Whirly Girls 2024 Annual Meeting Minutes
Date: February 26, 2024
Location: Anaheim, California
Event: Whirly-Girls Annual Business Meeting

President: WG#1657 Kim Hutchings
Secretary: WG#2218 Munanie Mbatha
Treasurer: WG#2153 Jordi Shipman
Vice President of Operations: WG#2112 Sara Stanford
Vice President of Marketing: WG#2089 Amy Ehn
Director of Merchandise: WG#1941 Amy Hartt
Director of Media: WG#2174 Lisa Zumkeller
Vice President of Membership: WG#2078 Rebecca Torres
Vice President of Scholarships: WG#1950 Fallon Blattner
Scholarship Director: WG#1869 Joanna Forrester
Scholarship Director: WG#1730 Annie Paya
Immediate Past President: WG#1711 Joni Schultz

Members present

Kim Hutchings             WG#1657
Munanie Mbatha       WG#2218
Lisa Zumkeller             WG#2078
Jordi Shipman             WG#2153
Joanna Forrester         WG#1869
Fallon Blattner            WG#1950
Annie Paya                  WG#1730
Amy Hartt                   WG#1941
Joni Schultz                 WG#1711
Adele Dobler               WG#1715
Sabina Seymanoka      WG#2250
Cindy Wilson               WG#313
Diane Dowl                 WG#202
Jeanette Eaton            WG#1582
Lexi Hargis                   WG#2324
Larissa Hamilton         WG#2302
Alexa Dunn                  WG#2156
Rachel Vanderhoff      WG#1593
Sara Jackson                WG#2330
Ryan Hester                WG#2389
Kewey Hoogendoorn WG#2361
Kellye Evan                  WG#2300
Maggie Beseda           WG#3147
Holley Gardel              WG#1764
Sharlene Miles            WG#1680
Yesenia Bello               WG#2267
Maria Paradise           WG#2240
Clara Freeze                WG#2108
Elizabeth Vavashe       WG#1929
Kelly Keane                 WG#2061
Kim Barwick                WG#1686
Paola Sisconetto         WG#2088
Marian Dugan             WG#2230
Kerry Hahne               WG#2063
Oceana Gamel Howes WG#2185
Katrin Doederer          WG#2297
Bridget Colby              WG#2141
Michelle Lambert        WG#2234
Cecily Olsen                WG#2234
Sara Trask                   WG#2251
Brandi Truesdel          WG#2381
Corina Gardner           WG#2384
Cece Chen                   WG#694
Kitty Seerden              WG#1886
Louise Nutter              WG#1854
Alison Martin              WG#1874
Hannah Santamaria   WG#2147
Joshua Thurmoud      WG#1756
Leah French                A10786
Melissa Eclsel              A10909
Isabella Blair               A10796
Teagan Trant               A10927
Linnea Nelson             A10968
Alicia Martinez            A10887
Tatyana Kabealo         Future member
Kela Robertson

President’s Report

The President welcomed members and expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming year. She encouraged members to organize hovering events in their areas to promote local outreach and community involvement. Members were informed that Whirly-Girls would be exhibiting at WAI this year.

The mentoring program is scheduled to launch in June. Initially, mentors will be contacted, followed by mentees, and they will then be matched.

Plans are in place to increase membership incentives to engage members further. Active members will benefit from favorable rates, highlighting the advantages of maintaining active membership.

A monthly or bi-monthly Webinar Education Series is being planned to provide educational content and insights from industry experts.

Efforts are underway to strengthen corporate alliances and enhance social media engagement. The organization has seen a significant increase in social media activity.

The New Mentorship Program, led by WG#1686 Kim Barwick and WG#1921 Sami Challburg, aims to expand the team. Additionally, a Member Education Series is being launched.

A member suggested introducing varying membership fees for lifetime members based on their age brackets to encourage active participation.

Secretary’s Report

The Secretary presented the 2023 Annual Meeting Minutes.

Motion: To accept the 2023 Annual Meeting Minutes (Cindy Wilson WG#313/Joanna Forrester WG#1869). Passed: Unanimous.

A question was raised about whether Associate Members could have Whirly-Girl numbers. It was clarified that a license is required to obtain a number.

Members who had not yet voted were given an opportunity to cast their votes for nominees.

VP of Membership Report

The VP of Membership addressed the impact of the previous VP’s resignation, noting the three-month vacancy. Rebecca stepped into the role to stabilize the situation.

She collaborated with the webmaster to ensure membership numbers are accurate:

• Whirly-Girl Members: 577
• Associate Members: 367

2023 Membership Statistics:

• Whirly-Girl Members: 75
• Military Members: 20
• Lifetime Members: 1
• Associate Students: 105
• Associate Industry Professionals: 17
• Associate Individual Supporters: 4
• Lifetime Associate Members: 1
• Associate-to-Whirly-Girl Upgrades: 21
• Corporate Alliance Members: 2

Members were reminded to update their profiles, especially if they wished to receive printed versions of the Collective Pitch to save costs. Associate members who had acquired licenses were encouraged to contact the organization for Whirly-Girl numbers.

The categorization of members is being clarified to address varying membership charges. This issue is under discussion, and member input is welcomed to inform potential bylaw changes.

The Corporate Alliance Program was explained, focusing on sponsorships and memberships. Some sponsors, such as Bell and Leonardo, heavily support scholarships. Smaller businesses are encouraged to join as members.

Members were encouraged to join the board.

VP of Scholarships Report

The VP of Scholarships introduced the scholarship committee members.

2023 Scholarships:

• 32 Scholarships offered and awarded
• 31 Scholarships completed
• 1 Scholarship extended
  
  

2024 Scholarships:

• 37 Scholarships offered
• 39 Scholarships awarded

Changes for 2024 included new programs such as the Anastasia Mosquito Control District Ag scholarship and the CAE SK-76 Helicopter ATP.

She highlighted a 160% increase in applicants since 2020 and a 200% increase in scholarships offered since 2021.

Members were reminded to submit quarterly training updates. A suggestion was made to create a scholarship committee to assist with the selection process, which the VP agreed was a good idea.

Director of Media Report

The Director of Media introduced her team and presented a graph showcasing the rise in social media interactions.

She encouraged members to share content for social media and listed the organization's current handles:

• Facebook Organization Page: @Whirly-Girls International
• Facebook Group Page: @Whirly Girls
• Facebook Private Member Forum: @Whirly-Girls Private Forum
• Instagram: @whirly_girls_intl
• LinkedIn: Whirly-Girls International

Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer introduced herself and mentioned volunteering for the position.

2023 Financial Summary:

• $1M in investment brokerage assets (primarily stocks)
• $883,000 in investment value
• $8,000 in expenses (banquet, website fees, scholarships)
• $12,000 in donations

Efforts are being made to increase membership fees, corporate sponsorships, and hoverings to sustain initiatives.

Webmaster’s Report (Presented by President)

Updates included:

• Scholarship application and reporting improvements
• Enhancements to membership application processes, including lifetime membership capabilities
• Optimization for varying devices and new website features

Thanks were extended to WG#2228 Komal Rahane and WG#2300 Kellye Evans for their assistance.

Elections Results

The VP of Membership announced the newly elected board members for 2024-2025:

• Director of Merchandise: Hailey Londo WG#2320
• VP of Scholarship: Kitty Seerden WG#1886
• Scholarship Director: Bridget Colby WG#2141
• VP of Marketing: Amory Harris WG#2244
• Secretary: Munanie Mbatha WG#2218