Organizing Committee

Meeting Date: 08/23/2011Meeting time: 7:00 EasternLocation: web conference with Anymeeting and audio via telephoneRecorded: Will be

8.23.11 Agenda

• Review of Temporary Board• Vote on mission• Incentive for secretary• Include vision/goals/core beliefs?• Separate audience/membership?• Discuss name

Temporary Board• Justin Cook• Sarah Richards (Secretary)• Mike Neustrom• Kathy Kimbrough• Cindy Jones• Lila Avery-Fuson• Mary Bergstrom (chairperson)5 members present3 meetings in a row missed

Proposed Mission

• To support and promote the United States lavender industry through research, education, networking and marketing.– Include “trade”?– Not as I recall, it’d be beneficial, yes to be broad

as possible

Incentive for Secretary

• Suggestions – free year of membership• Vote on incentive

Include vision/goals/core beliefs?

• Discussion: We have mission. Do we need to add, define, and vote on vision, goals, or core beliefs?

Separate audience/membership?

• Discussion: Membership benefits are under the bylaws. Should our intended audience/levels of membership be pulled out, defined, and voted on now?

Name• We need to brainstorm, discuss, and decide on a name that

reflects the mission, values, and direction of this organization.

• Considerations in picking a name are:– does it embody the mission of the organization– what does this name project– is it short, powerful, and descriptive– is it easily remembered– is the acronym memorable– is it easily said– is it available (trademarks, in the state we’ll file which is TBD)– is the website available (.com, .org)– is it easily confused with another organizations name

Comments• Do we need “growers” in the name? Will we be allowing retailers, crafters,

artisans in the group who do not necessarily grow lavender? I personally do not want this to be just a “growers” group.

• I guess maybe this should be addressed in the mission statement first – as to whether it is a ‘growers’ group or not. As part of the mission I’d certainly like to see promoting the uses and the market for lavender – in which case retailers etc would certainly play a big role.

• I think it should always return to the issues and support of people who grow lavener, because without their success the rest is moot. Due to the increasing interactions between countries I’m wondering if we should name the organization so that people from Canada and Mexico can be included. If we want to do that, then perhaps a name could be North American Lavender Growers Association (NALGA). This is close to the acronym for The Australian Lavender Growers Association (TALGA) and might create both confusion and a reasonable linkage between the organizations.

Name Suggestions• • ALGA – American Lavender Growers

Association• LGA – Lavender Growers Association• USLG – United States Lavender Growers• USLA – United States Lavender Association• ALA – American Lavender Association• LAUS – Lavender Association of the United States• USLGA – United States Lavender Growers Association• ALGTA – The American Lavender Growers and Trade Association

Next Steps

• Vote on Name• Membership definition?• Vision/goals/core belief definition?• Bylaw introduction