Access Press, Volume 14, Issue 1, January 10, 2003. Article

Update from the Access Press Board

by Steve Kuntz, Mary Kay Kennedy, Linda Wolford, Bridget Smith, Lolly Lijewski and Joani Werner

In September 2001, just six months after taking leadership of the paper, Tim Benjamin, along with board members Steve Kuntz, Bill Dessert and Margot Imdieke-Cross, led a successful board recruitment effort, resulting in the addition of Lolly Lijewski, Linda Wolford, Joani Werner, Mary Kay Kennedy and Bridget Smith to the Access Press board. With the retirement of Bill Dessert and Margot Imdieke-Cross, this brought the board membership from three to six. The Access Press board consists of people with and without disabilities who provide organizational oversight and governance to Access Press.

Since incorporating as a nonprofit in 1997, Access Press had operated with its three- to four-person board. The board met as needed to carry out oversight functions and meetings were often informal. There was no structure for recruitment, orientation, training or evaluation. This has changed. While the old informal structure worked for Charlie, following his death it became quickly evident that the board needed to play a more active and hands-on role during the time of transition to new leadership.

The board established committees to rethink how things are done at Access Press. The Board Committee established a procedure for recruiting new board members, the Finance Committee helped with the marketing plan for the paper, and the Personnel Committee worked on job descriptions. Our toughest job has been establishing a unified governance style. Given a six-member board, and all but one a new member, merging our ideas, styles, philosophies and expectations has been understandably difficult and challenging. Our work in 2003 will include continuing to hash out how the board can best serve the community and the paper. As we gain more knowledge and experience in fulfilling our roles as AP board members, and learn more about how to work with each other, the process of governing the paper as a unified body will get easier.

The new year brings the retirement of Lolly Lijewski from the Access Press board. As we say goodbye to Lolly, we welcome four new board members, to be announced. We will introduce them to our readers in the February issue of Access Press. They bring energy, talent and most of all—a love of the paper and a commitment to the Access Press mission. If you are interested in participating as a board member, columnist, or office volunteer, call us today at 651-644-2133.

While the board has managed to usher the paper through a difficult transition period, the credit for cranking out a monthly paper clearly goes to Tim Benjamin and Laurie Eckblad Anderson. These two talented, committed, never-say-never staffers are the true champions of Access Press. They have served the disability community well and we want to formally and publicly thank them for their accomplishments and their unwavering commitment to the purpose and the mission of Access Press. You’ve done us proud Tim and Laurie. Thank you.

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