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After months of reviewing alternative models, surveying the Association’s Membership, meeting with outside facilitators, conducting focus groups and consulting with management, board members, city officials and legal representatives, the Western Fair Association will role out a new Governance Model to its membership at 7:00pm in the Carousel Room, Tuesday, June 26, 2007.
This event is a major milestone for the Association. "We thank all those involved in this process for their hard work as we pulled together a governance model that best suits the organization as it has evolved over the last few years and one that will compliment the future priorities of the Association, we look forward to a smooth transition into our next fiscal year when the new model, by-laws and committees will take effect.” said General Manager and CEO, Gary McRae, "we have every confidence that the Association will benefit greatly from this new structure.”
Last year the Board of Directors approved an initiative as part of the Association’s Strategic Plan to review the governance structure of the Association to include membership, committees and Board of Directors. The purpose of the review was to ensure that the governance model was appropriate to today’s organization as well as meeting the needs of the Association and its members. The previous model was not as flexible as necessary and a model was required that would match the needs of an organization that is continuing to grow and flourish while still honouring its mandate and operating principles.
The June 26th meeting will review the newly approved governance structure and announce the slate of candidates that will fill the positions on the new Board of Governors and Fair Directors. The structure will consist of a Senate which will include Past Presidents and future Past Chairs of the Board of Governors, a Board of Governors that will be the authoritative governing body of the Association and a board of Fair Directors that will recommend budgets and oversee the planning and operation of our signature event, the annual Western Fair. Membership and committees will now be of greater benefit to the organization and play a more meaningful role through their participation under the new governance model. To accommodate the new governance structure, the by-laws for the Association were also re-written. These by-laws were approved by the Board of Directors on May 31, 2007.
The new governance structure (Senate-Governors-Fair Directors) of the Western Fair Association, maintains Agriculture, Civic, At Large, City and County components as well as allowing for new participants from within the organization as well as from the community. We will match the needs and interests of the Western Fair Association, with those of our membership. Gary McRae, General Manager stated, “I speak for all my colleagues at the Western Fair when I say that this monumental change is a historical highlight for all of us and we are extremely excited, not only by the recent achievements of the Association, but also by what the new model will mean for the future of our organization. Every action we have taken over the last few years, on some chord, has vibrated throughout our organization and into the community in a positive way and this initiative is no different. The future looks bright.”
Following the planned governance meeting, new members of the Board of Governors and members of the Fair Directors will be announced to the public.
Gary McRae
General Manager/CEO
(519) 438-7203 EX 220
gmcrae@westernfair.com
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