[Rev 3-10-03]

                                 IEEE Region 3 
                           Ad Hoc Group Meeting
                                  Atlanta, GA
                                22-23 Feb 2003

                                    MINUTES

    Attendees: R. Duggan, D. Green, R. Harris; W. Harrison; C. Hickman, J. Howard, 
    W. Ratcliff, R. Riddle, J. Twitchell

1.  Director-Elect Bill Harrison opened the meeting, welcomed the attendees, and discussed 
    the reasons for the meeting:  
    o Alignment with other higher IEEE entities
    o Look towards "connecting better with sections"

    He shared his platform and discussed key IEEE Theme Areas for special attention:
    o Products & Services
    o Volunteerism
    o Industry Relations
    o IEEE Governance

2.  The draft meeting agenda was accepted.

3.  Director Jim Howard shared items from the recent RAB meeting in Dallas:
    o IEEE-USA will remain a major board
    o IEEE had a major shortfall in investments.  RAB is thus making a 
     contribution to help make up for it.  
    o Region will not be hit by any additional losses due to investment
     losses
    o Sections & chapters will get increased rebates, but not Regions.
    o 12% of members’ dues will go to RAB (no more formula).
    o Communications with sections is a challenge.
    o Discussion on Region Allocation discussion
    o Board moved all investment on non-reserves to non-stock 
     investment.
    He said that Region had two responsibilities:
    a. Represent members to higher entities
    b. Help lower entities supply service to the members

    He thought item a. was well-covered but suggested that there was still quite a bit of 
    room for improvement.

    The group also discussed the recent calls being made by Regional Activities Department 
    to the Section Leadership.

4.  Bob Duggan pointed out Bill Harrison’s major effort in collecting RAB Strategic Plan 
    items, various Reg 3 committee G&Os, and the current 2003+ Strategic Plan.  An objective 
    for SPC is a revised Reg 3 Strat Plan by 12-1-03.  Harrison’s efforts will be most 
    helpful to SPC.

5.  Bill Harrison led a discussion on the Region 3 Organization for the Future and Bylaws/
    Operations Manual Review.

    The group agreed (in a straw vote) that Bill's ad hoc group should continue its work 
    with these goals:

    o  Have the ExCom be a proper subset of the RegCom
    o  Consider adding two new positions on the ExCom (and the
        Region)
    o  Follow the IEEE practice of moving details to the Operating
        Manual from the Bylaws.
    o  Create the enabling motions to follow up on the motion:

    SPC Vice Chair Riddle moved, in principle, that Region 3 Committees
    have their mentors as ex officio (with voice and vote) members of
    their committee and that the mentors be active participating members
    of the committee.  Motion passed.
    o  Add electronic voting (per R3 ExCom)

    Bill Ratcliff made a presentation on "Region 3 Focused Thinking".
    A separate document containing his slides is available.  Bill defined the hierarchy of   
      planning as ...
    o Vision
    o Direction
    o Objectives
    o Projects
    o Processes/Operations - continuing actions
     Pareto's Principle is that 5% of the activity accounts for 95% of the impact.  We 
     should think strategically and act operationally
    o Manage each Project/Operation
    o Continuous Assessment of Changes
    o Raise Flags as Required

5.  Bill Ratcliff also shared thoughts on methodology for improved strategic planning by 
    defining Reg 3 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOTs).  A number of 
    SWOTs were discussed and listed:

    T Financial environment
    W Lack of Reg 3 volunteers
    W SECon 03
    T Competition for members’ time/interest
    W Region and Section communications
    W Mentorship/training/development
    W Award nominations/member recognition
    Broke: Sections/branches not (admin) responsive
    W Our knowledge base/archive is broke
    W Project Completion
    W Employer/Relationships

    Main R3 thing:  member
    Closest Counter-example: PACE

6.  Roy Harris shared his review of Reg 3 ByLaws and Ops Manual as to voting members in 
    ExCom and in the Region Committee.  He also pointed out that the current formula would 
    allow adding two standing committees as voting members of ExCom.  Much discussion 
    ensued.  The majority felt the voting members in ExCom should also be able to vote in 
    the Region Committee.  Bill Harrison emphasized his wish that the Industry Relations 
    Committee and the Sections/Chapters Relations Committee be made Standing Committees in 
    Reg 3.  It was suggested that the responsibilities of these committees be formally 
    defined first.  The GOLD Committee was also suggested to be included.

7.  The role of mentors in Reg3 committees was discussed.  John Twitchell pointed out that 
    in ARC the mentor was not allowed to vote based on OpsManual wording.  It was agreed 
    that the role of the mentor needs to be formally clarified.  Dave Green read ExCom 
    minutes which stated the intent that Mentors are to be active members of their 
    committees.  

8.  Director Jim Howard and Charles Hickman reviewed past, present, and future finances of 
    the region.  They then discussed the several severe financial challenges facing the 
    region, what with Southeastcon in Jamaica in 2003.  Other possible revenue sources were 
    discussed:     
    o Region involvement/support in conferences e.g. PES, IPPS, and SECon.  
    o It was pointed out that several other regions have regional assessments, and with 
      34,000 members Reg 3 might gain $15,000/yr through a $1 assessment (students and life 
      members exempted).  The Finance Committee will share data re other regions' 
      assessments.

    Possible reductions in region costs were discussed, including     
    o Migration of the newsletter from paper to electronic 
    o Reduction in ExCom members.

    Possible service increases discussed were  
    o Holding a second region meeting
    o Continuing the newsletter.

    The Finance Committee will discuss this and make a presentation at SECon03 about the 
    challenge.

9.  Other items:
    o  Bill Ratcliff said he will request each Reg 3 committee to submit their products and 
       services to the Communications Committee.
    o  The Finance Committee will prepare the presentation for SECon03.
    o  The need for hosts for future SECons will be publicized and eligible sections with 
       facilities and access (e.g. Huntsville) may be encouraged to host.
    o  Training issues were discussed:
       a. Leadership training
       b. Mentoring training
    o  Reg 3 Committee reports are due 3/21.
    o  An ExCom e-conf will be held 3/24 & 26 prior to SECon03.

10. There being no further business, the committee meeting was adjourned at 12:10pm.
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Bob

Robert S. (Bob) Duggan, Jr.
r.duggan@ieee.org