      GEN(R) Casey is confirmed to attend. Joel is also checking to see if he is available anywhere in the general timeframe to receive his Friend of West Point award.

 

5.      Distinguished Society Award Application – Tim Griesmer

a.      The DSA is due to AOG on June 1, 2022 for the period July 1, 2021-June 30, 2022.

b.      Tim will continue to follow up with board members for points.

 

6.      Young Grad Happy Hour-Cory Wroblewski

a.      Picnic in July

b.      Happy Hour in May

 

7.      Founder’s Day Update – Andy Benson

a.      No major changes in format except there will be no guest speaker.

b.      Andy is monitoring the oldest and youngest registrants.

c.      Andy and Jace will coordinate a walkthrough with the University Club. Bob Walcott will also join if he is available.

d.      About 100 registrations so far.

e.      Draft program has been distributed.

f.       No photographer as in past years.

g.      The board would like to play some sort of West Point videos to encourage the cadet candidates and their families. The board discussed several options.

h.      Preference for round tables.

 

8.      Other Business

a.      Location for future meetings: American Legion Post 1 with a remote option.

b.      The board discussed any other prospective board members.

The annual General Membership Meeting will be held at Founder’s Day on March 12, 2022.

The meeting adjourned at 12:12 PM.

Submitted by: Tim Griesmer ‘02