Acarological Society of America  Preliminary Executive Committee Meeting, San Diego, CA

     The meeting of the Executive Committee was called to order by President Lance Durden at 7:57 P.M., December 8, 2001, at the Terrace Restaurant.  Present were Executive Committee members Angela James, Lynell Tanigoshi, Barry O’Connor, Carl Childers, and Sandra Allan.  Committee members absent were Cal Welbourn and Mat Pound.  Also present were newsletter co-editor Joel Hutcheson, former Secretary/Treasurer Norm Fashing, Secretary/ Treasurer/ Archivist Jim Keirans and President-elect Dan Sonenshine.
     Because of the retirement of Bill Wrenn and his access to a supplier of plaques in Grand Forks, ND, a discussion was held on locating a new outlet for these plaques.  President Durden said he would contact Bill about continuing with his supplier or looking into a new source.
     Topics were suggested for next year’s Informal Conference to be held in Fort Lauderdale.  Carl Childers suggested that it be half on mites and half on ticks with an overview and problem areas including economic aspects.  Dan Sonenshine suggested acarine systematics and evolution, and after much discussion this topic was chosen.  Joel Hutcheson volunteered to put together this formal conference.
     President Durden presented an excellent slate of candidates for this year’s meeting.  Candidates for President are Carl Childers and Cal Welbourn.  Candidates for Executive Committee are Quentin Fang, Norm Fashing, Doug Norris, Ron Ochoa and Paul Pratt.
     There is a need for a newsletter editor to replace Carl Childers, and President Durden will ask for volunteers at the ASA Business Meeting tomorrow.  Electronic and hard copy newsletters was discussed, and it was decided that new ASA members would be listed in the newsletter.
     Lynell Tanigoshi suggested that the ASA prepare a brochure for the next International Congress of Acarology in September in Merida, Mexico.  Dan Sonenshine said he would work on the brochure.

     The annual business meeting was called to order by President Lance Durden at 5:07P.M., December 9, 2001.
     President Durden welcomed the members and thanked the speakers and moderators of the morning and afternoon acarology programs.  He called for a moment of silence in memory of Deane Furman and Bob Beer who passed away this year.
     Jim Keirans gave the Secretary/Treasurers report.  Minutes from the 2000 ASA Business Meeting were approved as written.  As of Dec. 1, 2001, the balance in the ASA bank account stands at $6,493.00.  The student travel award and three plaques still must be deducted from this year’s balance.
     The Travel Awards Committee - Ellen Dotson and Michael Levin - selected Heather Ketchum, Texas A & M University to receive the award of $150.00 which was presented to her by Secretary/Treasurer Keirans.
     The Student Awards Committee - Barry O’Connor, Doug Norris and Katya Ledin - judged the student papers on Sunday morning and selected Heather Ketchum, Texas A & M Univ. to receive the plaque.  Because Bill Wrenn, the ASA’s conduit to a plaque supplier in Grand Forks, ND, has retired from the University of North Dakota, no plaques were distributed at this meeting.  But President Durden will contact Bill, and Ms. Ketchum will receive her plaque.
     President Durden took up the election of ASA officers and presented the following list of candidates:

       President-elect - Carl Childers and Cal Welbourn
       Executive Committee Members - Quentin Fang, Ron Ochoa, Norm Fashing, Paul Pratt and Doug Norris.

There were no nominations from the floor.  It was moved and seconded that the nominations be closed.  Ballots were distributed to the membership and the President-elect and the Secretary/Treasurer tallied the ballots.  Carl Childers was elected President-elect, and Ron Ochoa and Norm Fashing were elected as members of the Executive Committee.
     President Durden thanked the ASA membership for allowing him to serve as President and then installed Dan Sonenshine as 2002 President.  Dan brought up the need for a newsletter editor and there was much discussion on format of the newsletter - electronic vs. hard copy or a combination of both.  No real agreement was reached on format, but Harold Harlan agreed to be the newsletter editor.  President Sonenshine then reminded the Executive Committee members that there would be a final Executive Committee meeting at 11:30 A.M. on Monday.  He then adjourned the Annual Business Meeting at 5:47 P.M.

     Trelleses Restaurant, San Diego, CA.  The meeting of the Executive Committee was called to order by President Dan Sonenshine at 11:45 A.M. on December 10, 2001.  Other members present were Lance Durden (past-President), Carl Childers (President-elect), Jim Keirans (Secretary/Treasurer and Archivist), Joel Hutcheson (former newsletter editor), and Executive Committee members Sandy Allen, Norm Fashing, and Angela James.  Absent Executive Committee members were Lynell Tanigoshi, Ron Ochoa and Barry O’Connor.
     As the first order of business, Bob Smiley, Cluff Hopla, Conrad Yunker and Hilda Wassef were granted Emeritus status in the ASA.
     It was decided that the Secretary/Treasurer would send a letter of welcome to all new members when they join the ASA.
     Subjects for the Informal Conference of the 2002 ASA meeting in Fort Lauderdale were discussed and the result reached in the previous Executive Committee meeting were agreed upon.  It was noted that ESA has a deadline of March 1, 2002, for final submission and that the President-elect will need to inform the ESA that there will be an ASA Informal Conference.
     It was also agreed that those members three (3) years in arrears in dues to the society will be dropped from membership in the ASA.
    President Sonenshine adjourned the final Executive Committee Meeting at 12:02 P.M.

Minutes respectfully submitted,
James Keirans, Secretary/Treasurer