Dear fellow Skålleagues,
The EOGA is over, and the results were publicly shared last Monday, July 11. Since then, we have received many emails from Skål International leaders, National Presidents, clubs Presidents, and former International Presidents regarding the results of the EOGA voting.
These include emails of those who have challenged the plan or announced that they would not be supporting the plan as is. While the majority is disappointed to see that although 61% of the membership has voted pro changes the change did not pass as our Statutes require 2/3 of the votes. All parties are asking for the proposed governance plan, with its Statutes and Bylaws amendments, to be re-discussed and revoted, with a refined content, at the AGA in Croatia that will take place on October 15, 2022.
As I stated to many in my replies, while it is sad to see the proposed changes did not pass, I still see it as a huge step towards the change moving forward. As expressed by many of the Committee members who worked on the plan and by myself during the EOGA and zoom meetings conducted before the EOGA, the plan is not perfect but a solid step for the change.
It is encouraging and exciting to see that in such a brief time, the call for change has been embraced by 61% of our members in an organization like ours that has existed for 88 years. In democracies, we all know that sixty-one percent is considered a serious majority. This is only a beginning, and this minor setback will give the Committees and us as Executive Board the chance to perfect the change plan for the better.
With this letter, I would like to officially make a call and invite the Governance Committee and the Statues Committee to get back to work and accept the mandate we have now from membership officially based on the voting results and follow-up emails.
I am also calling those who stated their opposition and asked for additional time to fine-tune the plan and bring it for membership discussion and vote at the AGA 2022 in Croatia to join these Committees.
According to the communications sent out before EOGA, questions submitted during the Zoom calls, social media platforms, and during the EOGA, there are just few topics that need to be adjusted.
Based on the Skål International Statutes, any amendment to both, the Statutes and Bylaws, requires to be presented to the Secretariat General 60 days in advance of the AGA. Based on this, the deadline to announce the proposed Statutes is August 15, 2022. The EB will need time to review, approve, and present the proposal. Therefore, the two committees must submit their final work/ proposal and modified Statutes and Bylaw items by August 8, 2022.
The Committees will be headed by the Executive Board liaisons for these Committees as assigned earlier:
Those interested in joining the existing Committees to make ONLY CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS, please email the listed Vice Presidents by clicking on their names above, based on the Committee you would like to participate in latest by July 18, 2022.
This is AN OPEN CALL; no one should expect to be sent a special and/or additional invitation.
Skålleagues, let us finish the work that our fellow Skålleagues have started. This is a work that is embraced by 61% of our members who are willing to see Skål International move forward with an updated, organizational structure, and a modern governance model that will bring fair representation at the top of the organization with diversity & inclusion in mind, that will encourage membership growth, emerge new leaders, support succession plans while attracting new generations.
Let us keep working together to become stronger and lead the way for Skål International to survive for many more decades!
For any questions, feedback, or concerns, please feel free to email me or anyone on your Skål International Executive Board at any time.
Always, in friendship and Skål,
