TEDC Board Meeting Minutes

The Meeting was called to order by President Mark Herbison.  Members participating included Kyle Spurgeon, Doug Lawyer, Walt Wood, Daryl Brady, Marco Oliveri, and Lizabeth Theiss.  Suzie Lusk also participated.

Absent were Holly Holt and Paul LaGrange.  There is currently a vacancy in the Middle Tennessee Director Position due to the resignation of Robert Barnes.

Business Items included the following:

Potential Sponsorship Committee.

President Herbison plans to appoint a Sponsorship Committee to be chaired by a Past President with each regional director appointing one member each.  Kim Denton will be asked to head the Committee.

Proposed Dates for Regional Meetings.

The Board discussed potential dates for the Regional Meetings and reviewed the dates of the previous Meetings.  It was agreed that the dates for upcoming meetings should be convenient for the Regional Directors and should be in a city different from the previous location.  The dates should be set by the next Board Meeting which is August 21, 2006. 

Past President’s Dinner.

The date for the Past President’s Dinner will be December 7, 2006 in Nashville at a location to be determined.

Fall 2006 Conference.

Doug Lawyer discussed the Fall Conference which will be held in Knoxville on October 18-19-20. Wednesday will open the Conference with a reception.  Thursday morning will have a program of speakers including Jay West who will discuss successful ways to work with legislators.  Other speakers will include Deb Wooley with a legislative update, Alex Fisher on ORNL, and Mike Hamilton will discuss the business of UT Athletics.  Thursday’s activities will continue with a lunch and golf.  There will be an evening reception followed by dinner at Calhoun’s on the Hill.  Friday will begin with a Membership Meeting then speakers including Ed McCallum, Commissioner Kisber, and Deputy Commissioner of Revenue David Reagan.  The TEDC Membership will be updated on important details for those who plan to stay over for the UT football week-end.  Also, a tentative agenda will be placed on the web site.  Awards for Volunteer of the Year and Economic Developer of the Year will be presented.

Middle Tennessee Director Vacancy.

The current Director Robert Barnes has resigned because he has a new position out of state.  The TEDC By Laws allow for the Board to select a replacement should a Director resign.  The appointment of a replacement is only for the remainder of that Director’s term of office.  David Hamilton was nominated to fill the remainder of Robert Barnes term which will be through the Presidency of Doug Lawyer.  There were no other nominations & Mr. Hamilton was elected as the TEDC Middle Tennessee Director.

New Business.

President Herbison will appoint a By Laws Revision Committee to look at updating TEDC’s By Laws including making the Board Planning Session a permanent event.  The Committee may also include a recommendation that there be an annual update of the By Laws.

Meeting dates for the Board of Directors with Commissioner Kisber and Commissioner Neeley are being developed.  It was agreed that the meetings with the Commissioners should be alternated between the two and have no more that four meetings per year.  Also, a possible Board Meeting with the Governor is being planned.

There being no further Business to come before the Board, the Meeting was adjoined.

Respectfully Submitted,

Walt Wood, CEcD
Secretary/Treasurer
July 21, 2006