2024 SPJST Convention Proceedings

Table of Contents

Session 1

Saturday Morning June 8, 2024

9:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) called the 34th SPJST Convention to order at 9:30 a.m. Aaron Rigamonti (88) and Ryan Jansa (160) posted the colors. Macy Narro (17) sang the National Anthem and the Czech National Anthem, “Kde Domov Můj.” Susan Skrabanek (17) led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska (246) offered the Convention prayer.

Chair of the Board of Directors John Engelke (66) welcomed the delegation, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to gather again and encouraging delegates to support changes proposed by the Executive Committee to guide SPJST into the future.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty (196) presented a memorial tribute honoring SPJST members and leaders who have passed away since the 33rd SPJST Convention, including Honorary Supreme Lodge Vice President Gene McBride, Honorary Legal Advisor Sidney Kacir, and Honorary District Seven Director Robert “Bob” Bayer.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) introduced the Executive Committee members and spouses present:

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty (196) and wife, Lyla (196);

Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) and husband, David Nauert (246);

Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska (246) and wife, Dorothy (246);

Controller Roy Vajdak (88) and wife, Becky (88);

District One Director and Vice Chair of the Board Donnie Victorick (9);

District Two Director Jesse Pospisil (29) and wife, Linda (29);

District Three Director and Chair of the Board John Engelke (66) and wife, Diana (66);

District Four Director Bobby Davis (160) and wife, Anita (160);

District Five Director Bradley Stavinoha (81) and wife, Cecilia (81);

District Six Director Annie Vahalik (4) and husband, Philip (4);

District Seven Director Regina House (202) and husband, James (202); and

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) and wife, Joan (24).

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) introduced SPJST Advisory Board Member Jim Therrell, who has participated in SPJST strategic planning and board meetings since 2023. Mr. Therrell is retired after 46 years in public accounting, including 25 years leading the audit practice for Jaynes, Reitmeier, Boyd & Therrell.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) introduced Dr. Alan Burns, who serves SPJST as the independent project manager for the USSI Policy Administration System upgrade.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) introduced Honorary Supreme Lodge President Howard Leshikar (48).

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) reminded delegates that Convention Secretaries are responsible for keeping an accurate record of all Convention proceedings, noting that minutes should reflect actions taken rather than member commentary. He added that the Convention was being digitally recorded, and the recordings would be transcribed following the Convention.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) thanked everyone who participated in Friday evening’s Welcome Reception at the Hilton Garden Inn and recognized Jerry Haisler (47) and Friends for providing musical entertainment. He also extended special thanks to the Executive Committee members who personally contributed to the expenses of the event.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) directed delegates’ attention to the 33rd SPJST Convention Souvenir Book and commended Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246), along with her team, Katherine Morris (47) and Brooke Hoelscher (47), for their work in compiling the publication. He also thanked the lodges and individuals who contributed and encouraged delegates to review the letters submitted by convention well-wishers, noting that they reflect SPJST’s strong presence across the state.

Daniel Knight (88) was introduced as Parliamentarian for the 34th Convention.

Four Convention Secretaries, all members of the SPJST Home Office staff, were introduced:

Red Team

Linda Hill (80)

Rosy Rodriguez

Green Team

Nancy Miller (177)

Maria De La Cruz

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) expressed appreciation to the delegates who participated in the delegates’ Advisory Council meeting held online on May 5. He explained that both the SPJST Governance Committee and the delegates’ Advisory Council were established as a result of actions taken at the 33rd SPJST Convention.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) concluded his remarks by expressing hope that delegates and guests would find the 34th SPJST Convention both stimulating and rewarding and that they

would take advantage of the opportunities for fellowship and networking.

Credentials Report

Chair of the Board John Engelke (66) delivered the Credentials Report on behalf of the Board of Directors. He stated that a total of 118 delegates representing 53 lodges were validated as of noon on June 7 by the Office of SPJST Controller Roy Vajdak (88).

Chair of the Board John Engelke (66) asked Controller Roy Vajdak (88) if there were any changes to the report. There were none, and he proceeded to present the delegate count:

District One: 8 lodges; 11 delegates; 2,210 votes

District Two: 13 lodges; 27 delegates; 6,360 votes

District Three: 7 lodges; 20 delegates; 4,805 votes

District Four: 3 lodges; 7 delegates; 1,422 votes

District Five: 5 lodges; 28 delegates; 6,294 votes

District Six: 11 lodges; 14 delegates; 3,716 votes

District Seven: 6 lodges; 11 delegates; 2,656 votes

Totals:

Lodges: 53

Delegates: 118

Votes: 27,463

Chair of the Board John Engelke (66) announced that the Board of Directors moved to approve the amended delegate listing and count. Motion passed.

Following acknowledgment that the 33rd SPJST Convention designated the Governance Committee to also serve as Convention Tellers, the Governance Committee was called forward by

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) to receive the Oath of Secrecy. Governance Committee members were:

District One: Bill Orsak (9)

District Two: Edwin Pechal (47)

District Three: Michael Galler (66)

District Four: Brad Teplicek (49)

District Five:

Dorothy Pflughaupt (88), Chair

District Six: Lisa Bubela (30)

District Seven: Oscar Korus (107)

A second group of tellers, comprised of Alternate Governance Committee members and the District Five and District Seven Alternate Directors, was also called forward to receive the Oath of Secrecy.

Alternate Teller Committee Members were:

District One: Kyle Skrabanek (17)

District Two: Bridget Bohac (20)

District Three: Mary Steinman (154)

District Four: Beverly Teplicek (49)

District Five: Aaron Rigamonti (88)

District Six: Yvonne Marcaurele (30)

District Seven: Wendy Pruski (107)

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) opened the floor for nominations for Convention Chair.

Edwin Pechal (47) nominated Douglas Galler (66) for Convention Chair. Cherri Petr (84) moved to elect Douglas Galler (66) as Convention Chair by acclamation. Rita Spinn (80) seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) opened the floor for nominations for Convention Vice Chair.

Gerilyn Donnell (79) nominated Donnie Victorick (9) for Convention Vice Chair. Jesse Pospisil (29) moved to elect Donnie Victorick (9) as Convention Vice Chair by acclamation. EJ Pechal (47) seconded the motion, and the motion passed.

Douglas Galler (66) and Donnie Victorick (9) thanked the delegates for entrusting them to serve as Convention Chair and Convention Vice Chair.

Convention Chair Galler (66) asked the Executive Officers to present highlights from their respective reports.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) presented highlights from his report, including a $50,000 gift in seed money from Amy and John Gurley (25). He thanked them for their contribution and encouraged others to consider similar support.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty (196) presented his report.

Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) presented her report, which appeared in the May 6 Vestnik, and shared a short video highlighting recent accomplishments.

Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska (246) presented his report, stating that SPJST is financially sound.

Controller Roy Vajdak (88) presented his report and introduced Brett Wheeler (80) and Rosy Rodriguez as new staff members.

The Convention recessed at 10:50 a.m. for a morning break.

—Linda and Rosy Red Team

Session 2

Saturday Morning June 8, 2024

11:15 a.m. to 12:35 p.m.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) reconvened the Convention at 11:15 a.m. and discussed the 63rd Annual Czech Festival in Wilber, Nebraska, noting that the deadline for making reservations had been extended to June 10. Flyers promoting the festival were available in the lobby.

A count was conducted to determine how many attendees had previously attended a Convention, with a show of hands ranging from first-time attendees to those with the most years of attendance. Several attendees were attending for the first time. Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska (246) had attended the most conventions, with 16, followed by Elaine Berkovsky (63), who had attended 14.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) announced that the oldest delegate was Bobby Hoelscher (24), age 86, and the youngest delegate was Samantha Kacir (87).

Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) requested that all attendees take an opportunity to sign thank-you cards for veterans, which would be included in the “Thank You for Your Service” snack bags to be donated to Veterans’ hospitals and clinics in the Central Texas area.

The Governance Committee entered the stage at 11:22 a.m.

Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) presented the proposed bylaws for review. She noted that a bylaws brochure had been provided to all delegates and any items not previously submitted to the Committee could not be introduced from the floor. She explained that the bylaws would be reviewed column by column and, if there was no discussion, would be moved for approval.

For Article 4, no questions were raised. Oscar Korus (107) moved to

accept the changes, and Aaron Rigamonti (88) seconded the motion. Donnie Victorick (9), noted that under Robert’s Rules of Order, a motion originating from a committee does not require a second.

Additional discussion followed regarding whether each article should be reviewed individually. Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) clarified that there would not be a vote on each article separately. Instead, the chair would present each article, and a single yes/no vote would be taken upon completion of the full bylaws report. After that vote, additional discussion and voting would occur as needed.

Mary Steinman (154) expressed disagreement with this process, reiterating her preference for individual review of each article.

Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) then proceeded with the review of the bylaws.

Articles 3 and 4 were reviewed with no discussion.

Article 5 generated discussion. Vicki Sims (84) and Hannah Eskelson (88) raised questions, to which President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) responded, stating that the proposed changes would not deny an individual membership in a lodge and directed attention to Article 77 for further clarification.

Additional questions regarding membership were raised by Aaron Rigamonti (88), David Meyer (18), and Samantha Kacir (87). Controller Roy Vajdak (88) responded, explaining that membership approval can be delayed because some lodges vote on a quarterly basis, making it difficult to accept new members in a timely manner.

Governance Committee Chair

Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty (196) both expressed agreement that members have the ability to choose their own lodge.

Donnie Victorick (9) discussed social membership functions and the ability of members to serve, emphasizing the importance of maintaining active lodges and noting potential risks, including loss of insurance coverage, if lodges become inactive.

Samantha Kacir (87) asked a question regarding the selection of a lodge, to which Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) responded that it is the member’s choice.

Dan Kacir (87) asked questions regarding social member dues, participation, and services.

Lea Kiefer (88), attending her first convention, stated that she would prefer discussions to focus on one section of an article at a time.

Cherri Petr (84) asked a question regarding lodge designation, to which President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) responded.

At 11:52 a.m., Donnie Victorick (9) provided an example of a lodge reassignment.

Additional discussion regarding Article 5, Section 7 was held by Cherri Petr (84), Lea Kiefer (88), and Susan Skrabanek (17), which was addressed by Oscar Korus (107).

Yvonne Marcaurele (30) and Donnie Victorick (9) thanked the Governance Committee for their work. Donnie Victorick (9) then asked for a show of hands from lodge presidents who actively respond to new member notifications by inviting new members to lodge meetings.

Aaron Rigamonti (88) and Jennifer Kirk (88) raised additional questions regarding membership, which were addressed by President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24).

Susan Skrabanek (17) responded to a question from Samantha Kacir (87) regarding the payment of dues.

Discussion was also held by Don Fruin (196) and Susan Skrabanek (17) regarding Article 6, Section 12 (c)(1) and (c)(2).

Sections 16, 17, and 18 were reviewed with no discussion.

Sections 33, 34, 35, 39, 41, 54, 63, 65, and 67 were reviewed with no discussion.

In Section 74, Mary Steinman (154) noted an error indicating that the term “District Officers” should be used. Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) verified the correction.

Donnie Victorick (9) requested that President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) provide additional information regarding Executive Committee decisions. Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) provided further clarification regarding parliamentary procedure and responded to additional questions from Mary Steinman (154).

Carolyn Beseda (88) asked about language requirements for recording minutes. Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) responded that no changes had been made in this area.

At 12:35 p.m., Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) announced lunch would be served and the meeting would reconvene at 1:30 p.m.

Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) noted lunch tickets were color-coded by meal type.

—Nancy and Maria Green Team

Session 3

Saturday Afternoon June 8, 2024

1:42 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) reconvened the Convention at 1:42 p.m.

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) explained how the Convention process would proceed.

Patrick Stewart (88) requested verification of the number of votes assigned to each lodge.

Governance Committee Chair

Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) asked if there were any items from page 27 requiring discussion and recommended adoption of Articles 7, 8, 9, and 15.

John Engelke (66), Samantha Kacir (87), and Aaron Holt (88) asked questions regarding Articles 15 and 12.

David Meyer (18) asked questions regarding violations of the bylaws.

Donnie Victorick (9) explained that the proposed bylaw changes pertained to presidents of local lodges, not the president of the organization.

Susan Skrabanek (17) reiterated that the provisions applied only to local lodges.

Mary Steinman (154) and Donnie Victorick (9) raised additional questions regarding Article 25, Section 104.

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) provided further clarification.

Kristen Jones (81) asked why Article 16, Section 85(a), was marked with a blue strike-through. Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) and President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) clarified that this was an error and that the text should have been marked in red.

Susan Skrabanek (17) called for a point of order.

Melissa Victorick-Brown (88) asked a question concerning beneficiaries.

Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) proceeded to Article 17; there was no discussion.

Governance Committee Chair

Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) then proceeded to Article 25. Samantha Kacir (87) requested clarification.

Yvonne Marcaurele (30) thanked the Executive Officers and Directors for providing clear policies and procedures.

At 2:37 p.m., Donnie Victorick (9) called for the question, and Kyle Skrabanek (17) seconded the motion to approve Articles 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, and 20. A hand vote was taken, and the motion carried.

Article 5 – Membership

Aaron Holt (88), Hannah Eskelson (88), David Meyer (18), Samantha Kacir (87), Donnie Victorick (9), Mary Steinman (154), Heather Andrews (28), and Lea Kiefer (88) raised questions concerning Article 5 (Membership).

Heather Andrews (88) asked questions regarding changes to the membership guidelines. Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) clarified that amendments must be submitted at least 60 days prior to the Convention.

John Engelke (66) called for the question on Article 5, and Krystle Peterson (81) seconded the motion.

Vote results:

District One: 10

District Two: 24

District Three: 20

District Four: 7

District Five: 2

District Six: 13

District Seven: 11

Total: 87 votes — Motion carried.

Article 14 – Districts

Discussion was held by Mary Steinman (154), Donnie Victorick (9), John Engelke (66), Rita Spinn (80), and Susan Skrabanek (17).

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) provided clarification.

Samantha Kacir (87) called for a point of order.

Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) called for the

question and requested a hand vote. The Alternate Governance Committee members collected the votes.

Vote results:

District One: 9

District Two: 24

District Three: 20

District Four: 7

District Five: 25

District Six: 14

District Seven: 11

Total: 110 votes. Motion carried. Governance Committee recommendations were accepted.

Section 66

Donnie Victorick (9) moved to adopt Section 66. Kyle Skrabanek (17) seconded the motion.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) called for the question.

Vote results:

District One: 10

District Two: 24

District Three: 18

District Four: 0

District Five: 22

District Six: 14

District Seven: 7

Total: 95 votes — Motion carried.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) recessed the Convention for a 20minute break.

—Linda and Rosy Red Team

Session 4

Saturday Afternoon June 8, 2024 4:06 p.m. to 6:02 p.m.

At 4:06 p.m., Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) reconvened the Convention and requested verification that all districts were present. Confirmation was received.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) presented Article 15 as accepted by the Governance Committee and opened the floor for discussion.

Samantha Kacir (87) stated that Section 78 would allow the SPJST President/CEO authority to remove lodge officers. She expressed that this authority should not exist, noting that lodge officers should be selected and removed only by their respective lodges.

Lea Kiefer (88) proposed that “immoral, illegal, unethical actions” should be included in the bylaws.

Yvonne Marcaurele (30) suggested that the President/CEO could appoint an interim lodge president, with the elected president to be determined at the next lodge meeting.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty (196) stated that this procedure is not included in the bylaws but is addressed in the Operations Manual.

Donnie Victorick (9) clarified that the Executive Committee would not be involved in decisions regarding the removal of lodge officers. He stated that lodges should resolve such matters internally. However, he noted that the Executive Committee could be involved in reviewing potential bylaw violations and ensuring that proper documentation exists regarding any removal action.

Patrick Stewart (88) agreed with Donnie Victorick (9), stating that Article 25, Section 78 addresses grievance procedures rather than the removal of lodge officers. He expressed concern that the language could be interpreted as granting unilateral authority to remove offi-

cers and emphasized the need for local control. He acknowledged that Executive Committee involvement may be necessary in cases where a lodge is not functioning, but not in active lodges.

Aaron Holt (88) agreed with Patrick Stewart (88) and stated that while future leadership scenarios should be considered, the Convention needed to vote on the rule as currently written.

The Governance Committee conducted a vote of their delegates in attendance regarding Article 15, with a “Yes” vote indicating approval as presented.

Initial vote results:

District One: 8

District Two: 22

District Three: 15

District Four: 6

District Five: 5

District Six: 9

District Seven: 10

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) stated that a ballot vote would be required.

Donnie Victorick (9) noted that the vote may not have been accurate, as some delegates had left the room prior to voting. He requested that the vote be recounted using a ballot process.

A ballot vote was conducted, and the Governance Committee left the room to tabulate the results.

Article 16

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) noted that Article 16 could be addressed while the Governance Committee counted the votes for Article 15.

At 4:27 p.m., Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) opened the floor for discussion on Article 16. There was no discussion.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) called for a vote to approve Article 16.

Patrick Stewart (88) suggested amending the motion to read, “to approve and adopt as presented.”

Vote results for Article 16 were:

District One: 9

District Two: 24

District Three: 18

District Four: 6

District Five: 26

District Six: 13

District Seven: 10

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) declared Article 16 approved.

Yvonne Marcaurele (30) noted that Governance Committee members who are also delegates would still be included in vote counts.

Article 25

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) opened the floor for discussion on Article 25.

Samantha Kacir (87) expressed concern regarding the lack of clearly stated modified procedures, noting that clarification should occur before codification.

President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) suggested that the process could be reviewed during codification.

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) stated that Section 20(b) could not be considered, as it had not been submitted to the Governance Committee prior to the Convention. He noted that it could be addressed at a special session convention.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) called for a hand vote.

Vote results:

District One: 9

District Two: 20

District Three: 20

District Four: 6

District Five: 22

District Six: 12

District Seven: 10

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) declared Article 25 approved.

Reconsideration of Article 5

Donnie Victorick (9) requested a

parliamentary procedure change and moved for a recount of the vote on Article 5. Krystle Peterson (81) seconded the motion.

Linda Henderson (40) requested clarification regarding whether the motion applied to Article 5 or Section 66. Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) clarified that the motion applied to Article 5 - Membership.

Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) explained that two votes would be required: first, a vote to reconsider, and second, a vote on the actual recount. Both would require a two-thirds majority.

Linda Henderson (40) asked why a recount was necessary. Donnie Victorick (9) responded that it was needed to verify the original vote totals.

Donnie Victorick (9) amended his motion to request a ballot vote, noting concerns that only affirmative votes had been counted previously.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) requested a review of the original vote.

The original vote totals were:

District 1: 10

District 2: 24

District 3: 20

District 4: 7

District 5: 2

District 6: 13

District 7: 11

Donnie Victorick (9) requested a secret ballot.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) stated that the amendment could not be considered until the original motion was addressed.

A vote was taken on whether to reconsider Article 5.

Vote results:

District One: 0

District Two: 4

District Three: 0

District Four: 0

District Five: 20

District Six: 1

District Seven: 0

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) stated that the motion failed, as it did not meet the required threshold.

Donnie Victorick (9) thanked the Convention Chair and delegates.

Article 15 – Final Vote Results

Controller Roy Vajdak (88) reported the official ballot results for Article 15:

75.59% For (20,759.8167 votes)

24.41% Against (6,703.1833 votes)

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) declared Article 15 approved.

Director Compensation Governance Committee Chair

Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) presented a recommendation from the Board of Directors for a salary adjustment. The Committee recommended a 5 percent increase, with further review of incentive structures over the next four years, potentially allowing up to a 14 percent increase based on activity levels.

Donnie Victorick (9) stated that SPJST Directors are already among the highest compensated in fraternal organizations and that service is driven by dedication rather than incentives.

John Engelke (66) stated that director compensation had not been adjusted since 2016 and outlined historical percentage increases. He advocated for a 14 percent increase to remain competitive and attract younger leadership.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) asked whether the Governance Committee wished to amend its recommendation. Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) stated that the original motion would stand.

Heather Andrews (88) inquired about the current salary, which was stated to be $31,500.

Lori Pace (154) asked whether a higher percentage could be proposed if the motion failed.

Controller Roy Vajdak (88) clarified that the motion could be amended.

Lea Kiefer (88) asked why the compensation was not included in the bylaws. Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) explained that compensation is not governed by bylaws and noted that directors also receive mileage and meal reimbursements.

Donnie Victorick (9) explained that compensation had historically been handled by the Finance Committee, which is now part of the Governance Committee’s duties.

Lori Pace (154) moved to amend the recommendation to a 14 percent increase. Dana McAdams (66) seconded the motion.

Patrick Stewart (88) questioned whether delegate approval was required. Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88) confirmed that compensation changes must be approved by Convention delegates.

Laura Holt (88) asked about the financial impact. Controller Roy Vajdak (88) stated that the increase would result in approximately $30,000 annually based on a $20 million budget.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) clarified that a simple majority (87 votes) would be required to approve the amendment.

Amendment vote results:

District One: 4 Yes 5 No

District Two: 21 Yes / 2 No

District Three: 20 Yes / 0 No

District Four: 2 Yes / 5 No

District Five: 24 Yes / 4 No

District Six: 12 Yes / 2 No

District Seven: 3 Yes / 8 No

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) declared the amendment approved. Delegates then voted by secret ballot on the amended motion to increase director salaries by 14 percent.

At 5:26 p.m., Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny (246) introduced the Convention speaker, Tom Meier. Tom Meier is a human resource consultant with more than three

decades of experience in the areas of organizational and employee development. His areas of expertise include executive and non-executive leadership development, career management, personality assessment, and organizational change. Tom has received the Goldsmith Executive Coaching certification and has extensive work with fraternal associations. He is also the facilitator of the American Fraternal Alliance’s Fraternal Career Development Series. Due to time constraints, Tom presented a condensed version of “Going for Gold in SPJST.”

Controller Roy Vajdak (88) announced the results of the ballot:

68.48% For (18,805.6833 votes)

30.55% Against (8,390.3167 votes)

0.97% Abstained (267 votes)

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) declared the motion passed. Governance Committee Chair Dorothy Pflughaupt (88) thanked the Governance Committee and delegates for their work and participation. The Governance Committee was dismissed.

Delegates were dismissed to district caucuses.

The Convention adjourned at 6:02 p.m.

—Linda and Maria Green Team

Session 5

Saturday Afternoon June 8, 2024

6:44 p.m. to 6:59 p.m.

The Convention reconvened for the announcement of district caucus results.

Honorary Supreme Lodge President

Howard Leshikar (48) installed the newly elected directors, alternate directors, Governance Committee members, and alternate Governance Committee members.

Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66) thanked the delegates and recognized Donnie Victorick (9) for his mentorship.

Susan Skrabanek (17) moved to adjourn to the banquet. Krystle Peterson (81) seconded the motion. The motion carried.

The 34th SPJST Convention adjourned at 6:59 p.m.

—Linda and Rosy Red Team

7

District Caucus Results

District One Caucus Results

Director

Donnie Victorick Lodge 9, Snook

Alternate Director

Susan Skrabanek Lodge 17, New Tabor

Governance Committee

Bill Orsak Lodge 9, Snook

Alternate Governance Committee

Kyle Skrabanek Lodge 17, New Tabor

District Two Caucus Results

Director

Jesse Pospisil Lodge 29, Taylor

Alternate Director

Rita Spinn Lodge 80, Holland

Governance Committee

Rita Spinn Lodge 80, Holland

Alternate Governance Committee Bridget C. Bohac Lodge 20, Granger

District Three Caucus Results

Director

John Engelke Lodge 66, Waco

Alternate Director

Douglas Galler Lodge 66, Waco

Governance Committee

Michael Galler Lodge 66, Waco

Alternate Governance Committee

Mary Steinman Lodge 154, Fort Worth

District Four Caucus Results

Director

Bobby Davis Lodge 160, San Angelo

Alternate Director

Brad Teplicek Lodge 49, Rowena

Governance Committee

Brad Teplicek Lodge 49, Rowena

Alternate Governance Committee

Beverly Teplicek Lodge 49, Rowena

District Five Caucus Results

Director

Bradley Stavinoha Lodge 81, Needville

Alternate Director

Kerry Herrington Lodge 142, Houston

Governance Committee

Dorothy Pflughaupt Lodge 88, Houston

Alternate Governance Committee

Kristen Jones Lodge 81, Needville

District Six Caucus Results

Director Annie Vahalik Lodge 4, Hallettsville

Alternate Director

Joe Siptak Lodge 4, Hallettsville

Governance Committee

Lisa Bubela Lodge 30, Taiton

Alternate Governance Committee

Yvonne Marcaurele Lodge 30, Taiton

District Seven Caucus Results

Director

Regina House Lodge 202, Jourdanton

Alternate Director

Wendy Pruski Lodge 107, Floresville

Governance Committee

Oscar Korus Lodge 107, Floresville

Alternate Governance Committee

Trey Bielefeld, III Lodge 107, Floresville

APPENDIX

34th Convention 2024

List of Delegates

• District One • 11 Delegates • 8 Lodges

2,210 Votes

Lodge 1, Fayetteville

Sharon Fritsch

Lodge 9, Snook

Hannah Kovar

Donnie Victorick

Lodge 13, Dime Box

Richard Ford

Lodge 17, New Tabor

Randal Gaas

Kyle Skrabanek

Susan Skrabanek

Lodge 39, Bryan

Mynde Kessler

Lodge 67, Schulenburg

Adrienne Kobza

Lodge 94, Wheelock

Linda Wilson

Lodge 189, Bryan-College Station

James Polasek

• District Two • 27 Delegates • 13 Lodges

6,360 Votes

Lodge 15, Buckholts

Scott Brandon

Lodge 18, Elgin

David Meyer

F.L. Meyer

Lodge 20, Granger

Bridget C. Bohac

Lodge 24, Cyclone

Robert Hoelscher, Jr.

Jason Hoelscher

Brenda Maddux

Lodge 29, Taylor

Tammy Cannon

Adolph Grieger, Jr.

Jesse Pospisil

Linda Pospisil

Frankie Pustejovsky

Lodge 47, Seaton

Emily Ordogne

Edwin Pechal

EJ Pechal

Judy Pechal

James Skrabanek

Daniel Stepan

Lodge 48, Beyersville

Cory Miksch

Lodge 80, Holland

Rita Spinn

Michelle Taylor

Lodge 87, Temple

Dan Kacir

Samantha Kacir

Lodge 155, Austin

Albert Klinkovsky

Lodge 177, Academy

Bruce Tomastik

Lodge 187, Round Rock

Jennifer McCarthy

Lodge 246, Morgan’s Point

Frances McBride

• District Three • 20 Delegates • 8 Lodges

4,805 Votes

Lodge 6, Cottonwood

Jeanette Beseda

Peggy Dobecka

Irene Peterson

Lodge 25, Ennis

Raymond Elleven

Betty Macalik

Linda Trojacek

Lodge 66, Waco

Diana Engelke

John Engelke

Douglas Galler

Dana McAdams

Lodge 84, Dallas

Jim Liska

Lynda Novak

Cherri Petr

Vicki Sims

Lodge 92, Fort Worth

Jon Durham

John Paprskar

Lodge 154, Fort Worth

Lori Pace

Mary Steinman

Lodge 180, Burleson

Rhonda Hurtik

Lodge 183, Arlington

Kay Weeks

• District Four •

7 Delegates • 3 Lodges

1,422 Votes

Lodge 49, Rowena

Laura Pospichal

Brad Teplicek

Lodge 160, San Angelo

Charlene Dusek

Ryan Jansa

Sandra Jansa

Betty Schwartz

Lodge 229, Abilene

Janice Stevens

• District Five •

28 Delegates • 5 Lodges

6,294 Votes

Lodge 81, Needville

Kristen Jones

Krystle Peterson

Bradley Stavinoha

Lodge 88, Houston

David Andrews

Heather Andrews

Carolyn F. Beseda

Alex D’Ambrosio

Ryan Epps

Hannah Eskelson

Mary Hoffman

Aaron Holt

Laura Holt

Sarah Itz

Janice Jahns

Lea Kiefer

Jennifer Kirk

Dorothy Pflughaupt

Aaron Rigamonti

Elizabeth Robinson

Patrick Stewart

Britt Thedinger

Melissa Victorick-Brown

Sara Wilson

Lodge 91, San Jacinto

Malba Smesny

Lodge 142, Houston

Dennis Hermis

Patricia Schleider

Lodge 196, Houston-West

Donald Fruin

Cindy Messina

• District Six • 14 Delegates • 11 Lodges 3,716 Votes

Lodge 4, Hallettsville

Annie Vahalik

Lodge 23, Moravia

Arthur Zarosky

Lodge 28, East Bernard

Jeanette Kaminsky

Lodge 30, Taiton

Lisa Bubela

Yvonne Marcaurele

Lodge 32, Victoria

Mark Lester

Lodge 40, El Campo-Hillje

Cathy Garcia

Linda Higgins

Jennifer Higgins

Lodge 41, Port Lavaca

Darlene Baker

Lodge 63, Sweet Home

Elaine Berkovsky

Lodge 97, Placedo

Donna J. Vanek

Lodge 151, Wharton

Gerald Macha

Lodge 181, Moulton

Elmer Michna

• District Seven •

11 Delegates • 6 Lodges

2,656 Votes

Lodge 79, Corpus Christi

Gerilyn Donnell

Marcus Rebecek

Virginia Rebecek

Jerry Sijansky

Lodge 107, Floresville

Erich (Trey) Bielefeld III

Oscar Korus

Wendy Pruski

Lodge 117, Robstown

Dianne Raska

Lodge 185, New Braunfels

April Haag-Adkins

Lodge 202, Jourdanton

James House

Lodge 258, Seguin

Chester Jenke, Sr.

Pre-Convention Report

President/CEO Brian Vanicek

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings to the delegates of the 34th SPJST Convention and to all SPJST members and friends. The year 2024 marks the 127th year since the establishment of our Society. We are alive with the same spirit and promise that filled the Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange, Texas, on December 28, 1896, when 25 Texans of Czech descent met to organize a new fraternal benefit society to support families in Texas. Thank you for believing in the fraternal ideal and for embracing the principles of benevolence, humanity, and brotherhood. My report is meant to provide you with an overview of SPJST since our last convention in 2021 as well as to provide you some insight into SPJST’s future.

The three years that followed the 2021 Convention were marked by notable progress within SPJST’s financial and fraternal realms. I am grateful to each of our SPJST Home Office team members, senior management, and board members for their commitment over the past three years. Their professionalism has been instrumental in making a positive impact on our business operations. The improvements that have taken place and continue to take shape reflect a disciplined commitment to strategic planning in areas pertaining to customer service, marketing, investments, staff development, and fraternal outreach.

The basic principles of the corporate governance initiatives that were enacted by our 2016 and 2021 Conventions are accountability, transparency, fairness, responsibility, and risk management. They have helped SPJST immensely in establishing a long-range, unified, and broad direction for the Society. The strategic planning process and the subsequent development of general goals, specific targets and objectives, action strategies, and performance measure-

ments have had a positive impact on Home Office operations.

It should come as no surprise that SPJST continues to fulfill its financial obligations to its members and keep pace with the life insurance industry. As a financial institution, I like to think of SPJST being in something of a sweet spot. We’re large enough to take advantage of the financial markets and offer our members an extensive menu of life insurance options, including annuities and IRAs. At the same time, we’re small enough where if you want to touch base with a senior officer or director on a business matter, we’re just a phone call or email away.

Strategic Planning Yields Results

From a financial perspective, SPJST remains healthy and well capitalized. SPJST posted total assets of $269.978 million at year-end 2023. This represents an increase of 10.5 percent, from the $244.223 million recorded at year end 2020. Three of the key components which contributed to this increase included steadily improved investment income, growth in insurance and annuity premiums, and a marked decrease in death claims in 2024.

The statistical data and narrative that is presented in Controller Roy Vajdak’s pre-convention report offers a comprehensive overview of SPJST’s financial performance since year 2020 and enables you to compare assets, liabilities, net income, expenses, and surplus. The investment narrative presented by Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska does an excellent job of explaining the complexities inherent in managing SPJST asset allocations and investment portfolio.

For the first time in its long and storied history, SPJST at year-end 2023 posted in more than $1 billion of life insurance in force. Total insurance and annuities in force at year-end 2023 was $1.144 billion. Thank you to the SPJST salesforce for writing good business and delivering us to this plateau! Driving fraternal growth requires ongoing and calculated investments in the

business in the form of new sales and marketing strategies, technologies, and fraternal benefits which support excellent customer service and valued member experiences. Vice President of Sales and Marketing Brother Doherty, in his sales and marketing summary, provides insight into the myriad of actions that have been taken since the last convention to enhance SPJST’s performance.

On a related note – and on a go forward basis – SPJST is making a determined effort to identify and enlist as sales agents qualified men and women over the age of 21 who believe in the power of fraternalism and fraternal life insurance. For generations, SPJST’s most productive and admired agents have been fraternal-focused and have understood the idea of service to each other and to the community. We’re looking for individuals who are passionate – people who love learning and helping others. In our effort to meet this objective, your assistance in helping to identify men and women as prospective sales agents is greatly appreciated. Coming on board as an SPJST sales agent presents a great opportunity to leverage technology and to contribute to the financial security and peace of mind for individuals and families.

Education is a powerful tool and SPJST is committed to empowering its next generation of leaders. Thank you to all our members who donated money to support the SPJST 100 Pennies Scholarship Drive or contributed to our endowed scholarships. Your contributions combined with SPJST’s annual cash allocation helped many of our younger members to attend college. During the four-year period from 2020 to 2023, a total of 203 scholarships totaling $208,000 were awarded. The total includes General Scholarships, Leadership Grants, District Merit Scholarships, State Merit Scholarships, and Royalty Scholarships that were awarded at State Youth Achievement Days/State Youth Showcase. Bear in mind, this total does not include the many scholarships that were also awarded by our local lodges.

Conditioning Lodges for Growth

Since the 2021 SPJST Convention, many SPJST lodges have continued to thrive and make a positive impact on the communities that they serve. If you’re a regular reader of the Vestnik, you know that. Even so, it was painfully evident that many other SPJST lodges were no longer actively engaged in the community. The decline – which has impacted many fraternal, civic and military service organizations – can be attributed to various factors, including the rise of self-interest in American society which has led many individuals and families to prioritize their own needs and aspirations over contributing to the community through volunteering. In other instances, lack of engagement opportunities and meaningful experiences may have also contributed to some of our lodges becoming inactive. Meeting monthly simply for the sake of meeting isn’t enough. Members are more likely to stay involved and committed when they believe that there is a real sense of purpose and fulfillment in their roles. Consequently, one of our ongoing strategic objectives – conditioning SPJST lodges for growth –focused on reengaging our members and reenergizing our lodges. It’s a process that carries over into 2024 and is likely be with us for the foreseeable future.

Part One of the revitalization process began in February 2023 with the reassignment of members from inactive lodges to active lodges. In each case, the members were reassigned by the Home Office to the active SPJST lodge nearest the address that we had on file for the member.

Individuals who were reassigned had the option to accept the reassignment or have their membership transferred to any other active SPJST lodge. Members representing a total of 38 lodges – both chartered and non-chartered – were reassigned in 2023 and 2024. Currently, SPJST has 77 lodges. Of those, 63 are considered active.

Bringing lodge members together by merger or reassignment is only part of the equation. The key to making the new entity successful is uniting the membership and – in some cases –establishing a fresh identity for the lodge in the community. Ideally, the process includes creating a vision – setting a direction for where the new lodge is going and then communicating that message – by working closely with the members to identify the mission that they will be seeking to fulfill within the community.

On a related note, both the SPJST youth program and adult program introduced several initiatives and incentives in 2023 calculated to revitalize aspects of SPJST’s program which had been showing signs of wear in recent years. Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny covers the broad spectrum of SPJST’s member and community engagement programs in her report.

Raising SPJST Brand Awareness

To reconnect with existing SPJST members and to build brand awareness, SPJST regularly participates in public events and festivals held throughout the state of Texas. Typically, this outreach has included representation by personnel representing both the sales and community engagement aspects of SPJST. By being present at these events, we can showcase our services and demonstrate our commitment to supporting the areas where we operate. Additionally, sponsoring festivals provides us with the opportunity to engage with prospective members in a more relaxed and enjoyable setting. Since the 2021 Convention, the Home Office has maintained a presence at several regional celebrations, most notably, the April Fest at the Czech Center Museum Houston, Slavnost at the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange, National Polka Festival in Ennis, Westfest in West, Kolache Festival and Baking Show in Caldwell, Czech and Slovak Heritage Day in

Dallas, and the Heritage Fest and Muziky at Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange.

That represents only a partial listing as numerous lodges working in partnership with their districts or other organizations have also been helping to sponsor regional events, promoting the SPJST brand and making a positive impact on the communities they serve. Something else that I should point out is that sponsoring public events helped us build strategic partnerships and networking opportunities. By collaborating with event organizers and participants, SPJST and its lodges can forge valuable relationships which can lead to mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration, fundraising, and shared resources in the future.

Additionally, and since the 2021 Convention, the SPJST Home Office has continued to support and/or provide organizational leadership to an array of 501(c)3 non-profit organizations, including the Czech Heritage Society of Texas, Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange, Czech Center Museum Houston, The Texas Czech Genealogical Society, Czech Educational Foundation of Texas (CEFT), Czech Center Museum of Houston; and Sokol. It was an honor for us to work with and to be affiliated with these volunteer organizations and the projects that they championed.

Since January 2023, the Czech Heritage Museum and Genealogy Center in Temple has been operating under the supervision of SPJST and the SPJST Foundation. The Foundation was established by SPJST Fraternal Life Insurance in 2012 as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit corporation to assist projects that celebrate the cherished traditions, customs, heritage, and language of SPJST’s Czech forefathers. It’s an obligation the Foundation takes very seriously and one that we believe is helping to redefine the Museum as a rallying point with regularly scheduled activities, including exhibits, live per-

formances, demonstrations, and special events.

The Museum’s “Night at the Museum” series – initiated in April 2023 – attracted large and enthusiastic crowds in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and December with light-hearted programming and inviting opportunities for social interaction. Many of the events included live performances, including appearances by a gospel choir, portrait artist, baker, acapella singers and polka and waltz band.

The Czech Heritage Museum Advisory Committee is building upon this program in 2024 and exploring ways to expand the museum’s programming touch points well beyond the bounds of its home base at 119 West French Avenue in Temple, Texas.

Looking Ahead

At the outset of my report, I noted that the corporate governance initiatives enacted by our 2016 and 2021 Conventions have helped SPJST immensely in terms of establishing a long-range, unified, and broad direction for the SPJST. The modernization of SPJST’s By-Laws which commenced in 2008 has reflected a thoughtful and deliberative process.

Generally stated, the 2024 bylaw recommendations that were submitted by the Executive Committee are amendments to existing by-laws and should help members and lodges navigate complex issues more effectively. One such recommendation proposes the establishment of District Councils in 2025 as an alternative to the current system of selecting District Officers. The District Council would be comprised of two representatives from each lodge in the district, namely the lodge president or his or her designate and the lodge youth leader. Foremost, the District Council would promote inclusivity by ensuring that every lodge have a voice in matters of business affecting the district.

I previously stated that SPJST consists of 63 active lodges. Of these, 58 are planning to send delegates to the 2024 SPJST Convention. And out of that group, only 23 of them are represented within the present District Officer framework. That means 35 lodges do not have a seat at the table. That’s almost two-thirds of what we consider to be our active base of lodges. By bringing together representatives from different lodges, a District Council should be well-positioned to facilitate discussions that benefit the entire district. By working together on lodge issues, the Council may be able to enhance communication and coordination among lodges within the district. As a practical matter, the District Council could meet online for planning sessions with their district director and/or an SPJST senior officer(s) as often as deemed necessary.

Our job as officers, directors, and delegates to the 2024 SPJST Convention is not to simply repeat the past but to employ the convention process to shape a positive future. A future where we rediscover, or maybe reinvent, new fraternal products and services that make a positive difference in the lives of our members and the communities that we serve. A future where the emphasis is on volunteerism and reinforces the values outlined in our SPJST vision statement and that is: to provide financial security for our members; build a wholesome family environment; and encourage cherished Czech traditions.

As a lifelong member of the SPJST, it has been an honor to serve you as President these past 20 years. We’ve had a good run and are on track to achieve new heights in the years to come. With a deep awareness of the responsibility conferred by your trust, I will continue to work diligently for you as we proceed on our fraternal mission.

Fraternally,

Brian Vanicek President/CEO —SPJST—

Pre-Convention Report

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty

When I delivered my report for the 33rd SPJST Convention in 2021, I was new to the position. I had laid out a business plan to help turn the company around. Three years later, it is my pleasure to present you an update on the progress of this business plan.

My First Goal

My first goal was to lay out a business plan that was realistic and executable. There were five areas I believed needed attention: RGAs (Regional General Agents), Agent Program, Products, Underwriting, and Branding and Marketing, which by its very nature includes various aspects of fraternal outreach. Each one of these had its place within the efficiency audit conducted by SPJST in 2020. This was a three-year plan that would take patience, focus, and persistency, but I knew that if our team at the Home Office and Board of Directors worked together, it could be achieved.

RGA and Agent Program

One of the first goals was to revitalize the RGA program and elevate standards and expectations for the agents. Our first move was to eliminate the RGA program, which consisted of one RGA for each district who was independent. That program was replaced by three territory managers (TMs) as W-2 captive employees. By doing this, we were able to clearly define what was expected of them and establish accountability in the position. With the establishment of three territories, we are able to redefine the TM’s service area, irrespective of the historic district borders. In the past, if an RGA was underperforming, the entire district suffered. In the new environment, if one of the TMs should be underperforming, there will be someone there to pick up the slack.

Once we initiated the TM program, we took on the task of disengaging the underperforming agents. At the start of 2020, SPJST had more than 300 agents. Today, we are at 125 agents. Only 39 percent of the agents in 2020 were licensed, in compliance with their contract guidelines, and certified to sell all SPJST life products and annuities. As of the 125 agents today, all but three are fully compliant. Those three are working on their license today and know that they have a timeline in place for achieving licensure. When a TM brings a new agent aboard now, they must be licensed and fully certified before we will contract them.

Once these expectations were established, we started putting in the tools to help them succeed. One thing we added is a training checklist that must be completed by the TM and signed off by them and the agent before we issue an agent number. The expectations are clearly defined for both the TM and the agent, thereby making them accountable for their actions.

At present, we provide the SPJST sales team with 12 virtual (online) continuing education classes a year and nine live classes every year. This practice has been keeping every agent compliant. If an agent does not renew his/her license, they are terminated until such time they get their license back. Should they lose their certification, they have 30 days to get the certification back or their contract is terminated. Since the current program has been in place, only one agent has been terminated due to the non-renewal of their license and no agent has been terminated for lack for certification. These procedures have been keeping our entire team productive and compliant at all times, making ours a much stronger and professional program.

Another tool which benefits both the customer and agent that we put into place is the new illustration, quoting, and electronic application software. This makes it easy for all agents to quote and write up applications from

any device anywhere. With this tool, we are able to process 100 percent of our applications electronically, which eliminates errors and reduces the time that it takes to underwrite a certificate. Our Illustrate, Inc program allows us to grow as we need, to customize as our needs arise, and to help us stay compliant with all TDI guidelines.

The agents are also being encouraged to work with the lodges in their area. They understand that they do not need to be part of a particular lodge to help that lodge. If a lodge needs help with an event – especially if they would like to establish a sales presence at a meeting or event – the lodge may give us a call at the Home Office, and we will work to get agents to support them. Essentially, every lodge has 125 agents and three TMs to support them.

Products and Support

The next area we focused on was our products and support. In the last three years, we have re-priced our insurance products to create increased profit margins. Additionally, we have restructured our universal life products to prevent underfunding in the future, and our final expense was simplified to make it more attractive. We also introduced two new profitable entry level products for children to become members – an inexpensive juvenile term (JT21) and an annuity program.

In a move to increase multiple operating efficiencies, we have incorporated electronic signatures on all of our forms. This allows us to take action quicker on changes related to beneficiaries, names, addresses, and so on, thereby enabling us to devote more time for other customer service issues. Approximately 80 percent of all Home Office documentation is now being completed electronically, reducing the cost of postage, paper, envelopes, printing, etc., allowing us to do more with less payroll.

With all these changes, our products are now more profitable, our agents are more productive, our compliance issues

have been eliminated, and our agent and TM program are stronger than they have been in years.

Underwriting

In the past three years, we have worked to automate our underwriting to eliminate paperwork, manual reporting, hours on the phone with medical facilities, and accelerating our delivery time. We continue to look at more automation options that can improve decision-making and at the same time, become more accurate when it comes to risk valuations. This has helped us come from an average of three to four weeks down to eight to 10 days. We believe that the next improvement can get the average down to less than five days.

Branding and Marketing

In 2023, SPJST invested almost $400,000 in branding through linear television, cable/satellite, and streaming television. This has added brand visibility in our major markets. We commenced our media campaign by focusing on the markets that serve Temple/Waco, Houston, Dallas, Bryan/College Station, and Lubbock/Midland/ Odessa. This consisted of six different commercials, three of which focused on the life products and three which focused on annuities. In January 2024, we added an additional insurance and an additional annuity commercial. We also expanded our coverage to include Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and El Paso. With these markets, we converted four commercials into Spanish and started advertising on Spanish stations. Having active lodges in these three markets should result in organic growth.

Another action that was taken by Marketing was to eliminate the merchandise store for the lodges, with the exception of the SPJST 100th Anniversary Cookbook. When a lodge hosts an event, we are committed to providing them with the resources they need in order to succeed. Sponsorships, premium items for giveaways, and

financial support are now components of our lodge support program. This can help the lodges to provide community service without breaking the bank.

The member referral forms have been updated to make it easier to refer a friend or relative for membership in the Society. The new forms have QR codes that can be scanned and entered in on your phone. This information comes directly to my attention for distribution. It allows someone to refer without mailing it in or waiting for a lodge meeting. It allows the lodge to get credit quicker and is easier to track. We believe that this program – once fully implemented – will make it much easier for a lodge to grow.

The drive to introduce new and improved member benefits remains an ongoing initiative. We have teamed up with two different travel companies to provide trips at discounted rates for members. We have teamed up with an attorney that has created a membersonly education website with videos on wills, trusts, power of attorneys, probates, and other topics for the elderly and their families. The service also includes a free consultation for the members. We will continue to look for benefits that are important to today’s environment.

With the innovations that I have outlined, and the changes made in the other departments, as a team, we have been able to have our best year in profitability in more than 24 years. We have also had our best three-year stretch since 2002-2004. SPJST is being positioned to become one of the strongest fraternals in Texas, and the country. We will continue to be forward thinking, community strong, youth conscious, and member focused.

I want to thank you for allowing me to be part of this team and look forward to all the good things still to come.

Fraternally yours,

Delisle L. Doherty Vice President of Sales and Marketing —SPJST—

Pre-Convention Report Vice

President of Communications

Melanie

Zavodny

Dear SPJST Members,

We extend our gratitude for your membership in SPJST. Our delegates are preparing to convene, discussing and shaping the future trajectory of our fraternal organization for the next four years. This week’s Vestnik includes insightful pre-convention reports. I encourage you to take the time to read these reports and stay connected with the Vestnik as we gear up for the 34th SPJST Convention in June.

In the past three years, the Communications/Member Engagement team has achieved significant accomplishments. We have undertaken extensive responsibilities. In a given week, our team is juggling a multitude of projects. Given the dynamic nature of both the communications and fraternal sectors, we remain vigilant in exploring various opportunities, particularly in maintaining fraternal relevance, member engagement, and digital communications.

After the 33rd Convention in August 2021, alongside the transition from Vestnik Editor/Director of Communication to Vice President of Communications, significant new duties and responsibilities were added, including becoming one of the five Executive Officers.

In January 2022, the Board of Directors decided to place the Fraternal Department under the purview of the Vice President of Communications. Subsequently, in April 2022, Camp Kubena was also transferred to the Vice President of Communications’ Department.

Youth and Fraternal Engagement

To address the declining participation in youth activities, we conducted interviews with youth, leaders, parents, and lodge officers to gather ideas and feedback on the youth program, aiming to

enhance its participation and relevance. A survey was developed, and over 200 responses were received. Based on this feedback, several program enhancements were implemented.

Although still a work in progress, these enhancements include consolidating district camps into one state camp, accommodating 160 participants. This centralized event offers youth from across the state an opportunity to forge friendships and enjoy enriching experiences. The success of this initiative is evident as we have nearly filled all youth camper slots for 2024 and are on the verge of implementing a waiting list.

Another significant modification to the youth program involved transitioning from seven district youth achievement days with declining participation to a single, more inclusive event - a twoday State Youth Showcase that includes a family social event. The inaugural event in 2023 was highly successful, with increased participation, and we anticipate even greater involvement in 2024.

Incentives ProgramSPJST Gives, Cares, Shares

We conducted thorough research into funding models for districts, lodges, and youth clubs, collaborating with various fraternals and the American Fraternal Alliance. Through this research, we discovered that modern funding models are directly linked to participation. In response, the SPJST Board of Directors established a committee for further research and discussion.

In 2023, we launched SPJST Gives, Cares, Shares, aimed at encouraging lodges and youth to actively contribute to their local communities. We introduced a new method for inputting activities and hours, further streamlined for 2024 with the introduction of the SPJST Gives app, assisting lodge leaders in recording their information. Additionally, in 2024, we introduced a Lunch & Learn series specifically addressing training for the new incentives program, providing valuable guidance and support to members.

In 2023, SPJST members volunteered a total of 83,954 hours in communities across Texas. Using Independent Sector’s valuation of volunteer time at $31.80 per hour, SPJST members contributed an estimated value of $2,669,737 directly to their communities. Additionally, SPJST hosted 1,225 fraternal and/or community service activities in 2023, attended by 61,633 members and non-members.

The 2024 incentives program remains a high priority, aimed at supporting our lodges and youth groups to achieve their maximum potential benefits. This program is designed to encourage ongoing participation and activity, ensuring that every member has the opportunity to contribute positively and reap the rewards of their involvement for lodges and youth groups.

Monthly Caring Challenges

In 2023, we introduced monthly Caring Challenges, providing ideas and inspiration for members to contribute to the betterment of their communities. For 2024, we are thrilled to continue these challenges, inviting lodges, youth groups, members, and friends to participate. These challenges are carefully crafted to cultivate a sense of community and teamwork among adult and youth members as they collaborate on projects benefiting their local areas. Participation in these challenges has been increasing, and we anticipate even greater engagement in the coming year. This initiative not only strengthens community bonds, but also instills a spirit of service across our membership.

Milestone Members

In 2023, we refreshed and rebranded the Milestone Members recognition. The updated list of members who have reached 25, 50, and 75-year milestones was featured in the February 26, 2024, issue of Vestnik, highlighting 573 members at the 50-year mark and 162 members at the 75-year mark. We have also redesigned the 50-year and 75-year commemorative pins to include the current SPJST logo.

Correspondence was sent to lodge presidents and secretaries outlining the revised process. The Home Office now directly contacts eligible members to confirm their interest in receiving the commemorative pins, which will be sent directly to those who respond affirmatively.

Each lodge received a list of members who joined SPJST in 1949, 1974, and 1999. We encourage lodges to honor these milestones with events that celebrate the enduring commitment of these members. A template letter has been provided to assist lodges in inviting these members to special events and to express appreciation for their longstanding loyalty.

Additionally, members celebrating significant birthdays—90th, 95th, 96th, and 100th—will be recognized throughout the year. Those turning 90 will receive a congratulatory card, while those reaching 95, 96, or 100 years will receive a special SPJST blanket.

This new approach was developed in response to past challenges and aims to reduce confusion and ensure that no member is overlooked. By streamlining the process, we hope to maintain the essence of the Milestone Members recognition while enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness.

“The Voice of Our Members and SPJST”

Since its inception in 1912, the Vestnik has served as a pivotal communication tool, uniting members across youth clubs, lodges, districts, and the state. It represents the voice of both the membership and the entire SPJST organization. Originally a weekly publication, the Vestnik transitioned to a bi-monthly format in October 2019 following a decision by the delegates at the 2016 Convention, who voted via a ballot in September 2019. This change aimed to enhance efficiency and integrate new media tools and strategies, thus increasing our brand relevance in the evolving landscape of communications and governance within the fraternal and life insurance industry.

Efforts to reduce expenses initiated in late 2016 have resulted in significant cost savings, nearly $867,000 to date. Despite the reduced frequency, the workload for each publication remains substantial, with even more or similar content now spread over fewer issues but with increased page counts. The average page count per week in 2023 was 33, up from 31 in 2021. Currently, the Vestnik reaches approximately 4,635 subscribers by mail, a slight decrease from 4,739 in 2021, with the cost of printing and mailing each issue now averaging 77 cents, up from 61 cents in 2021.

Digital distribution has also seen growth, with around 1,436 subscribers receiving issues digitally on the second and fourth Monday mornings of each month, an increase from 1,150 in 2021. Members interested in digital subscriptions can easily sign up online.

I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Temple Daily Telegram, our printing partner since 2005. Our relationship with the Telegram has been incredibly positive, and I greatly value their professionalism and expertise in the publishing and news media industry.

To everyone who contributes articles and photographs to the Vestnik—thank you. You are the backbone and voice of our publication. Our lodge correspondents, youth club members, and broader community continually provide a wealth of news, photos, features, and other content for each issue. Please continue to send in your valuable contributions. I also extend thanks to our readers, whose loyalty makes all our efforts worthwhile. Your engagement is truly appreciated. Thank you.

Vestnik Archives and Digital Preservation

The entire Vestnik collection has also been uploaded to issuu.com, which is a digital discovery and publishing platform that enables distribution of digital content. In this collection, Vestniks are indexed and organized by years and can be searched in numerous ways. A link to the Vestnik archives appears on the

spjst.org website. The direct link is https://issuu.com/spjst/stacks. This project has connected generations and has provided valuable historical research for SPJST and genealogical data for families.

Our team captures SPJST events through photography and videography, creating assets like the annual state youth video and various promotional projects. We are also building an online digital preservation archive to house past photos and videos, documenting SPJST’s rich history.

Communications

Digital communications are an integral aspect to our daily operations, encompassing tasks such as moderating webcasts, producing videos, designing web pages, and crafting email blasts. Our team is responsible for designing and developing a diverse range of materials to support SPJST’s marketing and promotional efforts. This includes digital content, newsletters, flyers, brochures, and advertisements. We also oversee the creation and distribution of over 40 lodge and youth club mailouts annually. Additionally, the team manages significant printed projects such as the annual calendar, youth club handbook, SPJST Convention Souvenir Book, and various membership promotional materials. We also provide support for all Home Office and SPJST Foundation events and initiatives.

SPJST.org

The Communications/Member Engagement team manages the SPJST website, ensuring it merges our proud past with modern technology to maintain our vitality in the digital age.

Email Campaigns

Our team maintains email contact lists for various internal and external audiences, ensuring the delivery of informative and action-oriented campaigns to members, sales agents, delegates, youth leaders, lodge officers, and other stakeholders.

Social Media

With the advent of social media, it has become essential for organizations to maintain a presence on multiple platforms to stay relevant. SPJST leverages platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Vimeo to amplify our message and engage with our audience. Our team continuously develops content that resonates with both existing and potential members and integrates these efforts into SPJST’s broader marketing campaigns.

SPJST Floats

The Communications/Member Engagement team oversees SPJST’s floats and their appearances in parades throughout Texas. These floats promote SPJST’s fraternal programs and life insurance products at approximately 20 events annually. I am particularly thankful to my husband, David Nauert, who designs, constructs, and maintains these floats, preparing them for each parade.

SPJST Brand Standards

Our team collaborates continuously with all SPJST departments and Camp Kubena to develop and maintain consistent brand standards. The SPJST brand extends beyond our logo and colors—it encompasses our mission, our communications, and our public engagements.

Convention App

Re-launched in May, the SPJST Convention App is an essential tool for the 2024 Convention, available on iOS and Android devices as well as desktop computers. It provides updates, RSVP and payment options for meals, documents, social feeds, FAQs, schedules, hotel details, venue maps, preconvention reports, contacts, and photos, ensuring all delegates have the latest information at their fingertips.

Camp Kubena

The Communications/Member Engagement team collaborates with Camp Kubena on its marketing and communication strategies and overall operations. Special appreciation goes to Camp Kubena Executive Director Rob Clift and the dedicated staff - Assistant Camp Director David Motley, Maintenance Manager Earl Preston, and Hospitality Manager Tonya Aycock - for their diligence, expertise, and hard work in managing the camp and overseeing its day-to-day operations.

Appreciation and Thanks

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me in meeting deadlines and achieving goals over the past three years. Thanks to State Fraternal Director Frank Horak (17 years of service), a lifelong SPJST member, for his leadership and commitment to doing the best for SPJST and its members.

A special thanks to Vestnik/Communication Specialist Katherine Morris (celebrating 26 years of service); Member Engagement Specialist Tammy Martinez (with 24 years of service); and Graphic Designer/Communication Specialist Brooke Hoelscher (dedicated for 10 years). It’s worth noting that Katherine, Tammy, and Brooke are lifelong SPJST members and alumni of the SPJST Youth Program. Their wealth of experience, deep understanding of SPJST, and creative talents are invaluable assets to the Communications/Member Engagement team and the broader SPJST organization. I also recognize Ruth Hanusch who served as the Fraternal Department Assistant, retiring in late 2022 after 45 years of SPJST Home Office service.

My thanks to our lodge and youth club correspondents for their ongoing contributions, as to all our members who tirelessly promote SPJST’s mission. Lastly, I want to express my deep appreciation to my husband, David, for his unwavering support, encouragement, and invaluable assistance that have been a constant source of strength.

As a third-generation and lifelong SPJST member, my heart brims with excitement and passion for this organization. I greatly value your continued support and confidence in me as Vice President of Communications. Promoting SPJST, communicating its brand, and striving to grow member engagement and involvement will remain my top priorities. I look forward to continuing to col-

laborate with the Officers, Directors, Home Office Staff, and our members. Thank you, and may God bless SPJST and our membership.

Fraternally yours, Melanie Zavodny, FIC Vice President of Communications —SPJST—

2023 Fraternal Impact in Texas

Fraternal benefit society members 37,127

Contributions to the community by members and lodges

$233,135

Total volunteer hours

83,954

SPJST hosted 1,225 fraternal and/or community service activities in 2023, attended by 61,633 SPJST members and non-members.

Estimated value of volunteer hours*

$2,669,737

*Independent section 2023 estimated value of volunteer time = $31.80/hour

A DISTINCTIVE FRATERNAL HERITAGE

DEDICATED TO OUR COMMUNITIES

SPJST is not just another life insurer. As a 501 (c)8 not-for-profit fraternal benefit society, we embody a unique tradition of financial stability and community service. Our roots trace back over 125 years, originating with a noble mission: to offer Czech immigrants arriving in America a sense of belonging and support. In those early days, SPJST members exemplified solidarity by rallying to assist those in need, epitomized by the tradition of "passing the hat" to aid families facing hardship.

At SPJST, our commitment to community runs deep. As a modern fraternal benefit society, we extend our reach across Texas, offering more than just financial protection. We empower our members to make a tangible difference through local volunteerism and philanthropy, right here in their hometowns.

Beyond financial security, SPJST has always fostered a sense of community, preserving shared bonds of heritage, culture, and tradition. These ties have united our members across generations. While the landscape may have evolved, our commitment to serving and safeguarding middle America remains unwavering. SPJST continues to uphold its fraternal values, ensuring that our members receive not just insurance but also the support and camaraderie of a closely-knit community.

From tackling food insecurity to providing critical assistance during natural disasters, SPJST members don't merely purchase a product - they actively invest in and serve their communities. With each member's contribution, we strengthen and uplift Texas communities, one individual at a time.

Pre-Convention Report

Chief Financial Officer

Leonard Mikeska

The purpose of this report is to share a summary of management information with you. Management has dealt with many challenges including a volatile interest rate environment. Meeting many changes in our environment, SPJST remains financially strong. To those members who have placed their money into our products, be assured that we take our fiduciary responsibility seriously, and we follow good business practices to keep SPJST a strong and viable Society.

At this writing, the investment portfolio remains positioned to perform well in the current financial markets. Our cash and invested assets have grown to over $266.8 million on January 1, 2024. That amount includes first lien mortgages of $35.1 million, and real estate of $5 million. We have less than a tenth of 1 percent exposure to common stock. We have improved the quality of our bond portfolio and 58.3 percent are now rated NAIC 1, and 40.7 percent are rated NAIC 2, the two highest, two quality designations recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), our regulatory body. The SPJST Executive Committee with the input of AQS Asset Management, our fixed income advisor, has adopted a comprehensive Investment Policy Statement (IPS) which defines our risk appetite. Every investment we make is measured against our IPS which is evaluated every quarter.

AQS Asset Management has been successful in helping us to reallocate some of our positions to significantly increase our portfolio yield. We have been successful in increasing the yield of our portfolio since the last convention. Our reinvestment yield over the past 12 months has been 7.11 percent. We project that there will be some decrease in that reinvestment rate as interest rates come down.

Sharing some portfolio metrics, one that we watch is portfolio duration. In short, duration of a portfolio is a calculated measure of its sensitivity to interest rate changes. Our duration tends to be lower than that of many of our peer companies. Over the past four years, the effective duration of our portfolio has decreased from 7.0 to 5.0. A lower number indicates less sensitivity to interest rates which during a period of volatile interest rates can be good.

We are pleased that the book yield on our portfolio has increased from 4.37 percent to 5.33 percent over the past four years.

Other portfolio metrics that we monitor quarterly include the margin between our portfolio return rate and our annuity, deposit, and life payout rate. Monitoring the SPJST Gross Product Margin is also important. We monitor our monthly projected forward cash flow to assure we have funds to meet our obligations without having to sell securities, perhaps at an inopportune time.

SPJST has done well over the past few years and because of increases in our portfolio yield have not experienced the huge surplus losses some of our fraternal peers have experienced. We have successfully absorbed elevated death claim experience, and at the same time, invested heavily in software purchases. Some organizations that lacked yield are now facing serious financial challenges.

Interesting commentary thanks to AQS. The 10-year treasury hit a 16-year high of 5.012 percent during October 2023. At the time of this writing, the rate is 4.53 percent. The CPI Month over Month is 4 percent versus 3 percent expected. While inflation appears to be moderating, concern is shifting to government debt. Supply continues to increase demand. We closely monitor changes in interest rates and inflation and adjust our investment decisions accordingly.

Exploring new sources for investments are a priority to enable us to diversify, maintain and/or increase our yield, and improve the quality of our portfolio. Investment involves risk and reward. While we constantly seek the reward, we also seek to be vigilant and minimize investment risk. We continue to know that one of our primary challenges is to generate enough returns on our investments to fund the fraternal programs that in many ways define the nature of our Society.

I want to comment that we do a complex study annually which is cash flow testing to determine that we have made adequate provision to meet the Society’s future obligations. Testing has determined that under likely scenarios, we have made adequate provision for the Society’s future obligations.

Real estate owned by SPJST consists of the Home Office in Temple, the Social Security (SSA) building in Temple, Camp Kubena in Ledbetter, and the Czech Heritage Museum building in Temple. We continue to focus on proactive management of properties owned by the Society.

The depreciated book value of the four properties owned by the Society is $5 million. We have current appraisals of these properties valuing them at $8.7 million which far exceeds the reported book value on our financial statements. The lease of the SSA Building to GSA generates near a quarter million dollars of income which makes it a highly profitable investment.

Comparison of Net Admitted Assets

Custody of assets and matters relating to investment of funds of the Society and required recordkeeping. Managing real estate owned or acquired. Managing and servicing some $35.2 million of mortgage loans.

Managing the claims department and assuring prompt payment of death claims. Death claims have ranged from $4.03 million to $5.9 million over the past four years.

The CFO Department has trained specialists to provide information and administration of both IRA and non-IRA annuities and to assist with withdrawals, required minimum distributions, and various general servicing questions.

The CFO serves as the corporate secretary of the organization and is responsible for attesting documents and maintaining various official records. This includes maintaining the formal minutes of the Executive Committee, the Investment Committee, the executive officers, and other Society entities. All minutes are preserved in electronic format. Assistant to the CFO Linda Hill serves as recording secretary during Executive Committee meetings.

The world around us is changing more rapidly than we sometimes imagine. We, the managers of the organization, are aware of the need to be efficient and innovative. Taking actions to make us relevant to our younger members can test our management skills; however, we will move forward with new methods and new technology that will assure that we are effective and competitive as our environment changes. We focus a lot of attention on efficiency and ways to better serve our members.

A summary of some of the responsibilities of the CFO include the following:

One of the major changes seen over the last four years is the prominence of annuities needed by our members as a source of income. We have seen significant growth in annuities made available to our members to meet their investment needs. Annuities have provided income which has enabled the Society to grow surplus and fund fraternal programs. Managing annuities in this period of

volatile, changing interest rates requires constant vigilance to assure that our payout rates are competitive and yet, financially sound for the Society.

In summary, it is of prime importance to manage the funds of the Society to produce income to support the benefit obligations to our members as well as the fraternal programs our organization provides. Of equal importance, it is the duty of the executive team to maintain and motivate a staff that will provide the best possible service to our members and to oversee the many diverse administrative duties of the organization. I feel confident that this is taking place.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on our executive management team. I have been a member of many executive management teams during my many years of tenure with the Society. I can say without reservation that the current team led by President/Chief Executive Officer Brian Vanicek is one of the best and most effective management teams I have experienced here. All members of the team are knowledgeable, cooperative, and place the best interests of the Society foremost in their decisions. I do consider it an honor to be a part of the dynamic management team now in place.

Appreciation and acknowledgment are expressed to the members of the CFO Department in alphabetical order: Rudy Constancio, Tamara Gettys, Linda Hill, Amanda Pacatte, Marissa Salinas, and Carol Wolf. I praise each of you for your dedication in serving our members and acknowledge how each of you have grown professionally. I do want to take a moment to recognize a long-time SPJST veteran, Dorothy Tomasek, who did assist us in paying claims for a portion of the past four years. She began her career with the Society in the 1950s while SPJST was still headquartered in Fayetteville. Dorothy, I salute you for the many dedicated years of service to SPJST.

I appreciate the opportunity to have served you over the years in various

capacities. As an employee, a district sales manager, treasurer, secretary-treasurer, vice president, and now as CFO. I thank you for your courtesies, hospitality, and the many ways you have helped me carry out my duties. Thank you for your commitment which has made SPJST an organization that truly insures and enriches lives. In the 1990s, I adopted the phrase, “The Best is Yet to Come.” I truly believe that for SPJST, “The Best is Yet to Come.”

I have high expectations that this convention will be one of the best we have ever experienced.

Now, I thank God and give Him the glory for His Blessings and all that He has done in leading us to victoriously meet the challenges we have faced the past four years and ask for His continued blessing.

Fraternally yours,

Leonard Mikeska, FIC Chief Financial Officer —SPJST—

Pre-Convention Report

Controller Roy Vajdak

This report is submitted in accordance with Article VI Section 17(d) and Article IX Section 39(l) of our 2021 SPJST By-Laws.

I have had the pleasure of serving as Controller (previous titles were Financial Secretary and Director of Accounting/Information Technology Services) for the past 12 and one-half years and want to thank the Executive Committee for their support. The Controller is responsible for all accounting functions of our Society including both financial and statutory reporting and all IT functions. IT functions range from assisting staff with their desktop computers and printers to managing our servers, phone system, and copiers. A major part of managing cybersecurity is patch management of all our devices. My department provides member servicing in the areas of billing questions, address and phone number changes, and general certificate questions. We have continued the task of digitizing SPJST’s paper certificate records.

Financial Statement

I have included a financial statement of SPJST for a four-year period, which includes 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. All official figures are taken from the annual statement as submitted to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Please see the statement on page 13. This financial statement enables you to compare assets, liabilities, net income, expenses, and surplus. Assets have increased by approximately $25 million dollars over the last four years. Total liabilities have also increased by $29 million dollars over the last four years, primarily due to the increase in reserves. SPJST has aggressively pursued mortgage loan participations since 2021 to increase investment yields. Our 2023

Unallocated Funds (surplus) is $12,268,003. This is a decrease of $4 million from the start of 2020.

There are three main reasons for this decrease. The first reason is the increase in death claims due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Death claims increased by nearly $2 million in each of the years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Death claims were back to historical levels in 2023. The second reason is a regulatory mandated change in the calculation of the asset valuation reserve. The final reason is the implementation costs of the Equisoft software. These costs are a nonadmitted asset on the books of SPJST until the software is placed in service. The effect of this is to lower the surplus as shown in the miscellaneous changes above.

In 2020, SPJST had a Net Loss from Operations of $2,194,388 and a realized capital loss of $281,332. As explained above, most of the loss was due to the dramatic increase in death claims of over $2 million from the COVID-19 outbreak. Much of the capital loss was from the bankruptcy of one of the bonds in our portfolio.

The Society had a Net Gain from Operations in 2021 of $488,876 and realized capital loss of $2,632. The gain is from cost reduction efforts in the general expense area.

SPJST saw another increase in death claims in 2022 along with an increase in general expenses due to the inflationary pressures. This produced a Net Loss from Operations of $581,320. There were no realized capital gains or losses during the year.

The Society had a Net Gain from Operations in 2023 of $2,159,805 and no realized capital gains or losses. The gain is from the return of death claims to historical levels.

Attachment I, II, III, and IV on pages 16 and 17 are condensed versions of the 2020 through 2023 Analysis of Operations by Lines of Business that are a part of the Annual Statement that SPJST files with TDI (Texas Department of Insurance) and the NAIC

(National Association of Insurance Commissioners). Please note that the losses are generated by our fraternal activities. These are expenses borne by SPJST to provide additional benefits to the members.

Earnings on our surplus make it pos-

sible to support our fraternal programs that are non-contractual benefits for our members. These benefits including the youth program, refunds to lodges, incentive awards, and the Vestnik are among the many benefits provided to our members. Our spending on the fraternal pro-

SPJST FINANCIAL STATEMENT

A FOUR-YEAR COMPARISON STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL CONDITION !..)0."

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I have taken our invested assets from the year 2000 forward and calculated the

DISTRIBUTION OF INCOME

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STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN CERTIFICATE HOLDERS’ SURPLUS

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SPJST FRATERNAL EXPENSES COVERED BY

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that given the increasing investment yield and the change in surplus, we only covered all the fraternal expenses in the years 2000 and 2001. Every year since then, we have had to use funds from Net Gain from Operations to cover fraternal expenses.

Therefore, we need to be diligent on

two fronts. First, we must continue to examine the effectiveness of our fraternal expenses. Second, we must strive to increase premium income to enable us to cover the current shortfall. Please note the drop in the number of certificates issued since 2008. Everyone needs to be a salesperson for SPJST insurance and annuity

TOP 15 LODGES ACCORDING TO TOTAL NUMBER OF CERTIFICATES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023

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TOP 15 LODGES ACCORDING TO AMOUNT OF PREMIUM PAYING INSURANCE

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on premiums, annuity considerations and deposit-type contract funds (direct business

products. Please tell all your family, friends, and neighbors about what SPJST can offer them to help reverse the trend of a decreasing number of certificates issued.

A concerted effort has been implemented to increase the yield on our asset portfolio. The yield has helped on slowing the surplus drain.

Refund to Lodges

The Refund to Lodges program provided $1 per paid up certificate and 1.25 percent of earned premiums to the lodges. The Refund to Lodges program focused on two areas of concern: new membership growth and premium growth. The final payments under this program were paid in 2023. This program was replaced by the Lodge Incentive Program.

Listed on page 15 are the top 15 lodges in several categories.

• Top 15 lodges account for 46 percent of total insurance certificates in force.

• Top 15 lodges account for 49.3 percent of total insurance in force.

• Top 15 lodges account for 50.4 percent of total premium paying insurance in force.

Please note the drop in the number of certificates since 2012. To reverse this trend, we need everyone to be a salesperson for SPJST as I stated earlier.

Department of Insurance and Independent Audit

A Texas Department of Insurance audit is underway in 2024 for years 2018 through 2022. My financial reports are audited annually by Jaynes, Reitmeier, Boyd & Therrell, P.C. The Executive Committee reviewed all independent audits for years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, and no discrepancies were noted, or items changed. The Executive Committee is scheduled to review the 2023 audit in their July

2024 meeting. As required by state insurance regulations, we are required to file these independent audits with TDI and NAIC. Cost of these audits for the past five years has been more than $146,000.

Data Processing

Cybersecurity remains a great concern today. We must continually patch, upgrade, and replace systems to stay diligent. There are many IT firms and providers that claim to be cybersecurity experts but are soon found to be lacking especially in dealing with IBM operating systems. SPJST has engaged BFB Consulting, Inc. to assist us in this area due to their background and expertise with IBM operating systems. We are also utilizing staff training programs to make the staff cyber aware. However, if SPJST would experience a cybersecurity breach, we have cybersecurity insurance in place to assist with the remediation costs.

We are still working on a formal disaster recovery policy and business continuity policy. However, BFB Consulting has assisted in these areas starting with formal IT security policies. We utilize TierPoint as a disaster recovery site. This disaster recovery site is fully operational and has been tested.

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The COVID-19 crisis has tested the systems put into place for a business continuity issue. Many of our staff can operate remotely without having any issues servicing our members. We can take calls through our new phone system which can route calls to cell phones wherever there is cell reception. The final step needed is to document the business continuity planning in a formal policy.

We continue to employ McLane Intelligent Solutions to monitor and maintain our Windows-based operations. We have Windows-based servers and desktops to handle our office operations and emails.

We continue to maintain our certificate admin programs with United Systems and Software, Inc. (USSI) in Lake Mary, Florida. We are continually working with USSI to ensure the software is operating as expected and to utilize our data to the fullest. The USSI software runs on an IBM Power 9 server.

In Conclusion

At this time, I would like to thank the dedicated employees of my department for a job well done. My staff handles all the premium billing and answers your questions about your invoices or your certificate. They take your address changes and maintain the Vestnik mailing list. We have a Spanish-speaking staff member to assist our Spanish-speaking members. My staff is also diligently working on digitizing (scanning) all our certificate records. I expect this project will be complete at the end of 2024. I continue to make many changes in the departmental processes to make my department more efficient, and my staff has embraced all the changes. All my work would be impossible without an efficient office staff.

My employees include Dorothy Stuchly, Lisa Kirby, Sharon Ingram, Jennifer Wright, Mary Carrillo,

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Attachment

Danny Walden, Rosy Rodriguez, and Brett Wheeler. Lisa, my executive assistant (33 years of service), is responsible for the day-to-day accounting and has proven her capabilities and dedication to this position. The staff and Dorothy (59 years of service) also performed their duties very efficiently and have become invaluable assets to my department. I am very pleased that they represent me and the SPJST at a high level.

Rosy and Brett joined my staff since the prior Convention. They are part of the succession planning process for my department. Rosy is a staff accountant and is working on her master’s degree. Brett has his master’s degree and is currently awaiting results from the final part of the CPA exam.

I need to recognize Debbie Dohnalik, Marie Wolfe, and Joyce Harris who retired since the prior Convention. Debbie, who served as our accounting manager, retired with more than 45 years of dedicated service to SPJST.

I must not forget the other team members of the Home Office. It has been a pleasure working with the other employees and with my fellow Executive Committee Officers and Directors. There exists a strong cooperation among those responsible for the daily operations of SPJST.

I find much pride in representing SPJST. My roots go back to the founding of SPJST. My wife, Becky, and I try our best to represent you well.

Fraternally, Roy W. Vajdak

Controller

—SPJST—

8

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Fraternally submitted, SPJST Board of Directors

John Engelke, Chair - District Three

Donnie Victorick, Vice Chair - District One

Jesse Pospisil - District Two

Bobby Davis - District Four

Bradley Stavinoha - District Five

Annie Vahalik - District Six

Regina House - District Seven —SPJST—

Pre-Convention Report Governance Committee

The purpose of this pre-convention report is in compliance with the current SPJST By-Laws as approved by delegates at the 33rd Convention in 2021 and to share with you information that was submitted and acted on by the Grievance Committee.

The Grievance Committee met twice in 2024 - with both meetings held virtually. Committee members also communicated through email, text, and telephone. Recommendations were received from the Executive Committee and from John Engelke of Lodge 66, Waco. All of the recommendations were read, reviewed, and discussed at great length before being acted upon. The Committee worked diligently to ensure that the results would be in the best interests of SPJST. The recommendations were published in the April 29 Vestnik for all members to read. They can be viewed in the SPJST Convention App that is available for all delegates to download. The submitted recommendations can also be viewed on SPJST’s website at https://spjst.org/2024convention/

The Governance Committee recommendations for the 34th SPJST Convention are presented beginning on page 19. Please note that the document is color coded:

Black is the current by-laws. Red is the proposed change. Green signifies moving the text to the SPJST Operations Manual. Blue represents codification of the text.

Another task of the Governance Committee is to review all compensation and financial benefits of District Directors; gather relevant information and recommendations regarding reasonable compensation for District Directors; and present a proposal to the Convention. Any increase in compensa-

tion must be approved by the delegates of the Convention.

The Governance Committee is recommending that delegates consider approving a 5 percent increase for the District Directors. The Committee also discussed developing an incentive plan to allow directors to be able to add to their salaries.

We appreciate the delegates’ support and look forward to the Convention deliberations. Best wishes for a safe trip to Temple and a successful Convention.

Respectfully, Dorothy Pflughaupt, Chair District Five

Lisa Bubela, Secretary District Six

Bill Orsak, Vice Chair District One

Edwin Pechal - District Two

Michael Galler - District Three

Brad Teplicek - District Four

Oscar Korus - District Seven 7

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS of SPJST

ARTICLE I NAME

Section 1. The name of this Fraternal Benefit Society is SPJST, originally chartered as Slovanská Podporující Jednota Státu Texas (Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas {SPJST}).

ARTICLE II PRINCIPAL OFFICE

Section 2. The principal office (Home Office) of SPJST shall be located in Temple, Texas.

ARTICLE III OBJECTIVES

Section 3. The objectives of this Society, as organized by Texas pioneers of Czech descent, are:

Section 3. The objectives of this Society, as organized by fearless and peace-loving Czech pioneers in Texas, are:

(1) To provide and promote fraternal and social fellowship among its members.

(2) To embrace and promote the cherished traditions, customs, heritage, culture, and language of our forefathers.

(2) To endeavor to keep alive the cherished traditions, customs, heritage, culture, and language of our forefathers.

(3) To encourage benevolence and humanity through the Society and to provide sound practical life insurance products for its members.

(3) Generally, through moral, spiritual, and economic respect, to encourage benevolence and humanity through the Society with sound practical life insurance products for its members.

(4) To operate under the lodge system.

(5) To provide for the payment of life insurance and other benefits for its members.

(5) To provide for the payment of life, sick, accident, or other benefits to its members.

Section 4. Mission. Insuring and enriching lives.

Section 5. Vision. Our vision is to provide financial security for our members; build a wholesome family environment; and encourage cherished Czech traditions.

ARTICLE IV FRATERNAL BENEFICIARY SOCIETY

Section 6. SPJST is a 501(c)(8) non-profit corporation, formed, organized, and incorporated under the fra-

ternal benefit society laws of the State of Texas. It is carried on solely for the mutual benefit of its members, beneficiaries, and their communities, and has a lodge system with a representative form of government. SPJST shall have all the powers granted to it by law and will strive to be a financially strong fraternal benefit society, providing high-quality, competitive life insurance and value-added benefits to its members. SPJST will conduct its affairs in a manner that ensures the Society is acknowledged as a good corporate citizen.

Section 6. SPJST is a 501(c)(8) non-profit corporation formed, organized, and incorporated under the fraternal benefit society laws of the State of Texas; and carried on solely for the mutual benefit of its members and their communities and beneficiaries; and having a lodge system, with a representative form of government. SPJST shall have all the powers granted to it by law. SPJST will strive to be a financially strong fraternal benefit society and to provide high quality, competitive life insurance and value-added benefits to its members. SPJST will conduct its affairs in a manner that is perceived as a good corporate citizen.

ARTICLE V MEMBERSHIP

Section 7. Application for Membership. Individuals may become members if they meet the membership requirements established by SPJST, apply for membership using a form provided by SPJST, and are accepted into membership by the SPJST Home Office. All members must be either citizens or legal residents of the United States, or they must be tax-paying non-residents possessing a valid Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

Section 7. Application for Membership. Individuals may become members if they meet the requirements for membership established by SPJST, apply for membership upon a form in use by SPJST, and are accepted into membership in accordance with the rules, procedures, and rituals of SPJST. All members must be citizens, legal residents of the United States, or tax-paying nonresidents with a legal Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

Section 8. Local Lodge Membership. Individuals seeking membership in SPJST may indicate their preference for a local lodge on their application form. No one may hold membership in more than one SPJST lodge concurrently.

Section 8. Local Lodge Membership. The local lodge has the right to determine whether it will accept an applicant for membership into the lodge. Upon receipt of notification of a new candidate for membership, the local lodge shall vote to accept or to reject the candidate no later than the second regularly scheduled meeting after notification is received by the local lodge. The candidate for membership must receive a majority vote of those present and voting to be accepted as a member. The local lodge secretary notifies the candidate whether he/she is accepted or rejected. If rejected, the member

may begin application to another lodge. No one may hold membership in more than one SPJST lodge.

Section 9. Membership Classes. There shall be the following four classes of members:

Section 9. Membership Classes. There shall be the following classes of members:

(a) Adult Member.

(1) An Adult Member is a person age 18 or older who has been accepted for membership by the Home Office through the purchase of an SPJST life insurance certificate or annuity.

(2) Adult Members may participate in the affairs and activities of the local lodge in which they are members.

(3) Adult Members are eligible for election as officers of local lodges, in the district, as delegates, as committee members, and as members of the Board of Directors.

(4) Adult Members whose whole life insurance certificates have matured based on the applicable mortality table shall remain members of SPJST, with all the privileges and benefits of active members and shall not be required to pay any dues or assessments other than those for the local lodge, where applicable.

(5) An Adult Member suspended for non-payment of premiums, dues, and assessments, if any, loses the right to vote and is not eligible for election.

(6) In the event that a third party owner surrenders or lapses the insurance or annuity, the insured member’s membership privileges associated with the surrendered insurance or annuity shall be terminated immediately.

(1) A person of 18 or more years whose application has been accepted and approved and to whom there has been issued a certificate of membership and insurance or annuity which is in force or who is receiving a settlement agreement benefit by reason of such insurance or annuity. It is expressly determined that in this latter event, the owner of the insurance or annuity, if different from the insured, shall have no privileges of membership and the insured will retain these rights.

(2) A person may become a member by purchasing an annuity in a minimum amount as set by the Board of Directors and pays his or her local lodge dues and assessments, if any, annually in advance.

(3) Further, it is determined that in the event that a third party owner surrenders the insur-

ance or annuity, the insured who is the member shall have his/her membership privileges imparted by the surrendered insurance or annuity terminated immediately.

(4) Members upon reaching age 18 automatically become adult members with all rights of adult members by complying with all requirements of adult membership.

(5) Adult members whose life insurance certificates have matured based on the applicable mortality table shall remain members of SPJST, with all the privileges and benefits of active members and shall not be required to pay any dues or assessments.

(6) An adult member suspended for non-payment of premiums, dues, and assessments, if any, loses his/her right to vote and is not eligible for election.

(7) Adult members are eligible for election as officers of local lodges, in the district, delegates, as committee members, and as members of the Board of Directors.

(b) Youth Member.

(1) SPJST may insure the lives of children. Such insurance shall be issued upon the application of an authorized adult who has an insurable interest. At age 18, the insured youth shall become an Adult Member.

(b) Youth Member. SPJST may insure the lives of children. Such insurance shall be issued upon the application of an authorized adult (who shall not by reason thereof, nor by reason of any benefit providing for waiver of premium, become a member) who has an insurable interest. At age 18, the insured youth shall become an adult member.

(2) An uninsurable child whose parent or guardian is a member can participate in the youth program.

(c) Associate Member. An Associate Member is a person who holds an SPJST certificate purchased through an outside agency under contract with SPJST selling group insurance. This member will not have SPJST or local lodge privileges, benefits, or voting rights.

(d) Social Member.

(1) A Social Member is an adult who pays annual dues to belong to a lodge.

(1) A social member is a member whom a lodge votes in as a social member, who completes a social membership form, and who pays his/her membership dues and assessments, if any, to the local lodge.

(2) A Social Member is not eligible to vote or hold office; however, a social member may, at the discretion of the local lodge, serve on an appointed committee with the right to deliberate and vote on that committee.

(2) A social member is not eligible to vote or hold office; however, a social member may, at the discretion of the local lodge, serve on an appointed committee with the inherent right to deliberate and vote on that committee.

(3) A Social Member will receive a digital copy of the Vestnik; however, he/she must pay for the Vestnik if he/she desires to receive it by US mail.

(3) A social member must pay for the Vestnik if he/she desires to receive it.

(4) An uninsurable child whose parent or guardian is a member can participate in the youth program.

Section 10. Membership Guidelines. All members shall guide themselves according to the charter, constitution, and by-laws of SPJST; otherwise, they are subject to penalty as defined by these by-laws and as prescribed by the Board of Directors for violation and non-observance of them. No subordinate body, nor any of its subordinate officers or members, shall have the power or authority to waive any of the provisions of the by-laws of SPJST. Such provisions shall be binding on SPJST and every member and beneficiary of a member.

Section 11. Induction of New Members. Induction of new members may be conducted at a time and date convenient to the local lodge and the new members.

ARTICLE VI CONVENTION

Section 12. Purpose. The Supreme Governing Body of SPJST shall be known as the Convention and shall be composed of delegates elected according to the rules of these by-laws. The Convention is the sole judge of eligibility and qualifications of all delegates and substitutes. The Convention has the power to:

(a) Adopt, amend, and supplement the by-laws of SPJST.

(b) Receive and act on all reports filed by the Executive Committee and the Governance Committee, which must be published in the Vestnik 30 days before the Convention. The Board of Directors may submit one combined report if they so agree.

(b) Receive and act on all reports filed by the Executive Committee and the Governance Committee, which must be published in the Vestnik 30 days before the Convention. The Board of Directors may make one combined report if they so agree.

(c) Elect District Directors, Alternate District Directors, Governance Committee members, and Alternate Governance Committee members.

(1) Candidates seeking election as District Director, Alternate District Director, Governance Committee, or Alternate Governance Committee must declare their candidacy and provide the Vestnik with details about their qualifications for the position. This information should be submitted following the procedures established and published by the Board of Directors, at least 120 days before the Convention.

(2) The Board of Directors is responsible for identifying and encouraging well-qualified candidates from each District to run for the positions of District Director, Alternate District Director, Governance Committee, and Alternate Governance Committee. The Executive Officers will review the submitted candidate information, may collect additional background details, and will present the slate of candidates along with qualification information to the Convention delegates.

(d) Determine compensation of District Directors.

Section 13. Regular Conventions. Regular Conventions are held once every four years. The date and location of the next regular Convention shall be set by the Board of Directors and published in the Vestnik no later than January of the Convention year.

Section 14. Special Conventions. Special Conventions may be held upon a two-thirds vote of all members of the Board of Directors for an urgent matter concerning the welfare of SPJST. Such Special Conventions shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by the Board of Directors. No business may be taken up at such Special Convention except for the purpose for which called, which purpose shall be clearly and distinctly set forth in the call for the Special Convention. A call for a Special Convention shall be disseminated electronically at least 30 days prior to the convening of such Special Convention, addressed to each delegate at his/her last known email address as shown by the records of SPJST. At the Special Convention, delegates from each lodge shall have the same number of votes as at the preceding Regular Convention.

Section 15. Quorum. Two-thirds of delegates seated at any regular or Special Convention shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.

Section 16. Ballot In Lieu of Special Convention. In lieu of calling a Special Convention, the Board of Directors may send a ballot to all delegates by mail or by email. The ballot may include one or more resolutions to be considered and adopted. The proposed resolution or resolutions must be mailed or emailed to the delegates at least 30 days before the ballots must be re-

turned. Delegates from each lodge shall have the same number of votes as at the preceding regular Convention. A resolution shall be deemed adopted upon receipt of signed ballots with votes equal to the number of votes required to adopt the resolution at a Special Convention at which all delegates were present.

Section 16. Ballot In Lieu of Special Convention. In lieu of calling a special Convention, the Board of Directors may send a ballot to all delegates by mail or by email. The ballot may include one or more resolutions that could be considered and adopted at a special Convention. The proposed resolution or resolutions must be mailed or emailed to the delegates at least 30 days before the ballots must be returned. Delegates from each lodge shall have the same number of votes as at the preceding regular Convention. A resolution shall be deemed adopted upon receipt of signed ballots with votes equal to the number of votes that would have been needed to adopt the resolution at a special Convention at which all delegates were present.

Section 17. Order. All proceedings of the Convention will be conducted in the following order, unless decided otherwise by the Board of Directors and approved by the delegates:

(a) The President/CEO convenes the Convention.

(b) Credentials report. A list of names of elected delegates and number of votes each lodge and delegate is entitled to will be made available to delegates at the beginning of the Convention by the Board of Directors.

(c) Elect Convention officers (Chair and Vice Chair) from among the delegates.

(d) Reports by Governance Committee and Executive Committee.

(d) Reports by Executive Committee and Governance Committee.

(e) Deliberate by-laws.

(f) Miscellaneous business.

(g) District caucuses. The purpose of the seven separate district caucuses is to nominate and elect a District Director, Alternate District Director, Governance Committee member, and Alternate Governance Committee member. Each delegate will vote in accordance with Section 31 (Votes) of the by-laws. The District Director will act as temporary chair of the district caucus until delegates elect a permanent chair.

(h) Install District Directors and Governance Committee members.

(i) Adjourn Convention.

Section 18. Convention Officers. The President/ CEO shall convene the Convention and shall preside until a Convention Chair is elected. The President/CEO shall appoint the secretaries of the Convention. The Convention Chair and Convention Vice Chair are the Convention officers.

Section 19. Proceedings. All proceedings in the Convention, unless such rules are not covered by the bylaws, are conducted in accordance with the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order.”

Section 20. Discussions. All Executive Committee members and Governance Committee members may participate in the discussions at the Convention, but they do not have the right to make motions, vote, or nominate unless they are delegates.

(a) No concern can be discussed in the Convention unless it was first presented to the Governance Committee and acted upon by that committee.

(b) No motion to change by-laws or amendment thereto can be presented to the Convention unless the motion or amendment thereto has been discussed and approved by a lodge or the Board of Directors and submitted to any member of the Governance Committee not later than 60 days prior to the Convention so that the Governance Committee could study such motion or amendment and deliver its opinion. Recommendations must be submitted in the English language. The Governance Committee secretary shall forward all signed bylaw recommendations to the Vestnik for publication. Rejected recommendations can be presented by a delegate of the representative body in the Convention during deliberation of the respective article.

Section 21. Voting. The enactment, deletion, or amendment to a by-law requires a two-thirds vote by authorized votes of delegates present. Unless otherwise required by law or the laws of SPJST, all other matters are decided by a majority of authorized votes of the delegates present. Delegates shall vote by voice, show of hands, standing, roll call, or secret ballot as designated by the Convention Chair. No delegate shall vote by proxy.

Section 22. Minutes. The Convention minutes should accurately summarize what was discussed and actions taken by the Convention. The minutes should be accurate, concise, objective, and to the point, but written in such a way that they do not leave out critical information and are easily understood and usable in the future. Minutes may include brief summaries of the discussions but should reflect a record of the exact wording of motions, amendments, and resolutions as well as who made the motions, who seconded them, and the outcome of any votes taken. The minutes shall be kept and approved in the English language. A copy of the Convention minutes shall be sent to each local lodge secretary, all Convention delegates, Governance Committee members, and/or members, upon request.

ARTICLE VII GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

Section 23. Composition. The Governance Committee shall be comprised of seven elected members (one from each of the seven districts).

Section 24. Eligibility. Executive Committee members, their spouses, and SPJST Home Office employees are not eligible for membership on the Governance Committee, but they are free to attend the Governance Committee meetings, make suggestions and recommendations, and assist the Governance Committee.

(a) Governance Committee members are expected to attend their respective district annual meetings. If two meetings are missed during a four-year period, the alternate shall complete the remainder of the term.

(a) Governance Committee members are expected to attend their respective district meetings. If two meetings are missed during a four-year period, the alternate will be appointed to complete the remainder of the term.

Section 25. Duties. The Governance Committee shall have the following duties:

(a) Review submitted recommendations for changes to the by-laws. The Governance Committee secretary shall forward all signed by-law recommendations to the Vestnik for publication. The Governance Committee will consider, arrange, and recommend motions for amending by-laws of the succeeding Convention; eliminate conflicts in the by-laws; codify and rearrange the by-laws; and deliberate and decide on all recommendations for amending the by-laws and, if necessary, prepare and present its own recommendations for changes to any articles. The Governance Committee will submit recommendations to the Vestnik enabling publishing 30 days prior to the Convention. Immediately following the Convention, the Governance Committee will arrange and compile the newlyadopted by-laws with all changes and amendments.

(b) Review all compensation and financial benefits of District Directors. Gather relevant information and recommendations regarding reasonable compensation for District Directors and present a proposal to the Convention. Any increase in compensation must be approved by the delegates of the Convention.

(c) Recommend to the Convention compensation of District Directors. The Committee’s recommendations shall be published in the Vestnik 30 days prior to the Convention.

(d) Assist the President/CEO in the tabulation of votes during the election of the Convention Chair and Convention Vice Chair.

(e) Assist the Convention Chair in the tabulation of votes of matters brought before the Convention.

(f) Serve as the Grievance Committee at the Convention. Help resolve disputes at the Convention.

Section 26. Committee Chair. The Governance Committee shall convene immediately following the Convention and elect a Committee Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary from its members.

Section 27. Meetings. During the Convention year, the Governance Committee shall hold a minimum of two meetings, one at least six months and one immediately prior to the start of the Convention. The day and time shall be designated by the Governance Committee Chair after consultation with Governance Committee members. The Governance Committee Chair may call special meetings and shall call a special meeting upon written request of at least three Governance Committee members. Any meeting of SPJST at which written minutes are kept, except the Convention, may meet by telephone conference or other means of communication that allows all participants to simultaneously communicate with each other. All non-electronic meetings should be at the Home Office.

Section 28. Quorum and Voting. A majority of the Governance Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of Governance Committee business except that a smaller number may adjourn a meeting for lack of a quorum. The Committee shall act by a majority of Committee members present.

ARTICLE VIII LODGE DELEGATE ELECTIONS

Section 29. Election of Delegates. Delegates and substitute delegates shall be elected no later than January at the local lodge meeting that precedes the Convention for the term from one Convention to the next Convention.

Section 30. Number of Delegates per Lodge. Every lodge has the right to elect delegates in accordance with its membership.

(a) The number of delegates a lodge may send to the Convention shall be based on the following scale:

(1) One delegate for lodges with 20 to 200 Adult Members;

(2) One additional delegate for each additional 200 Adult Members.

(b) Changes in Lodge Membership. If a lodge obtains enough Adult Members to qualify for an additional delegate to the Convention in the time period between the annual meeting and 60 days be-

fore the Convention, then that lodge shall send the substitute delegate or delegates with the most votes. A lodge losing the required number of members between such time shall not lose the delegate or delegates.

(b) Changes in Lodge Membership. If a lodge obtains enough new active members to qualify for an additional delegate to the Convention in the time period between the annual meeting and 60 days before the Convention, then that lodge shall send the substitute delegate or delegates with the most votes. A lodge losing the required number of members between such time shall not lose the delegate or delegates.

(c) New Lodges. A lodge chartered during the Convention year may elect its delegates and its substitutes any time before the convening of the Convention. A lodge chartered, merged, or reorganized less than three years preceding the election of its delegates may elect its delegates and substitutes from among those members having attended a majority of the regular meetings from the date of its charter, merger, or reorganization.

Section 31. Votes. A lodge represented by its delegate or delegates is entitled to one vote for every adult member. Delegates from each lodge shall divide their lodge’s votes equally among themselves. In the event the votes do not divide equally among the lodge’s delegates, the extra votes shall be assigned proportionally to all of the lodge’s delegates. (Example, a lodge with 4 delegates and 405 votes would result in each delegate having 101.25 votes).

Section 32. Substitute Delegates. Substitute delegates shall be elected according to the procedures for election of delegates. No more than 10 substitute delegates shall be elected per lodge. A substitute delegate shall attend the Convention if one of the elected delegates cannot attend. The substitute delegate or delegates shall be chosen to fill vacancies according to which substitute delegate received the most votes at the annual lodge meeting.

Section 33. Delegate Election Requirements.

(a) Qualifies as an adult member.

(b) Is present during the election or is absent due to unavoidable circumstances.

(c) Attended at least 50 percent of the regular meetings of the lodge during one year preceding the Convention year. Lodges meeting monthly, 50 percent is six meetings; lodges meeting bi-monthly, 50 percent is three meetings; and lodges meeting quarterly, 50 percent is two meetings. (When there is a conflict with the date of their local lodge meeting, Executive Committee members, district fraternal activities coordinators, on official business, may count as attending a regular meeting for this pur-

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pose. The state fraternal director, district youth counselors and their assistants, on official business, may count as attending youth club meetings. Notification must be given to the local lodge secretary prior to the event with written confirmation made by the party within two weeks following the event.)

Newly transferred members’ attendance record of the previous lodge shall be accepted.

(c) Attended at least 50 percent of the regular meetings of the lodge during one year preceding the Convention year. Lodges meeting monthly, 50 percent is six meetings; lodges meeting bi-monthly, 50 percent is three meetings; and lodges meeting quarterly, 50 percent is two meetings. (When there is a conflict with the date of their local lodge meeting, Executive Committee members, district fraternal activities coordinators, on official business, may count as attending a regular meeting for this purpose. The state fraternal director, district youth counselors and their assistants, on official business, may count as attending youth club meetings. Notification must be given to the local lodge secretary prior to the event with written confirmation made by the party within two weeks following the event.)

Newly transferred members’ attendance record of the previous lodge shall be accepted.

(d) Is a citizen of the United States of America at the time of election.

(e) Is not a statewide officer or director of another fraternal life insurance society.

(e) Is not an officer or director of another fraternal life insurance society.

(f) Any member who desires to serve as a delegate who is an underwriter of any insurance company or an agent (underwriter) of any other fraternal life insurance society may be elected but must first disclose this information to the local lodge members prior to the election.

Section 34. Term. Delegates and substitute delegates shall hold office until their successors are seated at the following Convention. The delegates and substitutes to the most recent regular Convention shall be the delegates and substitutes to any special Convention or for any ballot in lieu of a special Convention. In the event of the merger of two or more lodges following the Convention, those delegates of each lodge shall be entitled to the same number of votes they had at the preceding Convention.

Section 34. Term. Delegates and substitute delegates shall hold office until their successors are seated at the following Convention. The delegates and substitutes to the most recent regular Convention shall be the delegates and substitutes to any special Convention or for any ballot in lieu of a special Convention. If a delegate is not in the Convention by the second day, he/she will not be seated unless he/she has a good excuse as decided by the majority of the seated delegates, such as serious illness/emergency or death in immediate family.

In the event of the merger of two or more lodges following the Convention, those delegates of each lodge shall be entitled to the same number of votes they had at the preceding Convention.

Section 35. Delegate Selection Procedure.

(a) When a lodge is entitled to two or more delegates, the nomination and election of delegates is made by whatever procedure is deemed most convenient and expedient by the local lodge. If a nominating committee is used, nominations from the floor must be permitted. In the election process, a secret ballot may be used. Ballots designating more nominees than permitted are void and not counted. The nominees receiving the highest number of votes are elected.

(b) The result of the election of delegates and substitutes shall be forwarded electronically to the Vice President of Communications and the Chief Financial Officer within 30 days after the election. Failure to submit the report electronically within the 30-day period will nullify the lodge’s delegates.

(b) The result of the election of delegates and substitutes shall be forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer within 30 days after the election. Failure to do so will nullify the lodge’s delegates.

(c) The Vice President of Communications provides the local lodge secretary with the electronic format and instructions to submit the results electronically. The local lodge secretary is charged with completing and submitting the report. By submitting the report, the secretary certifies that the following information is correct:

(c) The Chief Financial Officer forwards to the local lodge secretary the required forms in duplicate that must be completed by the secretary and signed by the president and secretary of the local lodge, to certify the election of the delegate and substitute(s). After completion, one form must immediately be forwarded to the Chief Financial Officer. The elected delegate must present the second form to the Credentials Committee, an ad hoc committee of the Board of Directors comprised of Convention delegates, during Convention registration. The credential form must contain:

(1) A statement of the number of regular meetings held by the lodge the delegate is representing.

(2) The number of regular meetings attended by the delegate in the year preceding the Convention.

(3) The mileage from the delegate’s home to the Convention site and return.

(d) Lodges failing to comply with all required lodge duties and obligations within 60 days prior

to the Convention will lose their right to representation at the Convention.

(e) In the event of a delegate’s death, incapacity, or transfer to another lodge, he/she shall automatically be replaced by the first substitute of such lodge.

ARTICLE IX BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 36. Composition of Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be composed of the seven elected District Directors (one from each of the seven districts). The Board of Directors shall have the authority to provide rules and regulations for the extension and development of SPJST and shall have all other necessary and incidental powers to carry out the objectives of SPJST and such other duties as prescribed by these by-laws.

Section 37. Composition of Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Board of Directors (seven District Directors) and the Executive Officers (President/CEO, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Vice President of Communications, Chief Financial Officer, and Controller).

Section 38. Conflicts of Interest.

(a) No agent of any other competitive life insurance company, or any officer or director of any similar fraternal order is eligible for membership on the Executive Committee.

(b) No Executive Committee member shall receive commission for the sale of property belonging to SPJST. No Executive Committee member can buy property from SPJST. No Executive Committee member shall be personally liable to SPJST or its members for monetary damages for any act or omission in the Executive Officer’s or District Director’s capacity as an Executive Officer or District Director except in the following instances:

(1) For any breach of the Executive Officer’s or District Director’s duty of loyalty to SPJST or its members;

(2) For any act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law;

(3) For any transaction from which the Executive Officer or District Director received a benefit deemed improper by the Board of Directors, whether or not the benefit resulted from action taken within the scope of the Executive Officer’s or District Director’s position;

(4) For any act or omission for which the liability of an Executive Officer or District Director is expressly provided for by statute or payment of a dividend.

(c) No person can be an employee of the SPJST Home Office if he/she is related to any member of the Executive Committee within the third degree, as construed under Section 573 of the Government Code of the Texas Revised Civil Statutes.

Section 39. Duties. The affairs of SPJST shall be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors between regular meetings of the Convention. The Board of Directors has the duty and authority to:

(a) Provide leadership for all SPJST members and others.

(b) Promote fraternalism between lodges.

(c) Promote Czech heritage and language and the history of SPJST.

(c) Learn and promote Czech heritage and language and the history of SPJST.

(d) Employ legal counsel on an as-needed basis.

(e) Provide sufficient insurance coverage for the protection of SPJST.

(f) Collaborate with Executive Officers and conduct a strategic planning process and develop an annual business plan with clearly defined qualitative and quantitative goals.

(g) Adopt incentive programs.

(g) Adopt formulas to determine the amount of refund to lodges based on premium income from members and other incentive factors after a review of the annual statement and consultation with the actuary.

(h) Adopt such additional plans and tables of insurance including annuities and universal life products, which appear to be beneficial, according to fraternal insurance laws of the State of Texas.

(i) Ratify compensation schedule and incentive programs for sales agents.

(j) Fill vacancies for the President/CEO.

(k) Employ a certified public accountant, upon recommendation of the Chief Financial Officer, to prepare a detailed report concerning the condition of SPJST.

(l) Prepare a report of its progress/accomplishments since the preceding Convention. Each Executive Officer must submit a report to be printed in the Vestnik at least 30 days prior to the Conven-

tion. The Board of Directors may submit one combined report, if they so agree.

(m) Investigate all irregularities, disorders, and incompetence in office of the President/CEO or any District Director. Following a thorough investigation, including a hearing of such charges and 20 days advance notice to the accused, the Board of Directors may discharge the accused from his/her office by a two-thirds vote.

(n) Suspend local lodges for not performing their local lodge duties and for irregularities deemed by the Board of Directors to be detrimental to SPJST. In the event of suspension, and until the suspension is lifted by the Board of Directors, one or more of the following shall be in effect:

(1) The loss of representation at regular and special Conventions of SPJST.

(2) All official lodge records and papers shall be relinquished to the Board of Directors for examination.

(3) The name and number of the local lodge will be dropped from the roster of the lodges.

(4) The loss of representation at district meetings and other functions of SPJST.

(5) The loss of representation at all youth functions on the district and state levels.

(6) No new applications for membership will be accepted.

(7) No transfers into the lodge will be accepted.

(8) All meetings and activities normally carried on by such lodge will cease.

(9) No local lodge dues will be collected.

(o) Suspend or discharge local lodge officers and committees for irregularities in office detrimental to SPJST on charges filed by members of the local lodge or the Board of Directors, and after 20 days notice to the accused and due hearing thereon, by a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Directors.

(p) Select and give discretionary authority to an investment manager on recommendation of the Chief Financial Officer.

(p) Select and give discretionary authority to an investment manager on recommendation of the Chief Financial Officer and ratify the sale and purchase of bonds and stocks by a majority vote.

(q) Ratify the operating budget of the Home Office.

(r) Assign additional duties to the President/CEO as needed.

(s) Review proposed agenda items and agenda for the Convention. The agenda will be constructed by the Executive Officers. All proposed agenda items must be submitted to the Executive Officers at least 60 days prior to the start of the Convention to be included in the Convention agenda.

(t) Review resolutions submitted for consideration of the Convention and make recommendations to the Convention regarding such resolutions. Any proposed resolution must be submitted to the Executive Officers at least 30 days prior to the start of the Convention to be considered by the Convention.

(u) Examine and pass upon the credentials of the delegates to the Convention.

(v) Review the financial standing of the Society annually and ensure that a financial report is prepared and presented to the Convention.

(w)Present a report at district meetings.

(x) Participate in lodge and district events to inform the membership on matters pertaining to SPJST.

(y) Ratify hiring and compensation of all Executive Officers.

Section 40. Chair of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall elect a chair and vice chair for a term of one year from among its seven elected District Directors. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors and perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board of Directors. The vice chair will preside in the absence of the chair.

Section 41. Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet quarterly. In case of necessity, the President/CEO, in conference with the Chair of the Board of Directors, has the right to change the date of the meeting. Meetings are open to SPJST members except during executive sessions concerning personnel, disciplinary matters, litigation, or threatened litigation. Section 41. Regular Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet quarterly during the third week or weekend in January, April, July, and October. In case of necessity, the President/CEO, in conference with the Chair of the Board of Directors, has the right to change the date of the meeting. Meetings are open to SPJST members except during executive sessions concerning personnel, disciplinary matters, litigation, or threatened litigation.

Section 42. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the President/CEO or the Chair of the Board of Directors, in case of necessity. In the event that five members of the Board of Dil Bldifi 05/06/2024

rectors determine a necessity for a special meeting, and the President/CEO refuses to call such a meeting, the five members may, by written notice, call all members of the Board of Directors to such a special meeting and hold the meeting. Five members of the Board of Directors will constitute a quorum at special meetings.

Section 43. Location. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the Home Office, unless the President/CEO or the Board of Directors designate an alternative location.

Section 44. Quorum and Voting. Five members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum. The act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by the Charter of Incorporation, by-laws, or applicable law.

Section 45. Electronic Communication. The Executive Committee and any committee or sub-committee of the Board of Directors, or any other meeting of SPJST at which written minutes are kept, except the Convention, may meet by telephone conference, online, or other means of communication that allows all participants to simultaneously communicate with each other.

Section 46. Action Without Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the Board of Directors or any committee or sub-committee of the Board of Directors may be taken without a meeting by written consent of all of its members then in service. A written consent under this provision shall have the same force and effect as a vote taken at a meeting.

Section 47. Minutes. The Board of Directors will designate a Home Office staff member to record minutes of all transactions at all open Board of Directors’ meetings and special meetings. The Chief Financial Officer will maintain minutes and exhibits of the Board of Directors’ meetings and Investment Committee meetings. Written consent may be given electronically.

(a) The minutes will be printed in the Vestnik within 30 days after each regular or special Board of Directors’ meeting.

(b) The minutes will include each item voted on at the meeting with a record of how each member of the Board of Directors voted on each issue. Matters concerning personnel, disciplinary matters, litigation, threatened litigation, and marketing plans will not be included.

Section 48. Committee Establishment. The Board of Directors may appoint committees to have such authority as the Board of Directors may delegate. Each committee shall consist of three or more Executive Committee members. Additional committee members may be appointed by the Board of Directors. A majority of the members of each committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all committee business.

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Section 49. Audit Committee. The Audit Committee shall be responsible for the oversight of the auditors of the Society, the audit of financial statements of the Society, review of investment transactions and performance of the investment portfolio, operational procedures, and such other responsibilities designated to it from time to time.

Section 50. Communications Committee. The Communications Committee shall be responsible for determining what material proposed to be included in the Vestnik may be harmful to and against the best interests of SPJST.

Section 51. Vacancy. In the event of a vacancy by the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Vice President of Communications, Chief Financial Officer, or Controller, such vacancy will be filled by appointment by the President/CEO with ratification by the Board of Directors.

(a) In the event of a vacancy by the President/CEO, such vacancy will be filled by the Board of Directors.

(b) In the event of a vacancy by a District Director, the position shall be filled by the Alternate District Director.

(c) In the event of a vacancy by an Alternate District Director who succeeded the District Director, the District President shall call a meeting of the delegates of the previous regular Convention to a place centrally located for the purpose of electing a new District Director and Alternate District Director for the term to the next Convention. This election shall be carried out within 30 days. The results of the election shall be announced to the Executive Committee without delay.

Section 52. Removal of President/CEO or District Directors.

(a) The President/CEO may be removed “for cause” by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Board of Directors at a meeting called for that purpose. A District Director may be removed from the Board of Directors “for cause” by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Board of Directors at a meeting called for that purpose. The member of the Board of Directors whose status is at issue shall not be entitled to vote in the matter. “For cause,” for purposes of this section, shall include:

(1) Inability or failure to perform the duties and responsibilities of an Executive Committee member;

(2) Engaging in conduct unbecoming of an Executive Committee member;

(3) Absence from two Board of Directors’ meetings during the course of a calendar year, without good cause;

(4) Breaching a fiduciary duty owed to SPJST, its members, or beneficiaries;

(5) Materially violating these by-laws, the Charter of Incorporation, or any code of ethics or conflict of interest policy adopted by SPJST; or

(6) Ceasing to be a member of SPJST.

(b) For the President/CEO, a determination of cause shall be made within the reasonable discretion of the Board of Directors. For a District Director, a determination of cause shall be made within the reasonable discretion of the Board of Directors, in consultation with the District President.

(c) The President/CEO or District Director, upon termination of his/her tenure, must deliver to their successors all property belonging to SPJST.

ARTICLE X EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Section 53. Officer Requirements. To be an Executive Officer, an individual must meet the following requirements:

(a) Be a member of SPJST for at least one year preceding the appointment. Individuals who do not meet this one-year requirement may be hired; however, they shall not serve as an Executive Officer until they have been a member for one year.

(b) Be a citizen of the United States of America.

(c) Must have at least $50,000 of SPJST life insurance or if uninsurable, then an SPJST annuity in at least the amount of $20,000.

(d) Appreciate and promote the Czech language and culture and fluently speak the English language.

(e) Any other requirements that the Board of Directors may prescribe that take into consideration the nature of the position and magnitude of the business and affairs of SPJST.

(f) No Executive Officer can hold more than one office at a time, and no Executive Officer can receive more than one compensation at one time.

(g) No Executive Officer can receive commissions for services as a sales agent. The spouse of an Executive Officer can receive commissions for services as a sales agent at a reduced rate as determined by the commission structure for part-time agents.

(h) No Executive Officer may hold any position in the districts or lodges.

Section 54. General Duties.

(a) Coordinate and conduct workshops for the training of local lodge officers in the first quarter of each year.

(b) Submit a quarterly report to the Board of Directors of all services performed prior to each board meeting.

(c) Submit reports regularly to the Vestnik

Section 55. President/CEO. The President/CEO shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The President/CEO shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Society, shall have general supervision and direction of the day-to-day business and affairs of the Society, and shall perform all duties incumbent to the position and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors from time to time. The President/CEO is the official head of SPJST and oversees all departments. The President/CEO is an ex officio member of all appointed committees within the Board of Directors. Subject to such rules and policies as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors, the President/CEO shall have authority to appoint and terminate such other officers, agents, and employees and to delegate authority to them with ratification of the Board of Directors upon appointment and/or termination of an Executive Officer.

Section 56. Reasonable Compensation. Reasonable compensation of the President/CEO shall be determined by the Board of Directors. Reasonable compensation of all Executive Officers other than the President/CEO shall be recommended by the President/CEO and approved by the Board of Directors. In its determination of reasonable compensation, the Board of Directors or a committee delegated authority for officer compensation shall take into account, among others, the services rendered by the officer, the performance of the officer, the performance of the Society, market and industry standards, and compensation paid to officers of similarly situated fraternal benefit societies.

ARTICLE XI ADVISORY COUNCIL

Section 57. Convention delegates shall serve as members of the Advisory Council between conventions. Advisory Council members shall serve on a volunteer basis and meet annually each spring with the Executive Committee with the objective of keeping the Advisory Council members engaged and responsive in matters relating to the growth and development of SPJST.

ARTICLE XII DISTRICT DIRECTORS

Section 58. District Director Qualifications. These qualifications shall reflect the complexity and magnitude of the business and affairs of SPJST and shall therefore include expertise in corporate governance, financial accounting, and insurance, among others.

(a) District Directors are accountable to members and owe duties of loyalty and care to SPJST. District Directors’ performance should be evaluated through SPJST’s long-term performance, financial and otherwise.

(b) District Directors must have high integrity and the appropriate competence to represent the interests of all members in achieving the long-term success of SPJST. Ideally, in order to facilitate engaged and informed oversight of SPJST and the performance of management, a subset of District Directors will have professional experiences directly related to SPJST. At the same time, however, it is important to recognize that some of the best ideas, insights, and contributions can come from District Directors whose professional experiences are not directly related to SPJST.

(c) District Directors should be business savvy and member-oriented, and have a genuine passion for SPJST.

(d) District Directors should have complementary and diverse skill sets, backgrounds, and experiences.

(e) District Directors need to commit substantial time and energy to the role.

Section 59. District Director Requirements. To be a District Director, an individual must meet the following requirements:

(a) Be a citizen of the United States of America at the time of election.

(b) Be an active member for at least one year prior to the time of election.

(c) Have SPJST life insurance in force or, if uninsurable, have an SPJST annuity.

(d) Meet the lodge attendance requirements for delegates.

(e) Appreciate and promote the Czech language and culture and fluently speak the English language.

(f) Attend the Convention or have an excuse for not being present that is acceptable by two-thirds of the delegates.

(g) Be capable of assuming the responsibilities as outlined herein and as established by SPJST from time to time.

(h) Reside within the respective district.

(i) Candidates seeking election for one of the seven elected District Director positions must state their intention to seek election and submit information to the Vestnik regarding their qualifications for a District Director position in accordance with the procedures established and published by the Board of Directors at least 120 days prior to the Convention. The Board of Directors shall help identify and encourage well qualified candidates from each District to seek election as a District Director and Alternate District Director. The Board of Directors shall review candidate information and may gather additional background information and shall submit the slate of candidates and qualification information to an ad-hoc Credentials Committee comprised of Convention delegates who shall review and provide the slate of candidates and information regarding qualifications to the delegates at the Convention.

Section 60. Term. The terms of the elected District Directors shall be for four years and commence upon the close of the Convention during which they are elected and terminate upon the close of the following Convention. No District Director can hold any position in the SPJST Home Office or district.

Section 61. General Duties. District Directors will:

(a) Oversee the management and progress of SPJST.

(b) Oversee the compliance of all by-laws and decisions of the Conventions and the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIII VĚSTNÍK – OFFICIAL PUBLICATION

Section 62. Official Publication Vestnik. SPJST shall have an official publication. The name of the official publication shall be Vestnik. The Vestnik will be published twice monthly and in color.

Section 63. Subscriptions. A Vestnik shall be sent to SPJST members as shown on the records of SPJST, except that if SPJST records show that two or more members have the same mailing address, an official publication mailed to one of them is deemed mailed to all of them at the same address unless a separate copy is requested. Names and addresses of members requesting the Vestnik must be furnished to the Home Office. Schools, colleges, and universities offering and instructing the Czech language for credit will receive the Vestnik free of charge upon request.

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ARTICLE XIV DISTRICTS

Section 64. Composition. Districts are subordinate bodies under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors. SPJST is divided into seven districts across the state of Texas in which lodges are located. The districts are composed of the following counties:

(a) DISTRICT ONE: Austin, Bastrop (except Lodge 18), Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Cherokee, Fayette, Grimes, Houston, Lee, Leon, Madison, Panola, Robertson, Rusk, Trinity, Walker, and Washington.

(b) DISTRICT TWO: Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Lampasas, Llano, McCulloch, Mason, Menard, Milam, San Saba, Travis, Williamson, and Lodge 18, Elgin (located in Bastrop County).

(b) DISTRICT TWO: Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Lampasas, Llano, McCulloch, Mason, Menard, Milam, San Saba, Travis, Williamson, Lodge 18, Elgin (located in Bastrop County), and Lodge 200, BrucevilleEddy (located in McLennan County).

(c) DISTRICT THREE: Anderson, Bosque, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Clay, Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Grayson, Gregg, Hamilton, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Hopkins, Hunt, Jack, Johnson, Kaufman, Lamar, Limestone, McLennan (except Lodge 200, Bruceville-Eddy), Marion, Montague, Morris, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rains, Red River, Rockwall, Smith, Somervell, Tarrant, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wise, and Wood.

(d) DISTRICT FOUR: Andrews, Archer, Armstrong, Bailey, Baylor, Borden, Brewster, Briscoe, Brown, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Childress, Cochran, Coke, Coleman, Collingsworth, Comanche, Concho, Cottle, Crane, Crockett, Crosby, Culberson, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Ector, El Paso, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Gains, Garza, Glasscock, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hansford, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Howard, Hudspeth, Hutchinson, Irion, Jeff Davis, Jones, Kent, Kimble, King, Knox, Lamb, Lipscomb, Loving, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Midland, Mills, Mitchell, Moore, Motley, Nolan, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Pecos, Presidio, Randall, Reagan, Reeves, Roberts, Runnels, Schleicher, Scurry, Shackelford, Sherman, Sterling, Stephens, Stonewall, Sutton, Swisher, Taylor, Terrell, Terry, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Upton, Val Verde, Ward, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Winkler, Yoakum, and Young.

(e) DISTRICT FIVE: Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Hardin, Harris, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, NacogBlkb

doches, Newton, Orange, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Tyler, and Waller.

(f) DISTRICT SIX: Aransas, Calhoun, Colorado, DeWitt, Goliad, Gonzales, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda, Refugio, Victoria, and Wharton.

(g) DISTRICT SEVEN: Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Bexar, Brooks, Cameron, Comal, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Frio, Guadalupe, Hays, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Nueces, Real, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde, Webb, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala.

Section 65. Annual District Meetings.

(a) Districts are obligated to convene annual meetings for consultation, information dissemination, and administrative purposes within the limits of the SPJST by-laws. These meetings serve as a forum for discussing initiatives, sharing important updates, and addressing administrative matters relevant to the district’s operation. The agenda for these meetings shall be determined by the District Council or designated leadership and should align with the goals and objectives of the SPJST organization.

(b) Additionally, the annual district meeting may be combined with social and/or youth activities to foster camaraderie, engagement, and community building among members of all age groups within the district.

Section 65. District Meetings. Districts have the right to assemble for consultation, information, and administration within the limits of the by-laws of SPJST.

(a) Members of every district must hold an annual business meeting each year, which may be combined with social and youth activities.

(b) Every district formulates its own rules and regulations that must not conflict with the by-laws of SPJST. Any time a district desires to adopt a new activity program, which is not provided for in SPJST’s by-laws, it will present its proposal to the District Director, who in turn, will present it to the Board of Directors for approval.

(c) All deliberations and minutes must be conducted in the English language.

Section 66. District Officers. The following district officers shall be elected during the annual meeting: president; first vice president (to serve as fraternal activities coordinator for the district unless the district elects a fraternal activities coordinator as a separate position); second vice president (optional); secretary; treasurer; fraternal activities coordinator (optional); reporter (optional); district youth counselor; assistant youth counselor (where applicable); and flag bearer.

Section 67. District Audit Committee. The district must elect or appoint an audit committee, consisting of three or more members. If appointed, the president appoints the majority of the committee, and the vice president appoints the minority. This is to be done in the annual meeting. The duties of the audit committee are to audit at least once a year the income and expense of the operation of the district and the district youth. This information will be reported to the district.

Section 68. District Meeting Order of Business.

(a) Convening of the meeting

(b) Pledge of Allegiance

(c) Welcome by host lodge president

(d) Roll call of officers

(e) Roll call of lodges

(f) Recognition of guests

(g) Reading of minutes

(h) Tribute to departed members

(i) Reading of 50- and 75-year and Age 96 members

(j) Treasurer’s report

(k) District Youth Counselor’s report

(l) Governance Committee report

(m) Executive Officer’s report

(n) District Director’s report

(o) Old business

(p) New business

(q) Audit committee report

(r) Election of district officers

(s) Selection of site, time, and date of annual meeting

(t) Adjournment of the meeting

ARTICLE XV LOCAL LODGES

Section 69. Charter. Lodges and youth clubs are subordinate bodies under the jurisdiction of the Board of Directors. Individual local lodges must receive their charters from the Board of Directors. Lodges are largely self-governing organizations but shall comply with these by-laws, the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order,” Local Lodge Officers’ Handbook, and all other requirements adopted by the Board of Directors. A local lodge may, upon adoption of a proper resolution by its membership, incorporate for fraternal, benevolent, and charitable purposes and make contracts, purchases, mortgages, lease and hold real and personal property necessary to carry out its purposes under the Texas NonProfit Corporation Act.

Section 70. Rules and Regulations. Lodges shall have the right to make and adopt rules and regulations in conformity with the Charter of Incorporation and by-laws of SPJST and not in conflict with any regulations or requirements of the Board of Directors. Such laws, alterations, or amendments are to take effect only upon the written consent of the Board of Directors.

Section 70. Rules and Regulations. Lodges shall have the right to make and adopt rules and regulations in con-

formity with the Charter of Incorporation and by-laws of SPJST and not in conflict with any regulations or requirements of the Board of Directors. Such laws, alterations, or amendments are to take effect only upon the written consent of the Board of Directors. Every lodge is authorized, at its will, to grant sick benefits as often as it sees fit to do in accordance with its own rules and regulations.

Section 71. Charter Withdrawal. The Board of Directors may withdraw the charter of any lodge in the event the Board of Directors determines that withdrawal is in the best interest of SPJST. The Board of Directors shall provide for the disposition of property of lodges that have been suspended or dissolved in a manner consistent with the purposes of lodges.

Section 72. New Lodges. A newly established lodge is free to adopt any name with the approval of the Board of Directors. Prior to granting permission to designate a proposed lodge in an area, the Board of Directors shall review and consider the potential need for the area, and the proximity of existing lodges.

(a) The application for permission to organize a new lodge must be forwarded to the Board of Directors on an appropriate form listing the names of not less than 20 respectable persons who were not members of SPJST at the time of application but who have applied for insurance and have been accepted as members in anticipation of forming a new lodge.

(b) The Board of Directors will then send a representative to the new lodge for the purpose of organizing the lodge, electing officers, and giving basic lodge organizational instruction and general information about SPJST.

(c) After a new lodge has sufficient members, other than transfers and juveniles, it must, after one year of its organization, be formally chartered in accordance with the wishes of the members and the ritual of the Board of Directors.

(d) If 20 members cannot be secured immediately, a proposed lodge can be designated and members can be accumulated over a period of up to 365 days into the proposed lodge in process of being formed. The Board of Directors has the authority to extend this period. If a lodge is not organized within the period authorized, the Board of Directors will assign any members in the proposed lodge to another lodge of the member’s choice or to the nearest SPJST lodge.

Section 73. Mergers. Two or more lodges wishing to merge or consolidate may do so if notice is given to the membership of both lodges in the Vestnik at least twice before the meeting at which consolidation is to be considered. Each member who has attained the age of 18 years will be mailed a written notice that a merger will

be voted upon at such meeting. The merger can become effective only if a majority of the members present of each merging lodge vote in favor of the merger.

Section 74. Lodge Meetings. Local lodges must conduct at least quarterly planning meetings to remain in good standing and elect delegates to the Convention. Meetings are held on the day and hour specified by the regulations of the local lodge and announced in the Vestnik.

Section 74. Lodge Meetings. Local lodges must conduct monthly meetings unless they have permission from the Board of Directors to meet every three months so as to remain in good standing and have authority to elect delegates to the Convention. Meetings are conducted on the day and hour specified by the regulations of the local lodge.

(a) Presence of five members of a local lodge in good standing constitutes a quorum for valid transaction of all business of the local lodge, according to the by-laws and rules.

(b) Discussions of political and religious matters of any kind are not allowed in lodge meetings. The president of the lodge is required to stop such discussions.

(c) Each member has the right to attend meetings of other lodges; however, he/she does not have the right of deliberation, unless called upon by the president.

(d) Officers and committees are installed in the regular meeting following the annual meeting or at a time deemed most expedient to the lodge.

(e) All deliberations and minutes will be conducted in the English language.

(f) Failure of the lodge to meet regularly or to operate in accordance with the rules, regulations, bylaws, or fraternal spirit of the Society shall be grounds for the President/CEO, following consultation with the Board of Directors, to suspend the lodge’s charter for a period of 90 days. If the lodge fails to correct the deficiency within the suspension period, it shall be grounds for the reassignment of lodge members and/or the revocation of the lodge’s charter.

Section 75. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting is to be held in November or December, or the first meeting thereafter. The election of nominated candidates is held during the annual meeting at which time every member has the right to vote for any other candidate on his/her ballot. Whenever a lodge deems it necessary, with the consent of two-thirds of the members present, it may nominate candidates for officers, delegates, and committees in the meeting preceding the annual meeting.

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Section 76. Lodge Dues. Every local lodge determines its own local dues, if any, at annual meetings. Every lodge has the right to levy special dues and assessments, if any, on its members when the regular assessments and funds of the lodge are not sufficient to cover the sick benefits and other purely lodge purposes and requirements. These assessments also apply to social members. Members who have their certificates paid up in due course, according to the terms thereof and who wish to remain active members, must pay the local lodge dues and assessments, if any, as prescribed by the lodge to which they belong, payable annually. Dues are to be paid to the treasurer before or at the end of the regular business meeting.

Section 77. Suspension of Membership. Members may be suspended from local lodge membership but will not lose their insurance benefit except for nonpayment of premiums or if it occurs within the contestable period of the benefit contract and is for material misrepresentation in the application for membership or insurance.

Section 78. Lodge Officers. The following officers will be elected: president, vice president (to serve as fraternal activities coordinator for the lodge unless the lodge elects a fraternal activities coordinator as a separate position), second vice president (optional), secretary, treasurer, fraternal activities coordinator (optional), reporter (optional), and youth leader (optional). Lodges will also elect or appoint a flag bearer (optional), assistant youth leader(s) (optional), and parliamentarian (optional).

(a) The office of the local lodge president may not be combined with any other office within the local lodge.

(a) The offices of the local lodge president and secretary cannot be combined, but each other office may be combined with other offices.

(b) Election of officers is by ballot whenever more than one candidate is nominated for the same office. A majority of votes decides. Officers are elected for one year or until their successors are elected. All officers elected take office on January 1, except lodges holding annual meetings in January, in which case such officers take office immediately following election.

(c) All outgoing local lodge officers are required to transfer all records, reference materials, booklets, and funds to their successors in good order at the conclusion of their term. Failure to comply with this requirement will disqualify the member from holding office in the future.

(c) All outgoing local lodge officers must turn over all records, reference material, booklets, etc., and money to their successor in good order at the end of their term.

(d) The President/CEO shall have supervision and control over all lodge officers. He/She shall l Bldifi 05/06/2024

have the authority, following consultation with the Board of Directors, to remove from office any lodge officer who fails to properly perform the duties of said office or whose actions are deemed contrary to the best interest of the Society or the local lodge. In the event of a removal, another member of the lodge shall be appointed by the President/CEO of the Society to fill the vacancy in an interim capacity until the lodge can convene and fill the position through an elective process.

Section 79. Board of Trustees. In case of necessity and if the size and volume of business warrants it, a lodge may elect a board of trustees. The board of trustees may consist of as many members as the lodge deems expedient. The board of trustees is responsible for all lodge property and gives a current account of that property to the members.

Section 80. Candidate Eligibility. In nominating a candidate for local lodge office, preference shall be given to those members who attend lodge meetings and activities on a regular basis. A lodge may require in its rules and regulations that a member must have attended a majority of the meetings for the year of the election in order to be elected as an officer. An exception to the attendance requirement exists where an office has not been filled prior to the election. A member on suspension, for whatever reason, will not be elected to a position of responsibility in the lodge. Any member of the local lodge who desires to serve as a lodge officer who is an underwriter of any insurance company or an agent (underwriter) of any other fraternal life insurance society may be elected but must first disclose this information prior to the election.

Section 80. Candidate Eligibility. In nominating a candidate for local lodge office, only those members who attend the lodge functions and meetings on a regular basis should be elected. A lodge may require in its rules and regulations that a member must have attended a majority of the meetings for the year of the election in order to be elected as an officer. An exception to the attendance requirement exists where an office has not been filled prior to the election. A member on suspension, for whatever reason, will not be elected to a position of responsibility in the lodge. Any member of the local lodge who desires to serve as a lodge officer who is an underwriter of any insurance company or an agent (underwriter) of any other fraternal life insurance society may be elected but must first disclose this information prior to the election.

Section 81. Dissolution. In the event of dissolution of a lodge, after the payment of all legally binding debts, the remaining assets and funds of the lodge, if any, shall never inure to the benefit of any member of the lodge and no funds or property of the lodge shall be distributed among or revert to any member. Nothing herein will prevent transferring such funds or property to another duly chartered SPJST local lodge, or from one duly chartered SPJST lodge merging with another duly chartered SPJST lodge.

(a) No lodge can be dissolved as long as 20 members are still in favor of its further existence.

(b) In case a lodge is dissolved, it is the duty of the last officers to deliver all books and papers belonging to the lodge to the Home Office.

Section 82. Insurance. All lodges are encouraged to secure and maintain liability insurance in the minimum amount of $300,000 and workers’ compensation insurance (if the lodge has any employees) and have the carrier/insurer furnish proof of such coverage to the Home Office. This also includes those lodges that do not own their lodge facility.

ARTICLE XVI BENEFIT CERTIFICATES

Section 85. Beneficiaries. Benefit certificates may be made payable to such person or persons, entity, or interest as may be permitted under the rules and regulations of SPJST and applicable state laws.

(a) In the event a named beneficiary predeceases the insured or is otherwise not legally entitled to receive the certificate proceeds, the certificate proceeds shall be paid per stirpes to the family members of the insured in the following succession, as applicable, (1) the surviving spouse; (2) children; (3) grandchildren; (4) parents; (5) brothers and sisters; (6) grandparents; and (7) estate of the deceased.

(b) A beneficiary shall not have or acquire any claim against SPJST whatsoever until the insured dies unless otherwise provided by law.

(c) If a member moves from his/her last known address and his/her absence cannot be accounted for, for a period of seven years, his/her beneficiary will be paid the proceeds accruing under the certificate (Section 133.001, Civic Practice and Remedies Code or its successor).

Section 83. Contract. The certificate of membership and insurance or annuity, together with any riders or endorsements attached to it, the application, the declaration of insurability (if any) signed by the applicant, the Charter of Incorporation, by-laws of SPJST, and Operations Manual and all amendments to them, constitute the entire contract when it is issued. Any subsequent changes, additions or amendments to the Charter of Incorporation or by-laws shall be binding upon the applicant member, certificate owner, beneficiaries and other persons affected, and shall govern and control in all respects, except that no changes shall destroy or diminish benefits promised in the certificate when it was issued.

Section 84. Terms. Any person upon whose life a certificate is issued prior to attaining the age of 18 years shall be bound by the terms of the application and cer-

tificate and by all the laws and rules of SPJST to the same extent as though the age of 18 years had been attained at the time of application.

Section 86. Reserves. If SPJST’s reserves for any class of SPJST’s benefit certificates becomes impaired, the Board of Directors may require the certificate holders to pay SPJST an equitable proportion of the deficiency as determined by the Board of Directors. The aggregate amount for the impaired reserves may not exceed the total amount required to comply with section 885.408 of the Texas Insurance Code. If such payment is not made, either:

(a) it shall stand as indebtedness against the certificate and draw interest not to exceed the rate specified for certificate loans; or

(b) in lieu of or in combination with, the owner may accept a proportionate reduction in benefits under the certificate.

Section 87. Certificate Loans. The policies and procedures for certificate loans shall be governed by the terms of the insurance certificate contract and laws of the State of Texas. Certificate loans are administered in accordance with policies and procedures determined by the Board of Directors and fully in compliance with the certificate contract.

Section 88. Assignments. No assignment of the certificate shall be binding upon SPJST until the original or copy is filed with SPJST at the Home Office and the Home Office shall have made written acknowledgment thereof. SPJST assumes no responsibility for the validity of any assignment and any claim hereunder by an assignee shall always be inferior to those of SPJST to secure any indebtedness against this certificate, whether such indebtedness shall be created before or after any assignment.

Section 89. Change of Beneficiary. Any member desiring to change his/her beneficiary may do so.

(a) The request for change of beneficiary must be completed by the member on a form in use by SPJST. Change of beneficiary forms must be filed with SPJST at the Home Office. A person whose designation as a beneficiary is revocable may not have or obtain a vested interest in the proceeds before the certificate pays out.

(b) No beneficiary change shall take effect unless received by the Home Office during the lifetime of the insured. When it is received, any change shall take effect as of the date the request for beneficiary change was signed, as long as the request for change was mailed or actually delivered to the Home Office while the insured was alive. Such beneficiary change shall be null and void where SPJST has made a good faith payment of the proceeds or has taken other action before receiving the change.

ARTICLE XVII ANNUITY CERTIFICATES

Section ___. The Board of Directors sets policies and procedures on Annuity Certificates.

Section 90. Eligibility Requirements. SPJST members (life insurance certificate holders) are eligible and may purchase an annuity with a $100 minimum contribution.

Section 91. Exceptions.

(a) Any individual under 70 years of age must apply for an SPJST life insurance certificate, but if rated above standard, the individual may become a member with the purchase of an annuity in an amount of $1,000 minimum.

(b) Any individual under 70 years of age regardless of insurability may become a member with the purchase of an annuity in an amount of $5,000 minimum.

(c) Any individual over 70 years of age regardless of insurability may become a member with the purchase of an annuity in an amount of $1,000 minimum.

ARTICLE XVIII MORTGAGE LOANS

Section 92. The Board of Directors sets policies and procedures on Mortgage Loans.

ARTICLE XIX INDEMNIFICATION

Section 93. Indemnification. To the extent permitted by law, SPJST does hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Executive Committee serving SPJST against liability for any claims or causes of action which may be made against any of the above stated individuals, of any kind or nature, for such acts or omissions which would arise in the performance of their duties. SPJST shall agree to pay any damages on behalf of any of the above stated individuals for which they may be held liable. SPJST shall agree to pay any and all expenses that may be incurred by any of the above stated individuals, including, but not limited to payment of reasonable attorney fees for defense of any claims or cause of action made whatsoever.

Section 94. Insurance. SPJST shall maintain insurance on each Executive Committee member against liability for acts or omissions in the performance of their duties as determined by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XX FUNDS AND INVESTMENTS

Section 95. There shall be established and maintained by dues and assessments collected from members and from all other income of the Society, a fund or funds for the payment of death and other benefits and for the accumulation of reserves on certificates as provided by law and/or the benefit certificates, and for the expense of management and extension of the Society.

Section 96. The Board of Directors shall have supervision over the operations of the funds of the Society. The funds shall be invested in accordance with all applicable laws and the Investment Policy Statement adopted by the Board of Directors.

Section 96. The Board of Directors shall have supervision over the operations of the funds of the Society which shall be invested in accordance with the investment policies adopted by the Board of Directors and all applicable laws.

ARTICLE XXI INTERPRETATION OF BY-LAWS

Section 97. If any section of these by-laws should not be explicit, or in case of uncertainty or dispute as to its intent or meaning, the Board of Directors shall have the power to decide upon such situation; and its decision shall remain in force until such decision or section is duly amended.

ARTICLE XXII RULES OF PROCEDURE

Section 98. If the Charter of Incorporation or by-laws of SPJST are silent as to any procedural aspect of any action or meeting hereunder, the procedures of the latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall control such procedure.

ARTICLE XXIII WAIVER

Section 99. No subordinate body, nor any of its subordinate officers or members, shall have the power or authority to waive any of the provisions of the by-laws of the Society. Such provisions shall be binding on the Society and every member and beneficiary of a member.

ARTICLE XXIV AMENDMENTS

Section 100. Repeal/Amend. These by-laws may be repealed or amended in whole or in part by a two-thirds majority vote at any regular or special Convention.

Section 101. Between meetings of the Convention, the Board of Directors may by two-thirds vote of all members of the Board of Directors, amend these bylaws in any way necessary to clarify or give effect to Convention enactments, to remove or revise contradictions or ambiguities, or to make these bylaws conform to the laws of the State of Texas. All by-law changes shall be published in the Vestnik stating the reason for the change.

Section 102. Effective Date. Amendments to these bylaws shall take effect upon their adoption, unless another time is specified, and shall be submitted to Texas Department of Insurance. All amendments to the Charter of Incorporation or by-laws of SPJST or a synopsis thereof shall be published in the Vestnik within the time required by the laws of the State of Texas. The Chief Financial Officer shall file with Texas Department of Insurance a certified copy of each amendment not later than the 90th day after the date of enactment of the amendment. A printed copy of the by-laws, as amended, that is certified by the Chief Financial Officer is prima facie evidence that the by-laws were legally adopted.

Section 103. Power to Correct Typographical Errors. The Convention directs the Executive Officers to correct typographical errors that might appear in the foregoing by-laws and to renumber the articles, sections, subsections, and/or subparagraphs in codifying the same so as to place them in proper order but without changing the context, intent, and purpose thereof. Should any article, section, or part of these by-laws be held invalid for any reason whatsoever by any court of competent jurisdiction, such holding shall not affect the remainder or any part thereof.

ARTICLE XXV RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES

Section 104. The purpose of this article is to provide a method for fair resolution of disputes consistent with the fraternal nature of SPJST. Should a formal complaint be brought against any member(s), committee member(s), or officer(s), the provisions contained in this article shall be followed as these procedures have been structured to reflect the spirit of the disciplinary process as detailed in the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order.”

(a) Local lodges of SPJST and their officers and members, as well as members of the Executive Committee, shall guide themselves according to all applicable laws and by-laws of SPJST; otherwise, they are subject to penalty for violation and nonobservance of them. Punishments that a lodge can impose generally fall under the headings of corrective actions, censure, suspension, or expulsion. Members may be suspended from membership for the following reasons, but will not lose their insurance benefit except for nonpayment of premiums and dues:

1. Members found to be guilty of immoral acts; 2. Members convicted of felonious acts; 3. Members derelict in their responsibilities; 4. Members guilty of improper conduct and habitually failing to adhere to the by-laws, rules and regulations in the meeting; and 5. Members whose actions are considered injuto SPJST or its purposes.

(b) Lodge grievances and charges against members initiated by other members are to be filed in writing with the local lodge president, with a copy to the SPJST President/CEO.

(c) The local lodge president shall review the grievance and/or charge and render a determination after conferring with the SPJST President/CEO to be communicated discreetly to the member within 30 days of receipt of the grievance and/or charge. The member making the charge shall also be informed of the determination rendered by the local lodge president.

(d) The local lodge president’s determination of the grievance and/or charge may be appealed in writing to the SPJST President/CEO within 30 days of the local lodge president’s determination. Similarly, the accused member may also file an appeal within the same time frame.

(e) The President/CEO’s decision shall be final unless the member or accused member files a written appeal of the decision within 30 days to the Board of Directors. The decision of the President/CEO will stand unless and until the decision is modified by the SPJST Board of Directors.

(f) If the charge is filed against the local lodge president, the grievance shall go directly to the SPJST President/CEO who shall render a determination within 30 days of receipt of the grievance or charge.

(b) Formal disciplinary procedures should be regarded as a drastic step reserved for serious situations or those potentially so. In the event that a grievance cannot be resolved informally, SPJST provides an orderly, confidential, and progressive procedure to deal with any serious differences of opinion which cause a member to believe that they have been dealt with unjustly.

(c) The grievance must be submitted in writing and signed by the person(s) making the charge. The grievance should be specific and should identify a desired outcome. Anonymous or unsigned grievances will not be considered. The grievance should be addressed to the lodge president — or if the lodge president is being cited — to the lodge vice president; and so on. Grievances dealing with matters on a district level or state level are to be directed directly to the Office of the President/CEO — or if the President/CEO is being cited — to the Chair of the Board of Directors. The procedural

process is essentially the same as outlined throughout this section.

(d) The lodge president shall appoint a Lodge Grievance Committee of at least three members who are not directly involved or named in the grievance. The lodge president shall serve as a nonvoting member of the Grievance Committee. In the event that the grievance involves the lodge president, the committee shall be appointed by the vice president or another lodge officer not cited or affected directly by the grievance. The Lodge Grievance Committee may be a standing committee of the lodge; otherwise, the Lodge Grievance Committee shall be designated at the next lodge meeting following the written filing of the grievance.

(e) The Lodge Grievance Committee will be instructed to make a determination that the allegations cited against the member are well-founded. In the event that the allegations are determined well-founded, the Lodge Grievance Committee shall address the matter, including any corrective actions which are deemed necessary, discretely with the member in question.

(f) The severity of the action taken or recommended by a Lodge Grievance Committee should depend upon the nature and severity of the offense. Under most circumstances, it is recommended that upon first offense, that the Lodge Grievance Committee issue a discrete written warning to the accused, detailing the offense and the corrective action(s); moreover, SPJST seeks to ensure that a lodge doesn’t expel anyone from membership for reasons of race, religion, gender, or disability.

(g) If the problem persists following this issuance of written warning — or if the individual cited protests the findings of the Lodge Grievance Committee — then the Lodge Grievance Committee may reconvene to reconsider the matter and — if deemed necessary — request that the accused member be brought before the general membership at a regularly scheduled lodge meeting for a hearing to:

(1) consider evidence and determine innocence or guilt by a two-thirds vote of eligible voting members present; and

(2) consider and vote upon disciplinary action(s) recommended by the Grievance Committee, subject to an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the voting members present.

(h) In the event of a finding of guilt by the lodge, the cited member may appeal, in writing, to the Board of Directors. Such an appeal must be made within 15 days after receipt of notice of action by the Grievance Committee; likewise, the aggrieved member, if not satisfied with the Grievance Committee’s ruling or sentencing, may appeal to the

Board of Directors in the same manner as the accused member.

(i) The appeal will be added to the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

(j) The Board of Directors shall investigate thoroughly all facts pertinent to the ruling of the Grievance Committee. To facilitate in this process, the lodge Grievance Committee will furnish a transcript of all prior proceedings on the matter to the President/CEO.

(k) The Board of Directors shall uphold, reject, and/or amend the ruling of the Grievance Committee, and this decision shall stand.

(l) All grievance proceedings under the by-laws shall be held in executive session, and the name of the member under investigation shall not be disclosed in any public communication or to any person other than to persons whose testimony is necessary in connection with the initial proceedings and/or subsequent lodge intercession. All communications concerning disciplinary proceedings are to be marked “Confidential” and all disciplinary files are to be maintained in strict confidence.

—SPJST—

Board of Directors 7 District Directors Elected in district caucuses at Convention. Voting board members. President/CEO Brian Vanicek, ext. 139 vanicek@spjst.com Oversees all departments and directs organizational outreach.

Controller Roy Vajdak, ext. 142 royv@spjst.com Oversees finance and accounting and information technology services.

Executive Assistant to the Controller Lisa Kirby, ext. 124 lisak@spjst.com

Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska, ext. 149 leonardm@spjst.com Oversees general administration and Home Office facilities management.

Claims Specialist/ Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer Linda Hill, ext. 162 lindah@spjst.com

Senior Staff Accountant Brett Wheeler, ext. 128 brettw@spjst.com

Staff Accountant Rosy Rodriguez, ext. 166 rosyr@spjst.com

Accounting Assistant II Dorothy Stuchly, ext. 165 dorothys@spjst.com

Accounting Assistant II/ IT Support Specialist Danny Walden, ext. 163 dannyw@spjst.com

Accounting Assistant I Sharon Ingram, ext. 130 sharoni@spjst.com

Maintenance Manager Rudy Constancio, 254-231-2040

Receptionist/ Compliance Specialist Tamara Gettys, ext. 100 tamarag@spjst.com

Annuity/IRA Specialist Marissa Salinas, ext. 131 marissas@spjst.com

Mortgage Loan Specialist Carol Wolf, ext. 132 carolw@spjst.com

Loan Processing/Servicing/

Administrative Support Specialist Amanda Packett, ext. 141 amandap@spjst.com

Accounting Assistant I Jennifer Wright, ext. 172 jenniferw@spjst.com

Accounting Assistant I Mary Carillo, ext. 135 maryc@spjst.com

Executive Assistant to the President/CEO Sandra Dubcak, ext. 127 sandrad@spjst.com

Human Resources Administrator Nancy Miller, ext. 146 nancym@spjst.com

Vice President of Communications Melanie Zavodny, ext. 122 melaniez@spjst.com Oversees organizational communications and membership engagement.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing Delisle Doherty, ext. 240 delisled@spjst.com Oversees insurance sales and marketing.

Graphic Design/ Communication Specialist Brooke Hoelscher, ext. 175 brookeh@spjst.com

V ě stník/ Communication Specialist Katherine Morris, ext. 169 katherinem@spjst.com

Czech Heritage Museum & Genealogy Center

SPJST Foundation, Inc. Museum Curator Kenny Lange, 254-899-2935 klange@spjst.com

Insurance Department Manager Cynthia Hutka, ext. 226 cynthiah@spjst.com

Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Sales and Marketing Lisa Mills, ext. 276 lisam@spjst.com

State Fraternal Director Frank Horak, ext. 177 frankh@spjst.com

Fraternal Services Specialist Tammy Martinez, ext. 164 tammym@spjst.com

Underwriter Doni Powell, ext. 228 donip@spjst.com

Customer Service Specialist Maria De La Cruz, ext. 272 mariad@spjst.com

Camp Kubena, LLC

SPJST Investment Property

Executive Director Rob Clift, 979-249-5674 robc@spjst.com

Customer Service Specialist Dana Carpenter, ext. 261 danab@spjst.com

Customer Service Specialist Virginia Longoria, ext. 277 virginial@spjst.com

Assistant Camp Director David Motley, 979-249-5674 davidm@spjst.com

Maintenance Manager Earl Preston, 979-249-5674 earlp@spjst.com

Hospitality Manager Tonya Aycock, 979-249-5674 tonyaa@spjst.com

Seasonal Staff (P/T)

Territory Manager (East) Kerry Herrington, 281-704-5737 kerryh@spjst.com

Territory Manager (West) Ralph Juarez, 361-537-5506 ralphj@spjst.com

Territory Manager (North) Chris Liebum, 346-261-2100 chrisl@spjst.com

Recommendations of the Convention Order Committee to the 2024 Convention

The Convention Order Committee presents the following recommendations to the 2024 Convention:

(a)The Saturday, August 8 SPJST 34th Convention experience will begin with complimentary breakfast tacos served from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Frank W. Mayborn Civic and Convention Center in Temple, Texas. At 9:15 a.m., delegates will be requested to congregate in front of the main stage for the 34th Convention group photo to be shot at 9:25 a.m. The Convention opening session shall begin at 9:30 a.m., and the Convention will continue until 4:30 p.m. with a 30-minute break at approximately 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. McAlister’s Deli will cater the noon lunch, and tickets should have been purchased prior to the Convention. Tickets should be in your registration packet. There will be a Catholic Mass celebrated at 6 p.m. in Room Three. The banquet reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Halls A and B. Dinner shall be served at 7 p.m. followed by the introduction of special guests and a patriotic program, “Salute to the Red White and Blue.”

(b) No delegate shall speak to a motion or an issue more than once, and not more than three minutes, except that a proponent of a motion may have a three-minute rebuttal. Extensions of time may be granted only with permission of a majority of the delegates present and such extension will not be for more than another three minutes.

(c)No written material will be distributed to the delegates in the

Convention unless it is signed by the individual who distributed the material and is done so with the consent of the Convention Chair.

(d)If delegates decide to leave the Convention prior to its adjournment, they will be deducted one half day’s allocation for attending the Convention. A valid medical issue may be considered an exception.

(e)All other matters shall be governed by the SPJST Bylaws and Robert’s Rules of Order.

(f)Current Governance Committee members, who are not delegates, are requested to sit at the tables provided.

(g)Visitors and leaders of other societies will be recognized following the Saturday evening dinner but shall not speak.

(h)Per the SPJST Bylaws Article 6, Section 13: The date and location of the next regular Convention shall be set by the Board of Directors and published in the Vestnik no later than January of the Convention year.

(i)A copy of every written report shall be given to the Convention secretaries immediately after the report is made to the Convention

(j)When amendments or changes to the bylaws are being considered, the action taken by the Convention will be recorded by the secretaries and shown in the minutes.

(k)Delegates are encouraged to speak and to make their views known to the assembly.

Procedure for Vote by Ballot

In all caucus elections where there is more than one nominee for a position, the vote will be by ballot. Each Governance Committee member (aka election teller) will be furnished with a ballot box into which each delegate within that district will deposit their ballot. Each election teller is responsible to see that each delegate deposits only one ballot in the ballot box. The delegates will be instructed to fold each ballot only one time.

The chair of the Governance Committee will assure that all procedures are completely carried out. Any election teller will immediately report problems to the chair of the election tellers. If a problem arises that cannot be resolved, the Convention Chair will be called on for assistance.

The SPJST Controller will assist the tellers with the tallying process. Election tellers may also request that an additional SPJST staff member be present in the room where tellers are working; otherwise, no person other than the Tellers Committee members may be present in the room or within hearing distance of the room where the tellers are working.

Election tellers will sign the attached oath and turn it in to the Convention Chair.

Election tellers agree to treat as confidential how every delegate voted and to not divulge, comment on, or otherwise make known how any delegate voted, and to not permit anyone who is not a delegate to be in the room where ballots are tabulated.

In a contested election, if the difference each candidate receives is less than 10 percent, the tellers will automatically do a recount of the ballots.

A.CONVENTION

Governance Committee members will serve as Election Tellers commencing with the election of the Convention Chair and Vice Chair and shall serve in that capacity for the remainder of the

convention. The Election Teller team shall be constructed as follows:

• Chair

• Three Observers to the Caller

• One Caller

• Two Tally

In votes by ballot, the delegates will use the official beige ballot furnished in the Convention packet.

When delegates have concluded voting, they will fold their ballot one time only. The teller for each district will personally carry the ballot box to each delegate who will deposit his/her ballot in the ballot box.

After everyone has voted, the election tellers will go to their designated room, and the following procedures will be followed:

• The ballot box for District One will be opened, and there will be one election teller who will call the vote. Three election tellers will serve as observers of the caller and will closely observe the caller and the ballot that is being called.

• There will be two election tellers to serve as tabulators who are seated at least 10 feet apart who will each tabulate the vote.

• When the votes are completed for District One, the votes will be totaled and both tallies compared to be sure the tallies agree.

• The same procedures will be followed until all the votes for the other districts in numerical order have been tabulated and agree in a like matter.

• The overall vote will then be certified, signed by the election tellers, and returned in the usual manner to the Convention Chair.

B. DISTRICT CAUCUS

The District Director convenes the caucus.

Caucus Election

Tellers

One teller is the Convention teller from the district and serves as teller chair.

Two tellers are appointed by the district caucus chair (who is elected in this Convention district caucus).

Two tellers are appointed by the district caucus secretary (who is elected in this Convention district caucus).

• Teller Chair

• One Observer

• One Caller

• One Observer

• One Tally

Members who are not delegates and not committee members have the right to attend the caucus, but they cannot vote and cannot make motions. They are requested to sit in a separate area.

C.DISTRICT ELECTIONS

1. The Governance Committee representative for the district will serve as chairman of the tellers for the caucus and brings the district ballot box to the caucus.

2. In the event that more than one person is nominated for the caucus chair and/or more than one person is nominated for the caucus secretary, then the general teller shall appoint four temporary tellers from the delegates in that district to tabulate the votes in the election of the caucus chair and/or caucus secretary.

3. The elected permanent caucus chair and the elected caucus secretary for the district (both of whom are elected in this Convention district caucus) will each

appoint two caucus tellers. (This makes a total of five election tellers for each district.)

4. Each position and substitute specified in Article 6, Section 17 (g) will be elected preceding the next position. The first position to be elected will be that of director and so on until all of the positions are filled.

5. A district director cannot be elected to the Governance Committee.

6. At the district caucus, a person is eligible to serve in only one active position. A person is eligible to run and be elected to more than one active position but he/she must choose which position it will be and before the caucus adjourns, must announce which position he/she chooses and then another election will be held in the caucus before this is reported to the Convention Chair for ratification. A person can serve in one active slot and can have as many alternate slots as he/she is elected to. If events are such that he/she can assume another active slot, he/she must choose within 30 days and notify the President/CEO and the district in writing.

7. The election teller that is serving for the district is responsible for taking the ballot box to each delegate and to see that each delegate deposits one ballot in the ballot box and that each ballot is folded only once.

8. The election tellers will retire to a separate room and will follow the following procedure to count the ballots:

(a)One election teller will call the vote and one election teller will serve as observer of the caller and will closely observe the caller and the ballot being called.

(b)One election teller will serve as tabulator, and one election teller will closely observe the tabulation made by the tabulator.

(c)When the votes are completed, the votes will be totaled by the tabulator and checked by the tabulator observer.

(d)As each position is filled, the chair of the tellers will report the vote signed by all election tellers to the district chair in writing who will announce the results.

(e)The same procedure will be followed until all positions are filled.

(f)The results will be reported by the district election teller chair to the Convention Chair in the usual manner and signed by all election tellers, the caucus chair, and caucus secretary.

(g)No person other than Tellers Committee members may be present in the room or within hearing distance of the room where the tellers are working.

(h)Election tellers agree to treat as confidential how every delegate voted and to not divulge, comment, or otherwise make known how any delegate voted and to not permit anyone who is not a delegate to be in the room where ballots are being tabulated.

9. The minutes of the district caucus shall be signed by the caucus chair and caucus secretary and all election tellers and be given to the Convention Chair (complete form attached.) The Convention Chair will give this report to one of the two lead convention secretaries.

Convention Final Adjournment

Immediately after the Convention is adjourned, the tellers will meet and shred all Convention ballots and caucus ballots. Strict security will be maintained by the chair of the Convention tellers to assure that no one has access to the bal-

lots until the ballots are destroyed.

As soon as the delegates adopt this Convention Order, each delegate will promptly be furnished with a copy. Fraternally submitted, Convention Order Committee

SPJST Board of Directors

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DISTRICT ___ CAUCUS MINUTES

Call to Order by District Director

Caucus Chair appoints 2 Tellers:

Resolution Committee’s Report to the 2024 Convention

Whereas, the undersigned members of the Resolution Committee, for and on behalf of the entire delegation, convened in Temple, Texas, on June 8, 2024, at the 34th SPJST Convention, wish to express its appreciation to those persons responsible for making the Convention a pleasant and productive gathering.

Now, therefore, be it resolved that the delegation extends its sincere thanks to:

1. The 34th Convention of the SPJST which was called to order by SPJST President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) at 9:30 a.m. Ryan Jansa (160) and Aaron Rigamonti (88) posted the colors. Macy Narro (17) sang the National Anthem and the Czech National Anthem, Kde Domov Muj? Susan Skrabanek (17) led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. SPJST Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska (246) offered a Convention prayer. Chair of the Board of Directors John Engelke (66) issued words of welcome to the delegation.

2. Thank you to SPJST Executive Committee, SPJST Home Office Employees, and SPJST Members who gave of their time in getting the Convention underway.

3. Thank you to Melanie Zavodny (246), Katherine Morris (47), and Brooke Hoelscher (47) for an excellent job on the 34th Convention program book and thanks to the many wellwishers who purchased advertisements as well as those organizations and individuals who sent letters of commendation; likewise, thanks to the Convention Planning Committee, including Tammy Martinez, Frank Horak, and Sandra Dubcak.

4. Thanks for the Welcome Reception entertainment by Jerry Haisler (47) and Friends on Friday evening, June 7, 2024 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

5. Thanks to SPJST Executive Committee members who helped to underwrite expenses for the Welcome Reception and Convention breaks: District One Director Donnie Victorick (9), District Two Director Jesse Pospisil (29), District Three Director John Engelke (66), District Four Director Bobby Davis (160), District Five Director Bradley Stavinoha (81), District Six Director Annie Vahalik (4), District Seven Director Regina House (202), Vice President of Communication Melanie Zavodny (246), President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24), AQS Asset Management, LLC, and United Systems and Software, Inc.

6. Thank you to SPJST President/CEO Brian Vanicek (24) for officially convening the 34th SPJST Convention.

7. Thank you to Convention Chair Douglas Galler (66); Vice Chair Donnie Victorick (9); Parliamentarian Daniel Knight (88); Convention Secretaries Rosy Rodriguez, Linda Hill (80), Maria De La Cruz, and Nancy Miller (177); and Governance Committee Members Bill Orsak (9), Edwin Pechal (47), Michael Galler (66), Brad Teplicek (49), Dorothy Pflughaupt (88), Lisa Bubela (30), and Oscar Korus (107) for their work, participation, and guidance during the deliberations.

8. We would like to recognize the youngest delegate, Samantha Kacir (87) and the oldest delegate, Bobby Hoelscher (24). Chief Financial Officer Leonard Mikeska had attended the most conventions, with 16, followed by Elaine Berkovsky (63), who had attended 14. We also recognize the delegates who are multi-generational in addition to those attending with their siblings.

9. Thank you to 2023-2024 SPJST State Royalty for their participation in the “Salute to the Red, White and Blue” program on Saturday evening. They were Mr. SPJST Miles Jones (154), Miss SPJST Bailee Beckendorf (47), Junior Mr. SPJST Steel McCoy (185), Junior Miss SPJST Tynlee Beckendorf (47), Little Mr. SPJST Tripp Hargraves (81), and Little Miss SPJST Madelynn Bammel (17).

10. Thank you to El Puerto de Jalisco for catering breakfast on Saturday morning; to McAlister’s Deli for catering lunch on Saturday during the Convention; and to Jake’s Barbecue of Dime Box for catering the banquet meal on Saturday night and Nothin’ Bundt Cakes for catering the desserts.

11. Thank you to Tom Meier of Equis Consulting for delivering a keynote address “Passing the Torch - Delegates Going for The Gold.”

12. Thank you to special guests at the Saturday dinner: Howard Leshikar, Honorary Supreme Lodge President; Frances McBride, widow of Gene McBride, Honorary Supreme Lodge Vice President; District 24 Senator Pete Flores; Catherine Sylvester, President/CEO KJZT Family Life, and her husband, Trey; Patrick Janis, President of Texas Czech Genealogical Society, and his guest, Candace; David Kolar, President of Westfest, Inc. and his guest, Rebecca; Ed McGory, Chief Operations Officer of McLane Intelligent Solutions and his guest, Ann; Thadious Polasek of the Czech Ex-Students Association; Bob Podrasky, First Vice President of American Sokol and his guest, Diane; Jean Paul Beebe, Executive Director of the National Polka Festival and his guest, Julie; Ray Lenart, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Czech Educational Foundation of Texas and his guest, Sara; Richard Hykel with RVOS and his guest, Dorothy; Dr.

Connie Hrncir Smith and David Hrncir, representing their mother, Thelma Hrncir, Honorary District Seven Director; District 54 Representative Brad Buckley and wife, Susan; Cash Rugely, Field Representative for District 31 Congressman John Carter; Retta Chandler, President of Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center and J.G. and Janis Hrncir; Billy Conway, District Director for District 55 State Representative Hugh Shine, and his wife, Bonnie; and Stephen Gonzales, Portfolio Manager at AQS Asset Management, and his wife, Chelsea.

17. Thank you to the SPJST Veterans who were recognized for their service on Saturday evening.

18. The Resolution Committee thanks the Home Office staff for their professional service leading into and during the 34th SPJST Convention.

19. Finally, thank you to the delegates for moving the SPJST to a new level of professionalism and fraternalism.

Fraternally submitted, SPJST Board of Directors