Arts Publications

Have you wondered … about the business of the Society? - Brief Article

PSA Journal, July, 2002 by Jean Timmermeister

As in any organization, the Photographic Society of America (PSA) has business to which it must attend. The business of the Society is managed by the elected officers and by a Headquarters staff at 3000 United Founders Boulevard, Suite 101, Oklahoma City OK. Heading up the staff is an Operations Manager with two employees.

Officers are elected on the odd years for a term of two years, and may be re-elected. Officers are President, Executive Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer and, together with the Operations Manager of the Headquarters office, these five are known as the Executive Committee (commonly, the ExCom!).

Add to the above five individuals, seven Vice-presidents, whose titles pretty well define the jobs to which they were elected: Chapters, Clubs and Councils; Conventions; Divisions; Membership; Public Relations; Publications; and Services. These twelve (eleven elected volunteers plus one employee) make up the Board of Directors (BOD).

Candidates for office are announced in the January issue of the Journal in each odd year.

Each candidate may have a different interest in photography, will bring to a position different experiences, background, and talent. If elected, they take office at the close of the annual conference in September and serve until the close of conference two years later.

The BOD of the our Society meets once yearly at the Headquarters offices in Oklahoma City in April plus at the annual international conference prior to the opening session. In addition to the in-person meetings of the BOD, much of the business of PSA is handled via e-mail vote and discussion.

A listing of the officers can be found in this Journal on page 4 and is also available on the website--www.psa-photo.org--together with a photo of each. Each volunteer officer is very approachable and is available to members by e-mail or snail mail.

Next in the democratic system of the Society, are the officers of the Divisions. Each Division is governed by officers (which vary slightly by title, as well as job description, because each Division is a separate entity within PSA) who are elected in odd years. Once again, the January issue of the Journal will list the photographers nominated. There will be a chairman, two vice-chairmen, a secretary and a treasurer.

The Society's national secretary will advise that the nominations for office of the seven Divisions are declared elected if no petition nominations are received by March 1 of those even years. At the close of the conference on Saturday, the Division officers will begin their respective two-year terms.

At each annual conference, each Division will hold a business meeting and any PSA member may attend, and really should plan to include while at conference when in Pittsburgh this year or Houston in 2003! At the Division meeting, the photographer will be able to take part in the plans and activities of his Division(s) of choice. A chance to help with the Division will be offered to attendees. (In addition to the business meeting, each Division has a breakfast, lunch or dinner session at each conference where annual awards are presented and conference-goers may wish to go to the special meal as well as the business meeting.)

PSA business questions may be addressed to any officer of the Society.