In addition to the IABC International By-laws, the Golden Horseshoe chapter operates according to the By-laws below. The By-laws can also be viewed or downloaded as a here:

IABC GH By-laws-2016

IABC GH Board Accountabilities-2016

 

IABC GOLDEN HORSESHOE CHAPTER BYLAWS

ARTICLE 1

NAME AND LOCATION

Section 1.

Name. The name of this organization shall be IABC/Golden Horseshoe, a not-for-profit organization. IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be affiliated with the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

Section 2.

Location. The geographical area served by IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall include the region comprising the Region of Niagara, the City of Hamilton, Haldimand Norfolk, Brant County, the Town of Simcoe and the Region of Halton.

 

ARTICLE 2

MISSION

Section 1.

IABC/Golden Horseshoe is dedicated to improving the effectiveness of internal and external communication of businesses, organizations and institutions. To this end, IABC/Golden Horseshoe will seek to enhance the professional competence of those engaged in communication capacities, to arm them with tools and techniques, and to provide them with comprehensive resources so that they may be more effective in their service to their organizations and in their individual pursuits.

Fully recognizing that communication in business, organizations and institutions is undergoing vast and rapid change, IABC/Golden Horseshoe will support IABC International in seeking to educate those charged with the management of such enterprises on how to use professional communicators to meet vital needs in a world that demands dynamic communication.

 

ARTICLE 3

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.

Qualification. Membership in this organization shall be composed primarily of professional organizational communicators engaged in internal and/or external communication at all levels of their respective organizations.

Section 2.
Regular membership. This membership is open to professional communicators in business, industry, not-for-profit organizations, education, government, and other organizations, educators, consultants, and freelancers in the communication field. Regular members of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be regular members of IABC.

Section 3.

Student membership. This membership is open to students of educational institutions as defined by IABC International.

Section 4.

Lifetime membership. This membership shall be conferred on members of IABC/Golden Horseshoe as determined by the executive board.

Section 5.

Honorary membership. This membership shall be conferred on persons who are not members of IABC/Golden Horseshoe as determined by the executive board.

Section 6.

500 Club membership. This membership is open to regular IABC members who have paid $1,000 for a lifetime membership on the international and district level. They must pay chapter dues annually.

Section 7.

Service and participation. Policies governing service and participation for all members shall be determined by the executive board of IABC/Golden Horseshoe, unless otherwise set forth in these bylaws.

Section 8.

Duration of membership, resignation and removal. Membership shall be for the period for which dues are paid. Any member may resign by filing a written resignation with the president. All rights, privileges, and interests of a member in or to IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall cease on termination of membership. Any member shall be removed from membership by the executive board for cause by a two-thirds vote. For any cause other than nonpayment of dues, removal shall occur only after the member in question has been given at least 30 days’ notice of the proposed termination and reasons for it. The member will have at least 15 days to respond in writing to the executive board for forwarding to the executive committee of the IABC, which then shall make a final determination.

 

ARTICLE 4

DUES

Section 1.

Establishment of dues. Dues and other chapter fees shall be set by a two-thirds vote of the executive board of IABC/Golden Horseshoe.

Section 2.

Cancellation. Members who fail to pay their full dues within 30 days after they are due shall be notified and dropped from the rolls and thereupon forfeit all rights and privileges of membership.

Section 3.

Refunds. No dues shall be refunded to any member whose membership terminates for any reason.

 

ARTICLE 5

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Section 1.

The executive board, at its discretion, may establish units within IABC/Golden Horseshoe to serve specific geographical, functional, or other interests.

 

ARTICLE 6

MEETINGS OF MEMBERS AND VOTING

Section 1.

General Meetings of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be held annually.

Section 2.

Notice of general meetings. All members shall be sent written notice of meetings, including time, location and purpose of the meeting, at least one week prior to said meeting.

Section 3.

Special meetings. The executive board may call special meetings of the membership at any time by sending written notice as specified above.

Section 4.

Voting. Those eligible to vote shall be members meeting the requirements of membership as set forth in these bylaws, with the exceptions that student and honorary members shall not be eligible to vote.

Section 5.

Quorum. A quorum necessary to act on official business of the entire chapter shall consist of at least 20 per cent of the total voting membership

Section 6.

Cancellation. The executive board, by a majority vote, may cancel or postpone any meeting of the chapter for cause, except those called by a quorum of the membership. Such meetings shall be held no less than 30 days after presentation of a request for meeting signed by at least 40 per cent of the total voting membership.

Section 7.

Rules of order. Meetings and procedures of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be regulated and controlled according to Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) for parliamentary procedure, except as otherwise provided by these bylaws.

 

ARTICLE 7

OFFICERS

Section 1.

Governing body. The governing body of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be known as the executive board.

Section 2.

Board Meetings. Meetings of IABC/Golden Horseshoe executive board shall be held as determined by the executive board.

Section 3.

Officers. The officers of IABC/Golden Horseshoe and the members of the executive board, shall be a President, Executive Vice President, Past – President, Vice President  Finance, Vice President Administration, Co-Vice Presidents of Communications, Co-Vice Presidents of Professional Development & Events, Vice President of Membership, Vice President Sponsorship.

Section 4.

Qualifications for office. Any regular member in good standing (with a minimum of two year’s active service in the chapter preferred but not necessary) shall be eligible for nomination and election to office in IABC/Golden Horseshoe. Student members may be considered for the Administration role if no other full member has been nominated.

Section 5.

Nomination of officers. Candidates for office shall be selected by a nominating committee, consisting of the Past-President, who will serve as chair, the President and three members appointed by the President. Nominees will be drawn from submission by members of IABC/Golden Horseshoe.

The nominating committee shall present its slate to the executive board for approval, and copies of the slate shall be mailed or emailed to all voting members at least 30 days in advance of the final meeting of the calendar year. The outgoing President shall automatically succeed to the office of Past-President.

Section 6.

Election of officers. Accompanying the slate of officers mailed or e-mailed to all voting members shall be an official ballot, which shall be returned no later than seven days prior to the final meeting of the calendar year. The nominating committee shall be responsible for tabulating all official ballots and announcing the winning officers at the final meeting of the calendar year.

Section 7.

Terms of office. All officers shall serve one-year terms. Portfolios may be held by an officer for a maximum of 4 terms unless otherwise voted by the executive.

Section 8.

Vacancies or removal. Vacancies in any office on the executive board shall be filled for the balance of the term by the executive board at any executive or special meeting in accordance with these bylaws. If the Past-President is unable to serve, the executive board shall appoint a Past-President from former presidents of the chapter.

The executive board, at its discretion and following IABC policy, may remove by two-thirds vote any officer from office for cause.

 

ARTICLE 8

DUTIES OF OFFICERS –  BOARD JOB DESCRIPTIONS

 

ARTICLE 9

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.

Composition. The executive board of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall consist of the officers of IABC/Golden Horseshoe, as defined in Article 7. Committee chairpersons shall be ex officio, nonvoting members of the executive board.

Section 2.

Authority and responsibility. The executive board shall have supervision, control, and direction of the affairs of IABC/Golden Horseshoe, shall determine its policy or changes therein within the limits of these bylaws, shall actively pursue its mission, and shall supervise disbursements of its funds. The executive board may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as it deems advisable, and may delegate certain of its authority and responsibility to a board of directors, executive committee, or other committees or persons. Ratifications of these actions will be sought from the membership annually at a general meeting.

Section 3.

Quorum. A quorum of the executive board shall consist of a majority of the voting members. If a quorum cannot be mustered, a meeting may proceed and any action taken shall become valid if subsequently confirmed by unanimous approval in writing of the members of the executive board.

 

ARTICLE 10

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Section 1.

The president shall appoint and administer standing and special committees necessary to conduct the affairs of IABC/Golden Horseshoe.

 

ARTICLE 11

FINANCE

Section 1.

Authority. The executive board shall have authority over the receipts, expenditures and assets of IABC/Golden Horseshoe.

Section 2.

Fiscal year. The fiscal year of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be the same as that of IABC Canada East Region, (July 1 to June 30).

Section 3.

Budget. The executive board shall adopt in advance of each fiscal year and/or administrative year an operating budget covering all activities of IABC/Golden Horseshoe.

Section 4.

Reserves. Financial reserves as deemed appropriate by the executive board shall be retained from chapter funds or developed to provide reasonable stability of finances.

Section 5.

Bonding. Executive board members, as determined by the president, shall be bonded in an amount deemed practical by the executive board.

Section 6.

Compensation. Officers shall not receive any compensation from IABC/Golden Horseshoe for their services as officers.

Section 7.

Financial Review. The accounts of IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall be reviewed annually by an independent party. Reviewed statements shall be presented to the membership annually.

 

ARTICLE 12

NONDISCRIMINATION

Section 1.

IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall not accept any organizational unit that denies membership or membership privileges, nor shall it deny membership or membership privileges itself, on the basis of race, creed, religion, disability, sex, sexual preference, age, color, or national origin.

 

ARTICLE 13

DISSOLUTION

Section 1.

IABC/Golden Horseshoe shall use its funds only to pursue the mission specified in these bylaws and no part of said funds shall be distributed to members of IABC/Golden Horseshoe. On dissolution of IABC/ Golden Horseshoe, any funds remaining shall be distributed to IABC International.

 

ARTICLE 14

AMENDMENTS

Section 1.

These bylaws may be amended at a regular or special meeting of IABC/Golden Horseshoe by a two-thirds vote of a quorum necessary to conduct business. Proposed amendments to these bylaws must be submitted to the executive board. Amendments must receive approval of either the executive board or be petitioned by at least 10 per cent of the voting members of the chapter to be eligible for consideration by the entire voting membership. Proposed amendments which meet such qualifications must be submitted to the membership at least 15 days prior to the meeting at which said amendments are to be considered for adoption. Written notice of the meeting must accompany the proposed amendments.

 

By-laws Amended: at 2016 Annual General Meeting, June 1, 2016