PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018
by Angela Bole, CEO, Independent Book Publishers Association —
 Angela Bole CEO Angela Bole provides insight into the most recent meeting agenda for the IBPA Board of Directors.
Every year, I like to provide IBPA members with a clear look at an IBPA Board of Directors meeting agenda. IBPA’s Board of Directors is a voluntary, 14-person governance body that regularly meets to discuss and plan the association’s business.
On August 23-24, 2018, the full Board of Directors met with IBPA staff in Redondo Beach, California. Over the course of the meeting, the Board:
- Reviewed IBPA’s mission, vision, and code of ethics.
- Approved an anti-harassment policy aimed at ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all participants in all IBPA activities, meetings, and networking events.
- Received an update on IBPA financials from IBPA treasurer Ian Lamont (i30 Media).
- Discussed IBPA’s current member recruitment and retention activities and how to focus the association for maximum membership growth.
- Met with Jonathan Kirsch, IBPA legal counsel.
- Received an update on IBPA member benefit activities from IBPA Member Benefits Committee Chair Joshua Tallent (Firebrand Technologies), including:
- the approval of a new dispute resolution process aimed at helping IBPA members know what to do if a member benefit provider has committed an obvious breach of the offering verus the stated offering (i.e., overcharges, benefit not as described, etc.);
- an update on a new slate of proposed member benefits; and
- a discussion of whether IBPA is offering the kinds of benefits members need and want.
- Received an update on IBPA advocacy activities from IBPA Advocacy Committee Chair Brooke Warner.
- Discussed IBPA’s publishing platforms, including the current state of IBPA Independent magazine, IBPA Independent This Week e-newsletter, IBPA’s Inside Independent Publishing podcast, the IBPA website, and IBPA’s email strategy.
- Discussed a proposal from the Book Industry Study Group’s Association Advisory Council (BAAC) related to bringing affordable health insurance to IBPA members.
- Made plans to ensure maximum engagement in IBPA Publishing University 2019, scheduled for April 5-6, 2019 (with preconference sessions on April 4) in Chicago, Illinois.
 A group of previous and current members of the IBPA Board of Directors during IBPA Publishing University 2018. If you’re interested in more information about any of the topics above, please email me at angela@ibpa-online.org. In addition, please remember that IBPA members in good standing are encouraged to apply for a seat on the IBPA Board of Directors. The application deadline is Dec. 31 of each year.
Just before Angela Bole became IBPA’s Chief Executive Officer, she was Deputy Executive Director of the Book Industry Study Group, Inc. (BISG), which fosters conversation and consensus across all sectors of the book business. Before that, Angela served for two years as BISG’s Associate Director and two years as its Marketing and Communications Manager.
|
