WEST POINT SOCIETY OF DENVER
Board of Directors Meeting
MINUTES OF MEETING – Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Meeting conducted remotely via Zoom
Call to order – By President Steve Best at 7:04 PM
Attendees
·
There were 11 board members in attendance: Steve
Best, Tim Griesmer, Sam Thiessen, Chad Dalton, Jace Johnson, Katie Wilson, Joel
Martin, Tina Morris, Alec Lee, Shannon Sharrock, Tyler Roden
·
A quorum was established.
Secretary’s Report
·
Minutes of the January 24, 2024 Board Meeting
were approved 11-0.
·
Minutes of the February 24, 2024 General
Membership Meeting were approved 11-0.
Treasurer’s Report
- The Society ended 2023 with $28,600
in cash. The current balance of all accounts is $23,510.30.
- Year to date income,
approximately $21,600, is comprised of dues, donations, and ticket
sales.
- Founder's Day resulted in an
approximately $8,200 loss and WPLEC resulted in an approximately $925
loss.
·
Approval of the treasurer’s report was
deferred due to Mike Euperio’s absence.
·
The board discussed whether there should be an
outside review of Society financial statements or even a full audit. This
conversation will be resumed at a later date.
Membership Report
·
Derik Timmerman is the new membership director
but was absent from this meeting.
·
Steve thanked outgoing board members and
welcomed new board members.
2024 Founder’s Day AAR
·
The Dean was well received by attendees and Jace
Johnson remarked that the Dean made a very favorable impression at the cadet
candidate meeting.
·
Jace said the candidate meeting is probably too
large, and the board should consider only inviting candidates who have accepted
an appointment next year.
·
There is general agreement among the Board
members that the Society can no longer sustain the average loss for the
Founder’s Day dinner. Several members of the Board supported the idea of
raising the cost of Founder’s Day next year to keep the event at the University
Club but also to lessen the financial cost to the Society.
·
The Board will need a new lead planner for
Founder’s Day next year. Andy Benson recommended that a committee should be
appointed to run Founder’s Day rather than one individual. He also recommended
that planning must start a lot earlier, particularly if the Board is
considering a change of venue.
2024 WPLEC AAR
·
There
was significant growth in the WPLEC between last year and this year.
o
232
total registered participants
o
198
registered students & faculty
o
12
faculty/teachers/counselors/chaperones
o
98
male students
o
88
female students
o
Approx.
15 no-shows
o
67
schools participated
o
59
West Point files opened
·
The
Society lost about $925 hosting the event. Joel hopes the fundraising will be
better next year.
- There
were many positive comments on the content and structure. There were not
really any complaints about parking, food, and/or venue as we had last
year. It helped having an entire facility to ourselves for the event.
·
Jace
said that the moderators performed well with 1/3 returning and 2/3 new. They
were highly motivated and easy to recruit and keep informed. Next year there
needs to be a bench for last minute cancellations. The JO’s from Carson and West Point Women stepped
up with the help of Shannon Sharrock’s outreach.
- Suggestions
for improvement mostly regarded giving more time to breakout groups and
less to introductions and discussion of materials.
- One
faculty member suggested that they be allowed to roam to different groups
rather than be assigned to a specific breakout group. They also suggested
that they be given a separate presentation regarding West Point Admissions
and what all academies are looking for.
- Alec
Lee has agreed to begin taking over Jace’s role next year. Jace has
already begun transferring information to him.
- Planners
recommend that in order to boost recruitment, we firm up venue by January
15 and start sending email blasts at that time too.
- We
have outgrown the current facility for this event. The suggestion for next
year is that the event be held at a high school, or that the planners work
with a large public or parochial school on spring break to use theater and
classrooms. Wednesday or Friday are the best days to hold WPLEC. Jace
suggested that trying to schedule the event during spring break would make
it easier to find a facility and recruit attendees.
- Denver
Public Schools and Aurora Public Schools do not have the facilities to
host.
- Douglas
County Schools has expressed interest in hosting at either their LoneTree
Campus or at one of their high schools just off of I25 in Castle Pines.
The contact information was forwarded to Alec Lee. They will charge the
absolute lowest price that they can charge - no public school will allow
use of a facility for free. This may be the most financially feasible
option.
- GEN
Casey indicated that his schedule might be more challenging next year and
the planners should think through a list of possible replacements.
Admissions Update
·
Class
of 2028: 34 Offers, 20 new cadets accepted and entered on R Day, 12 declines, 2
offers withdrawn, 1 medical turnback from last year is returning. The last 2
years we sent 28 & 27, respectively.
·
Class
of 2028: none of the 11 of 12 MOC PNOMs accepted their offers to include on
PRES PNOM.
·
Sending
4 to USMAPS (1 Athlete, 1 Enlisted, 2 Leadership)
·
2029
off to a good start: 321 files opened - several more than this time last couple
of years; full year run rate is about 330
·
New
Field Force platform makes managing candidates much easier.
·
Field
Force is well staffed but always looking for dedicated volunteers; sign up
online - vetted by Admissions and existing FF leadership.
Distinguished Society Application
·
2023-2024 Distinguished Society Application
was submitted ahead of the deadline.
·
The Society met all criteria and was +24
elective points above the minimum needed for distinguished society status.
·
The award will be presented at the AOG Leader’s
Conference.
·
Tim will send out a copy of the submitted
application so that the Board has visibility on the criteria required for the
award.
Service Academy Alumni Golf Tournament
·
September 6, 2024 @8:00, shotgun start. Navy is
lead planner. 40 players signed up so far.
·
Chad Dalton asked that the link to the website
be resent to the Society.
·
Event will benefit Special Forces Society
charitable organization.
·
Merchant Marine Academy will be participating
this year.
·
Have 5 financial sponsors this year for the
tournament.
Summer Picnic
·
Steve Best asked if there is any interest in
planning a summer picnic this year. The board decided we need to find a Young
Grad representative and probably plan a picnic for next year.
Army-Air Force Watch Party
·
Last year’s Army-Air Force tailgate was very
successful.
·
Chad Dalton suggested the Society should partner
with the Air Force Academy Quarterback Club of Denver to plan a watch party. He
will reach out to gauge interest.
Army-Navy Watch Party
·
The Society will plan another Army-Navy watch
party for this year.
New Business
·
Sam suggested we conduct an engagement survey.
Alec Lee volunteered to draft a survey in the next couple months.
·
Steve is preparing a general news bulletin for
the general membership of the Society.
The next meeting will be Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at
6:00PM.
The meeting adjourned at 8:34 PM.
Submitted by: Tim Griesmer ‘02
