The Brahman Foundation Meeting was held April 26, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at J.D. Hudgins office in Hungerford, Texas.
Those present: Mike England, Stuart Watkins, Rachel Cutrer, Lana Forgason, Richard Forgason, Alfredo Muskus, Jr., Bubba Sartwelle, Chris Shivers, Kathy & Buddy Bailey, Michael Goudeau, McKenna Schulte and Carlos X. Guerra.
Welcome by Carlos Guerra and welcome prayer by Mike England.
Stuart moved, Michael second to approve the minutes. Moved unanimously. Lana suggested that we need to post on Facebook when the minutes are published online. Stuart suggested we send the minutes out in a quarterly newsletter. Stuart will work on the content and Rachel will help with the design of the newsletter.
Item 1. Review Mission Statement Changes
At the request of the ABBA board of directors we have removed “an affiliate of ABBA” from our mission statement. Stuart moved to approved the new statement. Second by Rachel. Approved unanimously.
Item 2. Review Houston Fundraiser.
We went over the list of those few remaining people who have not paid (approximately $2500 from 6 individuals). They are receiving a email reminder once a month and a mailed statement. We will continue to contact any of these donors who have not paid and try to collect.
There was a mistake during the selection process on the Houston raffle and the embryos donated by RB ranch were selected twice. Carlos approached Rodolfo Bazan asking could TBF buy an additional set of embryos. Mr. Bazan generously donated an additional set of embryos at no charge. We thank him for this generosity.
We received a lot of positive feedback about the raffle and the crowd enjoyed it.
Item 3: Treasurers Report
Rachel presented a treasurers report and reconciliation report from the bank. Moved by Stuart to accept, second by Alfredo. Approved unanimous.
Item 4: Budget outlook and CPA
We discussed other items we will need to fund in the upcoming months. We will still need to pay our accountant for 2015 tax preparation. We will need to pay 2016 taxes, and also needs to get a directors insurance policy. Other than that we do not expect any other expenses other than the programs we have funded.
We discussed an accountant. Our books are on Quickbooks Online so is accessible very easily. Rachel suggested her accountant, since they already have a working relationship. Mike England moved using Ann Minze, CPA of Madisonville. Second by Stuart. Motion approved unanimous.
Item 5: Report on Essay Contest: Changes and if we want to do it again:
Lana: Definitely think we want to do it again, because there are definitely people who want to do it. Lana wants to make sure we get an email address for every kid at the state and All American because we have a lot of members that can benefit from our foundation but a lot of members may not know of our opportunities.
Stuart: Can the youth committee ask for this to be a requirement on All American entry cards and that be passed on to the foundation.
Alfredo and McKenna are going to work together to create awareness of TBF and our programs.
In the essay program we gave away $2500 and we had 15 participants. These essays have been sent to The Brahman Journal. The winning essays are also posted on the TBF website.
Stuart suggested we do 2 essay contests per year, or come up with another contest they can do in the fall. Having the kids be recognized at Houston was awesome. If we could come up with another venue where we can continue to spotlight our youth this would be great.
We would like to recognize the winners again at the All American banquet.
We would like to get a picture of the winners from TBJ so we can post.
Mike moved, Alfredo seconded, to ask Stuart and Lana to co-chair the essay contest again in 2017. Stuart asked if we can come up with a new idea for a contest for the fall, he is welcome to suggestions.
Item 6. Discussion of how to disperse the $4400 we will give to All American showmanship premiums.
The ABBA Youth committee asked us to consider breaking up the $400 we budgeted to the class winner and break it up into more placings (i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd) since the competition is so deep.
We discussed pros and cons. Pros are we help more kids. Cons is there is more administrative time.
AJBA current premiums are: 1st: $100, 2nd: $80, 3rd: $60
We discussed the logistics. We will print-print up the checks with the designated amounts and then a TBF representative will fill out the winners names and hand the check straight to the exhibitor, as they walk out the ring.
It was unanimous, we wanted to award 3 places.
We will add: $200 to 1st place; $125 to 2nd place; $75 to 3rd place.
Stuart moves, Lana seconds. Motion approved unanimously.
Stuart then moved to appropriate $1000 in additional premiums with $500 going to the overall grand champion showman and $500 to the reserve grand champion showman. These checks can be given at the banquet. We would ask that the 11 class winners are also recognized at the banquet. Second by Alfredo. Motion approved unanimously.
So this means we will be awarding $5400 at the All American Showmanship.
We will need 35 checks for this.
Item 7. Leadership Contest Drawing:
We will award $5000 for leadership contest participants. There are currently 8 leadership contests. So for each contest the child participates in, they get 1 ticket. But someone can only win one scholarship. These will be awarded in 20 scholarships of $250 each. Must be present to win. Discussion was does showmanship and cattle shows count toward the raffle. Vote was 6 to 1 to only include the leadership contests. This means showmanship and entries in the show do not count towards this raffle. These will be announced at the banquet.
Who is going to be the person who writes up all these names for the drawing? Lana and Stuart
Will need 20 checks for this.
Motioned by Mike, second by Stuart. Approved unanimously.
Item 8. Review and finalize scholarship applications.
The AJBA scholarship deadline is May 1.
AJBA only allows for graduating seniors to apply. We will allow a junior in high school on up to juniors in college to apply, so more kids can apply. This makes our application a little different than AJBA.
We need to reach as many of these people who can possibly apply so everyone knows. We set our application deadline June 1.
How will we get the word out? TBJ Facebook, word of mouth, social media, email blasts. Can AJBA help us get the out?
We need a scholarship chairman. This will be Stuart, Alfredo and Rachel.
Items to do:
Get the word out
Make a cover sheet explaining the word out
Get the applications received
Copies made of applications
Copies sent to the judges
Stuart agrees to the administrative work for this.
Rachel and Alfredo will help get the word out.
AJBA is going to interview applicants this year. TBF will participate in these interviews. AJBA and TBF will work together on this. McKenna will help get the word out to AJBA members.
Lana made motion to accept this plan, second by Alfredo, motion passed unanimously.
Who is our selection committee? The 5 donors who donated heifer scholarships: Stuart Watkins, Mike England, Carlos X. Guerra, Lana Forgason and Arnold Saunders family member.
Item 9. Review Santa Elena travel scholarship plans:
Alfredo presented this plan. The goal of this is to give a junior exposure to the international Brahman business. He has been allocated $2700 to fund this program.
The preference is to fund the initial program of an international travel scholarship. However if there were no applicants for the international travel scholarship, they would award the $2700 in the form of a scholarship to a student who is majoring in animal science or business administration, with the check paid directly to the school. We need to include that the winner will need to sign all liability releases and get a life insurance policy. We discussed we would like to extend the age limit up to 25, so that we can reach older members. The criteria would be present or past AJBA members. If they are over age 21, they need to be an ABBA member. So the age limit is 18 to 25.
We want the applications in by June 1.
Item 10: Motivational speakers for the All American:
How many do we want? 1
Where on the AA Schedule are these going ? Welcome Supper (All parents and kids welcome to attend)
How long should they speak? 15 minutes to 30 minutes
Can we pay a speaker fee or travel fee? Originally we did not budget any money for this.
What topics do you want / themes?
Life skills / motivation / bullying
We want to reach out to someone in west Monroe. Chris and Rachel have the authority to select a speaker they feel is good.
Stuart moves to allocate $1500 to this project. Alfredo second. Motion approved unanimously.
Item 11: Moneys to be paid to junior Brahman state associations.
In our past meeting we funded $200 to each state junior show that has an All Around competition and/or a junior showman. The $200 is to be given to the winner of their All Around contest. If they offer separate All Arounds for girl & boy (like Texas) then the $200 will go to the single highest point getter of the all around. If they do not offer an all around, the $200 will go to the grand champion showman.
It is our preference to pay the awards directly to the winner of these shows, rather than to the association.
These will be:
Texas Junior Brahman
Louisiana Junior Brahman
Florida Junior Brahman
Deep South Brahman
Area 13 Brahman
Rachel will get with these affiliates to let them know of our donation and then after each of their respective shows they can provide us with the winner and we will send the winner their check.
Item 12: Discuss leadership camp:
Who is invited and who gets to go?
- Age limit is incoming freshman in high school (14?) to age 21
- Open to 40 kids, but we want quality applicants
- Everyone 14 and over who entered essay contest automatically gets to attend
- AJBA Junior Board all gets to attend
- We will then select 10 to 15 more based on merit
- We need an application. We can use the scholarship application as a starting point for the application.
- Topics and speakers – Done by Chris
- What do we pay for? And what does the participant pay for?
- It will be completely free to attend.
- TBF will put up $3000 and AJBA will put up $3000.
- Do we want a ranch tour? Yes – Sexing Technology / Beef Development Center / Ranch Tour of Kallion
- Do we need an insurance policy? No, AJBA has this.
- Volunteers and chaperones –
- Carlos will be there
- Richard and Lana will be there
- Chris Shivers
- Any breeders in the area that could volunteer?
- Name? The Brahman Foundation Leadership Camp
Stuart will contact the junior essay winners and let them know it is not age appropriate to attend.
All of this moved by Lana and seconded by Stuart. Motion passed unanimously.
Item 13: Directors and Officers Insurance policy
We all agree this is needed. Carlos had not get this yet, so Stuart and Alfredo are going to look into this.
Item 14: 501(c)3 status
The application has been sent in, and is in the IRS’s hands. We have received an acknowledgement of the receipt and we can expect an answer within 180 days, or a notification if they have any further questions.
Item 15: Replacement Board Member for Chris Shivers
This item was tabled.
Item 16: Request to have immediate past president on the board.
We agreed that we welcome the current AJBA president to attend any meeting. They would not have voting rights but we welcome their input.
Item 17: Discuss date, name, and select chairman for Fall Online Fund Raiser Sale.
Carlos will be the chairman. We need 25 lots. Would like 3 to 5 live animals.
There was a lengthy discussion of donor expectations and how donors are involved in the decision process of funding and scholarship selection.
We discussed that if someone donates to the general online auction, those funds are
budgeted at the discretion of the board. However if a private individual would like to make a donation, i.e. a named scholarship or individual program, with stipulations, that is a separate donation and will be considered on a case by case basis. For example, if an individual or business came forward and wanted to donate a flat dollar amount to be given as a scholarship, or fund a specific program.
Need a name for the sale.
Item 18: New Ideas to Grow Our Efforts
Rachel would like to have a system where people can donate an annual pledge to the annual fund. She will put together some ideas for review at the next meeting. Passed unanimously.
We welcome any donor to use their logo on their ads. The Brahman Journal has this logo and all a donor would need to do is just let them know to put it on their ad.
With no further business the meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.