Annual Planning Meeting: Tuesday, January 21, 2025

 

WEST POINT SOCIETY OF DENVER

Board of Directors Annual Planning Meeting

MINUTES OF MEETING – Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Meeting held at Tin Cup Bar and Grill

50 S. Peoria Street, Aurora, CO 80012

 

Call to order – By President Steve Best at 6:35 PM

Attendees

·        There were 11 voting board members in attendance: Steve Best, Tim Griesmer, Chad Dalton, Katie Wilson, Mike Euperio, Alec Lee, Lou Schroeder, Bob Walcott, Sam Thiessen, Joel Martin, Jace Johnson, Dave Jackson (emeritus)

·        A quorum was established.

Secretary’s Report

·        Minutes of the December 5, 2024 Board Meeting were not distributed in advance of the meeting and will be distributed electronically for approval after the planning meeting.

Distinguished Society

·        Tim Griesmer will complete the Distinguished Society application again this year. It is due on May 31, 2025.

Treasurer’s Report

·        Mike Euperio briefed the board on the draft budget for 2025.

·        There is approximately $23,800 in the Society’s accounts. The draft budget projects approximately an $8,268 loss for 2025.

·        The board voted 11-0 to add $500 to the budget for Admissions support.

·        The board discussed publishing a quarterly newsletter to encourage more memberships in the Society.

Communications Report

·        Katie Wilson briefed the board on communications initiatives.

·        The Society has a new Instagram page with 173 members already. The Society has about 63 followers on its Facebook page.

·        Katie said that pushing more information out on Sallyport will help to grow the social media pages.

2024 Program Review

·        Admissions: Jace Johnson said that the field force and admissions teams are very well staffed and doing good work. There is agreement that an effort should be made to recruit younger graduates for field force. Alec Lee would like to put out a call for additional field force members at the Founder’s Day dinner. A similar pitch will be made at WPLEC as well.

·        Founder’s Day: there was positive feedback on the Dean as the guest speaker. Jace said that the candidate meeting should be limited to candidates who are in the application cycle and who are serious about accepting an offer.

·        Happy hour and watch parties: the Society held one happy hour and four watch parties for Army football games. These events were very well attended. The Army-Navy watch party had a record attendance.

·        Service Academy Interview Panels: Alec Lee is taking over admissions duties from Jace Johnson. The congressional interview panels have been well attended by Society members.

 

2025 Programs and Events

Founders Day

·        March 8, 2025. Another “save the date” will go out shortly. The registration will open next week.

·        The fee for the event will need to be increased this year due to a sizeable annual loss on the event. The new amount will be $95 for young grads, $110 for members and $125 for non-members.

·        There will be an effort to obtain sponsors this year.

·        The guest speaker will be Mark Beiger ’91, president of the AOG.

WPLEC Planning

·        Tentatively planning for Friday, April 25.

·        Joel Martin and Alec Lee will manage the event. They are still researching venues.

·        GEN Casey is likely not available this year as a keynote speaker due to scheduling.

Service Academy Golf Tournament

·        August 22, 2025, 8:00 shotgun start.

·        Will be held at the USAFA “Blue” course.

Air-Air Force

·        November 1, 2025 at USAFA

·        The Board discussed co-hosting a tailgate with the Pike’s Peak society.

Army-Navy Watch Party

·        December 13, 2025

·        Plan to hold it at Stoney’s again.

New Business

·        The board will evaluate other watch parties for Army football once the schedule has been published.

·        The board discussed whether we should attempt to restart quarterly dinners.

·        The board will also look at planning a summer picnic.

·        Bob Walcott informed the board that for IRS compliance purposes, and donation over $250 must be acknowledged with a thank you note. Steve Best will take on that responsibility.

·        Bob Walcott also has the original minute book for the Society going back to 1927. He will pass the book on to Chad Dalton.

·        Planning is already underway for the 100^th anniversary of the West Point Society of Denver in 2027.

 

The next board meeting will be held Wednesday, March 2, 2025 at 6:30 pm via zoom.

The meeting adjourned at 8:20 PM.

Submitted by: Tim Griesmer ‘02