According to the ICPA bylaws, the association must elect two new candidates to the board of directors each year. Recent practice has been to elect two directors from four candidates presented by the VP of membership.

Due to work-life balance challenges, associations are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain qualified volunteers over the long term. ICPA has had this experience. We have also received a lot of feedback about the election process and its inefficiencies from voting members and the candidates themselves. The trend in associations today is to present a slate of candidates based on input from a nominating committee, with member input as well. ICPA is working to improve the efficiency of its governance process and has incorporated language into its new bylaws to allow flexibility in this area — to consider up to four candidates for the two open positions.

The election will be held at the Annual Meeting in November but members unable to attend the meeting will be able to vote by proxy. All members will have the opportunity to nominate a candidate from the floor or by write-in on the proxy if they so choose. Then each member will have the opportunity to vote for up to two of the candidates. The two candidates receiving the greatest number of member votes are elected for a three-year term to the board.

Board candidates must be able to maintain their corporate and/or meeting planning responsibilities as well as their ICPA board responsibilities, have the full support of their company's management, and have a total of at least five years of work experience in the meeting planning industry.

The two candidates being considered for the 2006 ICPA board are Karyn Rizzo, CMP, senior meetings consultant, Sun Life Financial, Wellesley Hills, Mass.; and Cindy Wheaton, CMP, incentive travel consultant, Nationwide Insurance, Columbus, Ohio.