Business Meeting - Fall 2021

Officer Reports

President:

• Ecomm met regularly throughout the year. Major projects are outreach and 75th reunion planning.

Vice President:

• Planning underway for 75th reunion in April. RPI is helping with contracts and outreach and has sent a Save the Date message by email. Will discuss potential committees and seek chairs during new business.

Treasurer:

• No change in chapter funds. Paper statements are now being directed to Secretary/Extension Chair for increased accountability.

Secretary/Extension Chair:

• Over 30% MailChimp audience growth in the past year (128 to 168 subscribers). Set up automated welcome messages for new subscribers Chapter is interested in a transition program for graduating members to learn about EZAA.

Member at Large:

• Continues to document local events, mainly with chapter.

Elections

Member at Large was the only position with more than one nominee. All others were approved by acclamation. All officers expressed interest in training other interested alumni to take on their roles in future elections.

• President—James Thompson
• Vice President—Ken Bienstock
• Treasurer—Dave Nagy
• Secretary/Extension Chair—Lea Thompson

• Member at Large—Rich Vehlow

  • Also nominated—Beverly Yang

New Business

75th Reunion Planning

• Ken shared a document (copied below) with ideas for the event, including a number of potential committees. We discussed each committee, condensed several, and solicited chairs for each.
• Ken is in regular communication with RPI Alumni House manager, and RPI has booked venues on and off campus for 75th reunion events.
• Current RPI Covid-19 policy requires guests to be vaccinated and recently tested to attend on-campus events. Updated policy details will be shared with alumni as we approach the event date.
• Lea and Ken shared progress on communication of event details to alumni. RPI is able to reach about 500 members by email, with some overlap with the EZAA mailing list. Lea could use help with data processing to measure overlap and estimate missing contacts.
• Ken is seeking EZ and EZAA photos to add to RPI’s event landing page.

Virtual Service Projects

• Christine expressed interest in having virtual events to engage alumni
• Others suggested that EZAA could promote other service organizations and encourage members to share stories of participation in any service they do.
• Alumni can post acts of service or upcoming events on EZAA’s Facebook page, or email information to apo.ezaa@gmail.com.

Appendix

Ken’s 75th planning document

Phase 1 – Planning up to today (Ken and EZAA Ecomm)

• Reunion weekend is Friday April 8 – Sunday April 10
• RPI emailed “Save The Date” to 497 EZ Alumni
• RPI created landing page for EZ 75th Reunion with “Who’s Coming” list

• Reserved Venues for Reunion Events

  • Friday welcome reception at the RPI Alumni House
  • EZ 75th Banquet at the Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday evening in Troy (RPI signed contract)
  • Sunday Brunch at RPI – Sage Dining Ballroom
• Hotel Blocks (RPI signed contract)
• Hilton Garden Inn Troy
• Courtyard by Marriott Troy
• Ken has meeting with Dawn McCarthy (Manager of RPI Alumni House) every 2 weeks
• Met with Dawn McCarthy at Dr. Charlie Potts (Director of RPI Student Union)

Phase 2 – Planning today until EZ 75th Reunion Weekend (Establish Committees)

• RPI to send by USPS mail “Save the Date” to 196 EZ Alumni with no email address
• RPI to email again “Save The Date” to 497 EZ alumni mentioning “Who’s Coming” list is now active
• EZAA to email “Save The Date” to 168 EZ alumni on our email distribution list
• Pictures (1 to 2) for our Landing Page
• Proposal to RPI for volunteering on campus
• Activities will follow Rensselaer guidelines and any COVID-19 requirements in place
• Volunteers to be committee chairs (today)

Committee Members Volunteer from our last EZAA Annual Meeting in Fall 2019

Committee Assignments 2021

Committee 1: Friday night welcome reception

(Chair: TBD; Members: Richard Vehlow, …)

• Venue – RPI Alumni House
• Food and drinks
• Significant number of cocktail tables for sitting
• Give out name tags

Sunday Brunch

• Venue - Sage Dining Ballroom or RPI Alumni House
• Review proposed menu and pricing from RPI Food Services
• Cash Bar ??
• Decorations
• Program or no program

Committee 2: Service Projects

(Chair/Chapter Liaison: James Thompson, Dave Nagy; EZ Chapter to run the Service Projects)

• Determine service projects and locations including on RPI campus
• At least one “work project” and one “people project”
• Enough projects for large number of EZ Actives, Alumni, and family
• Chair(s) for each project
• Transportation to/from projects
• Lunch at projects
• Publicity at projects
• One project that is appropriate and fun for children of all ages to participate

Committee 3: 75th Anniversary Banquet

(Chair: Howie Lien, Lea Sidoti, Christine Roe; Members: Richard Vehlow, …)

• Top quality food and service
• Cash Bar
• DJ with dancing (music through the ages)

• Program – Considering interest, significance, and timing

  • EZ History / Through the Ages – Slide show vs History Wall
  • Presentation of EZ 75th from National to EZ Chapter President
  • Presentations and/or speaker from National and/or RPI and/or community leaders
  • EZ Chapter presentations and/or ceremony
  • Alumni Association DSK / Outstanding Alumni Award

There is a new Alumni Association DSK as has been established at the 2008 National Convention. It will be given out to Epsilon Zeta alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service to the Epsilon Zeta Alumni Association. Recipients will be chosen by the current EZAA officers. It can be given out at any time. This is separate from the Outstanding Alumni Award which will be given to Epsilon Zeta alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service to the chapter, EZAA, community, APO in general, etc. It will be given out every 5 years coinciding with our -5 and -0 year anniversaries. Recipients will be chosen by the EZAA officers based on nominations from EZAA members.

• Invitees from National, RPI, and community (service project organizations, Mayor of Troy, etc.)
• Separate room for children near banquet reception room
• Food
• Activities for different age groups
• Really exciting activities for children of all ages during Banquet (not just babysitting with a few games)
• Young – Clowns, magicians, arts & craft, games
• Middle School – DJ, game booths, photo booth, lounge furnishings
• High School –

Committee 4: Outreach to EZ Alumni

(Chair: Lea Sidoti, Howie Lien; Members: …)

• Ask alumni we know to reach the EZ alumni they keep in contact with
• Through social networking
• Contact past presidents and DSK recipients

Committee 5: Registration and Determine Cost of attending 75th Anniversary Weekend

(Chair: TBD; Members: James Thompson, Franklin "Henson" Brodsky, …)

• Using RPI Alumni registration system including payments from Alumni and Actives
• Registration Fee suggested/optional/mandatory or No Registration Fee for Alumni
• No Registration Fee for EZ Actives
• Arrival Reception on Friday evening (no charge for EZ Actives)
• Lunch at Service Project on Saturday (no charge for EZ Actives)
• 75th Banquet Saturday evening (discounted for EZ Actives, example $10.00)
• Farewell Brunch on Sunday (discounted for EZ Actives, example $10.00)
• Donation for subsiding cost of EZ Actives participating in 75th weekend
• Donation for Gift to RPI
• Donation to APO Scholarship Fund
• Solicit early donations from Alums for planning & deposits

Items Needed – Distribute amongst committees

• Name tags (magnetic so no holes in clothes)
• 75th souvenir
• Weekend program
• Event tickets