Report Out from the ASHI Board of Directors Meeting

From the October 22, 2010 meeting

The third quarter 2010 ASHI Board of Directors meeting was held on October 22 in Rosemont, Ill. This is a brief report to the ASHI membership of the official actions taken during this meeting. These are not the meeting minutes, as discussion items and failed motions are not included. The official minutes will be presented for Board approval at its next meeting on January 25, 2011, in Atlanta, Ga.

Please review this report to be informed of actions taken on your behalf by the ASHI Board. Should you have questions, contact any member of the Board of Directors. (See Page 4 for contact information.)

Approval of Meeting Minutes
Meeting minutes were reviewed and approved for the July 24, 2010, Board of Directors Meeting, the September 28, 2010, Board of Directors Conference Call, and the October 6, 2010, Board of Directors Conference Call.

Treasurer
Treasurer Marvin Goldstein reviewed the August 2010 Financial Statement. ASHI CEO, Jeff Arnold relayed that the unaudited September 2010 (fiscal year-end) Financial Statements were distributed to the directors prior to the meeting and that ASHI was currently showing a preliminary surplus, as opposed to a loss at the end of last fiscal year.

Database Decision
A motion was made and seconded to approve the Database Proposal at a cost of $30,500. ASHI CEO Jeff Arnold explained that this database would be installed after InspectionWorld and before next year’s dues renewal period, the best time of the year, operations-wise, to be making a major change. He further explained that this is a capital expenditure as opposed to a direct expense and will, therefore, be depreciated over time and that it had been reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee. The motion was approved.

Miscellaneous Reports to the Board
• Council Speaker Howard Pegelow reported on the activities of the Council of Representatives.

• Brendan Ryan, Certification Committee chair, updated the Board on the activities of the committee, including the three new members slated to join the committee for 2011 (two by direct vote of the membership and one by appointment of the president-elect).

• Barton Robertson gave an update on the ASHI School. Although October 20 was its first anniversary, live classes did not start until this past February and more than 100 students have completed classes since then. Every student who attends a full course automatically becomes an ASHI Associate member. The cost of membership is included in the course fee. New members are also given information about local chapters.

Currently, Pre-Drywall and Pool and Spa training programs are being developed. Representatives from the school are attending chapter conferences to market the School and provide education, and Barton and Bill Lewis will be attending the NAR annual conference in New Orleans, which will have 25,000 attendees. In addition, IBHS has approached The ASHI School about training home inspectors to conduct insurance inspections that will give people a discount on homeowners insurance.

Chapter Task Force Report
The Board entered into a committee of the whole to discuss the report from the Chapter Task Force and the results of the feedback and focus session that was held the day before, with senior chapter leaders representing 47 ASHI chapters. After coming out of the committee of the whole, the board directed the Task Force to continue to identify chapter issues and why some ASHI members do not join a chapter. The Task Force is to develop solutions and to provide periodic updates to the Board, including a report at the board’s January meeting. They can add members to the Task Force as they see fit.

Strategic Plan
The Board was reminded that the current plan, which was developed during planning sessions in April and July, will always be included on the quarterly board meeting agendas so that it can be reviewed on a consistent, periodic basis. Board members asked that the plan be sent to them electronically so they could make comments before the next board meeting in July. The plan is posted on the Members Only website in the Publications section.

Standards of Practice Policy and Procedure Changes
All of the policies and procedures related to the Standards of Practice (Section 10) were revised to cover existing Standards of Professional Practice, which includes the Standards of Professional Practice and Code of Ethics of the American Society of Home Inspectors (HISOP) and any Standards of Professional Practice for Auxiliary Services (SOPA). The changes align the ASHI Policy and Procedures with how the committee functions and places similar policies and procedures together, making them easier to understand and follow. Further, it simplifies the procedures for changing standards while ensuring that changes are adequately reviewed. The request for interpretation service was expanded to include standards for auxiliary services.

In addition, the Board now must approve the changes recommended by the Standards Committee before they are presented to the voting members. Previously, the Board was required to override rather than approve.

The Policy and Procedure Manual is available in the Members Only section of the ASHI website.

New Task Forces
If voting members pass the Governance Bylaw amendment, Immediate Past President Bill Richardson will chair a task force to update the governance Policy and Procedures, including the new procedures for nominations of officers and directors to the Board.

In regard to the ASHI discussion forums, ASHI Director Scott Warga was put in charge of selecting a group of moderators to moderate the ASHI online forum for the next 90 days and report to the board in January.

2011 Preparation
The following slate of Committee Chairs and Liaisons, put forward by President-Elect, Kurt Salomon, was approved by the Board for 2011

Bylaws: Jay Balin, chair; Charles Zehner, board liaison; Jeff Arnold, staff liaison
Chapter Relations: David Haught, chair;
Randy Sipe, board liaison; Russell Daniels, staff liaison
Code of Ethics: Jamison Brown, chair; Paul Staron, board liaison; Sandy Bourseau, staff liaison
Complaints (Logo Use): Manass Hochstetler, chair; vice president, board liaison; Russell Daniels, staff liaison
Complaints (Ethics): Jim Yaskewicz, chair; vice president, board liaison; Russell Daniels, staff liaison
Education
(InspectionWorld): Rod Beacham, chair; Andrew Kazney, board liaison; Bill Lewis, staff liaison
Legislative: George Harper, co-chair – state affairs; president-elect, co-chair – federal affairs & board liaison; Bill Lewis, staff liaison
Membership: Scott Patterson, chair; Scott Warge, board liaison; Russell Daniels, staff liaison
Officer Nominating Committee: David Tamny, chair and board liaison, Jeff Arnold, staff liaison
Public Relations: Stan Garnet, chair; Mark Londner, board liaison; Sandy Bourseau, staff liaison
Standards: Bruce Barker, chair; Larry Cerro, board liaison; Sandy Bourseau, staff liaison
Technical: Jim Katen, chair; Bruce LaBell, board liaison; Sandy Bourseau, staff liaison

The Board also approved President-Elect Kurt Salomon’s proposed new appointments for the ASHI Certification Committee and the AEI Board.

Adjournment
The October 22, 2010, ASHI Board of Directors Meeting was adjourned at 4:00 pm.