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Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SPJST Home Office, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 ISSN-07458800 VOLUME 92 NUMBER 19
May 12, 2004
Pre-Convention Reports Issue TABLE OF CONTENTS President's Report Vice President's Report Secretary-Treasurer's Report Financial-Secretary's Report Legal Advisor's Report Directors' Report By-Law Committee Recommendations
14 16 16 17 23 25 26
1 Finance Committee Recommendations 3 Insurance Committee Report 3 Publication Committee Report 4 Lodge Letters Section 6 Youth Letters Section 7 Czech Section 8 Calendar of Events
President's Pre-Convention Report Dear Members, to refurbish their lodge buildings, a The SPJST has experienced an zero interest rate loan was developed. exciting four years since the last Further emphasis was placed on convention. Major changes in many helping the lodges with more sales areas were enacted by the Supreme and leadership training. Lodge along with the help of the The goal of each of these undermembers of our society. Across the takings was to strengthen and make state, the lodge officers, the field rep- more viable our fraternal system. It resentatives, the sales force, and the was an honor being a part of the youth leaders united to make many Supreme Lodge that listened, dissuggestions which cussed, and then helped to implevoted to implement the new ment those ideas course of action. which the board Through a dynammembers thought ic new commitwould lead the ment to fraternal Society into the teamwork, many future. goals were After four years achieved that were of working with considered unatthe fraternals in tainable just a few the state of Texas, years ago. The the Texas legislaboard members ture finally passed realized many a tax exemption times that organifor our lodges. zational "growing However, not all pains" were lodges have been merely symptoms successful in getof the many sucting their exempHoward Leshikar cesses which the tion. This will board had not require the Home faced before. Faced with these occa- Office to work more closely with sional problems, the board members these lodges so that they can achieve made the decisions which they felt their exemption. The luxury of being would best benefit our Society. able to better serve one's own comSome of the most important munity is afforded by working among the many initiatives undertak- through the process with each taxing en were the following: achieving a entity until an exemption is achieved. tax exemption for our lodges, imple- It is well worth the effort. menting new insurance products, Many times we forget to thank the reorganizing our incentive programs many members that carry our fraterto better include the youth and the nal programs to their communities lodges, enabling all to benefit by across the state. To the members becoming more involved in our pro- serving on the various convention grams. In addition, placing more committees and those serving on the emphasis on revitalizing existing Library, Archives and Museum lodges and chartering new lodges (LAM) and Education and Nature across the state along with organizing Center (ENC), we want to say thank more youth clubs became a major you for your time and commitment to focus. To enable lodges that wanted the goals of the SPJST. To the mem-
bers across the state, we ask that you continue to support these two 501(c)(3) organizations. They need your ideas and your financial support to build a bright future for the membership, and they can always use your encouragement and talents. In the future we must continue to find ways to involve our membership — both young and young at heart — in our Society. We have made some good starts, but we need to continue our efforts. We will need the talents of our members both young and old in the future to carry on the mission of our Society. In conclusion, I want to thank Vice President Gene McBride for his efforts in bringing new products and services for the board's consideration. Thank you, Secretary-Treasurer Lanita Anglin, for proposing and updating our investment methodology. Thank you, Financial Secretary Jerry Mikulas, for working to set up the procedures for the new cash flow testing as required by the Texas Insurance Department. Thank you, also, to the A.M. Best rating service for recognizing the strength of our fraternal and making suggestions to help us continue to merit high respect in every financial community. Thank you to Legal Advisor Sidney Kacir for helping to obtain tax exemptions for the lodges. Also thank you, Directors, for being willing to do all the extra work that makes our Society viable. Also, I want to extend my special
thanks to the Home Office staff for their service to our members. To my department personnel: Donna Locke, Melanie Zavodny, Gladys Yates, Dorothy Pechal, Sandra Dubcak, Tammy Martinez, and Peggy Sue Herendon — thank you for your devotion to the purposes and programs of the SPJST. You are to be commended for your hard work on behalf of the Society. Finally, both Mary and I want to thank each member and friend for your hospitality, loyalty, support, and encouragement throughout the years. We have always been welcomed into your lodges and homes and hearts. Your advice and counsel have been priceless. It has been my greatest honor and privilege to serve as your President. However, I realize that too often leaders forget to pass the torch and make it possible for others to really become active. I have tried to find ways to recruit members into active service in our organization and nurture them in their role once they have agreed to serve. Therefore, I am planning to step aside, and I will not be seeking reelection at the convention. It is my sincere hope that the SPJST will continue to enjoy prosperity both fraternally and financially. Again, thank you for the confidence you have placed in me over the past 20 years. Fraternally, Howard Leshikar —SPJST-
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