Fraternity-Testvériség, 1998 (76. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1998-01-01 / 1-2. szám
FRATERNITY Page 5 FROM THE SECRETARY’S OFFICE Excerpts from Minutes of Board of Directors’ Meeting Held at the Kossuth House, Washington, D.C. April 27-May 1, 1998 • President George Dózsa opened the meeting at 9:00 a.m. and welcomed the Board Members, Advisors and Home Office staff to the 1998 Spring Meeting of the Board of Directors. • Director Zoltán D. Szucs held a devotional service. The meditation was based on James 2:18-26. • Remembered in our prayers were the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham, Honorary Vice President; Rev. Zoltán Kovács, Retired Chaplain of the Bethlen Home and Curator of the Bethlen Museum and Archives; Mrs. Anna Novak, Branch Manager; William B. Puskas, Sr., Honorary Treasurer; Julius Simon, Director; Mrs. Anthony Szabó, Former Branch Manager and mother of our Director Margaret H. Saltzer, and the other 204 deceased members of the Federation during 1997. • The Home Office staff was dismissed. Secretary Endre Csornán called the roll. A quorum was present. • Based upon the recommendation of the Strategic Planning Committee, Teri Pflum (secretary to the President) was appointed assistant to the National Secretary for recording the minutes of the 1998 Spring Board Meeting. • The reports of the National Officers were referred to the respective committees for further discussion. • The Medical Director, Dr. Katalin S. Korossy, presented her report, which was accepted with thanks. Her services were retained for the calendar year 1998. • The Financial Advisors presented their report, which was accepted with thanks. It was referred to the respective committee for further discussion. • The Legal Advisor, William B. Puskas, Jr., Esq., refrained from reading his report. It was referred to the proper committee for further discussion. • A motion was made and seconded that the report of the Executive Director of the Bethlen Home, the Rev. Paul Kovács, be referred to the respective committee for further discussion. The Executive and Organization Committee presented the following recommendations to the Board for acceptance: • That the report of the President be accepted with thanks. In addition, the committee found that the President fulfilled his duties and responsibilities in accordance with paragraph 50 of the 1996 edition of the by-laws. Thus, the committee recommends that President Dózsa be released from his responsibilities for the year 1997 and be complimented for his dedicated services to the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. • That the report of the Executive Director of the Bethlen Home, the Rev. Paul Kovács, be accepted with thanks and that appreciation be expressed for his conscientious and dedicated work. • That the report of the Legal Advisor, William B. Puskas, Jr., Esq., be accepted with thanks and appreciation and that his services be retained for the calendar year 1998. • That risk factors and separate genders with selected life insurance products be introduced. • That the maximum face value of the certificates sold by the Federation be increased to $200,000. • That the Home Office staff be restructured within the limits of the by-laws, using the expertise of the consultants, and that a formal presentation be mailed out 20 days prior to the 1998 Fall Board Meeting before any restructuring is done. • That new alliances for sales and marketing be formed. • That a buy-out be offered to policyholders with sick benefit and hospitalization. • That the publication of the Fraternity be reduced to 2 or 3 issues a year and that the fourth issue be substituted by a monthly newsletter, subject to postal regulations. The Finance and Auditing Committee presented the following recommendations to the Board for acceptance: • That after examining the duties and responsibilities of the Treasurer as required by the by-laws of the HRFA, Treasurer Virgulák be released from her responsibilities for the full year 1997 and that she be thanked for her dedicated services to the Federation. • That the report of the Treasurer be accepted with thanks. • That the use of the Peachtree system for general ledger be installed and implemented as soon as possible; and, that the training on the new system be a joint process for all those who will be the major users of the system. • That where appropriate manuals for operation and procedures be developed for the various areas using the system. • That a 1.7 percent cost of living increase be granted to the National Officers, Home Office Employees and the Board of Directors. This is to be retroactive to April 1, 1998. • That the HRFA mortgage lending policy should remain the same: loan amount at 70 percent of the appraised value of the property; lending period of 15-20 years. That the maximum principal amount be increased to $150,000 (instead of the current $125,000). • That the 800 telephone number be reinstated. • That the report of the Financial Advisors, Koppelman & Eglow, be accepted with thanks and that Ben Koppelman and A1 Eglow be commended for their faithful and dedicated service and their advice to the Federation over the past 28 years. That the services of the Financial Advisors be retained for the year 1998. Continued on page 6
