Board Meeting Minutes

First Annual Meeting - Friday, February 13, 1998

The First Annual Meeting of the Blue Line Club was convened at 5:30 p.m. by Club President Kent Schwickert. The meeting was held on Friday, February 13, 1998 in the Club's hospitality room located in the Mankato Civic Center.

[In the February, 1998, edition of the Club's newsletter Hat Trick, the Corporate and Individual Members of the Blue Line Club had been informed of the Annual Meeting's time, date, location and agenda topics so sufficient prior notice had occurred.]

Club President Kent Schwickert declared a quorum present with 12 voting members of the Club in attendance. Of the Club's 215 members (112 Corporate; 103 Individual), the Bylaws require at least 5% or 11 members to be in attendance before official business can be conducted at the Annual Meeting. The following twelve members were present and participated in casting a ballot during the Board election.

Corporate Members	Individual Members
All American Towing	Jim Bullard
Hickory Tech	David Cowan
Mankato Answering Service, Inc.	Marvin Keogh
Promotion Works, Inc.	Starr Kirklin
Schwickert Holding Co.	Jim Turk
Winland Electronics, Inc.	Don Amiot

Approval of Annual Meeting Docket

Without objection the First Annual Meeting Docket was approved by those present.

Introduction of Club Officers

At this time the meeting's presiding officer Kent Schwickert introduced the Club's current officers: Kent Schwickert as President; Henry Okleshen as the Vice President (absence due to being out of town); and Secretary-Treasurer David Cowan. It was noted that the terms of the Club's three officers expire at the next meeting of the Board of Directors, where the new Board would actually vote on who would be the Club's officers serving one year terms from March, 1998.

Accomplishments of the First Board of Directors - Activity Report Distributed

President Kent Schwickert then presented a report of the Board's activities since its formation in early 1995.

Board of Directors Accomplishments: Fall, 1995 to February, 1998

• Generated $510,000 in membership dues since fall, 1995. Those fees in turn were channeled into the overall budget of the MSU hockey program; 1) cover scholarship costs of athletes; 2) pay for season tickets for our corporate and individual members; 3) provide an escrow or "rainy day" fund should the hockey program's predicted revenues fall short of expectations; and 4) provide club members certain membership benefits.
• Formerly organized on February 20, 1996 with the adoption of bylaws. Have held 22 monthly meetings since that time. Expanded the original seven member board to nine seats effective February, 1998.
• Created a member benefit package that included public recognition of club members in the form of: 1) giant banners hung in the ice arena of the Mankato Civic Center; 2) member names repeatedly scrolled on the game message board during home hockey events; 3) published member names in home hockey programs; and 4) club member names on club's work wide web site.
• Established a unique, specially embroidered wearing apparel line exclusively for club members. Participated in the University's selection process of a vendor to sell clothing and novelties in the Civic Center during home games.
• Developed a Blue Line Club memorial scholarship fund following the January, 1997 death of club member Dan Meyer. The general goal of the scholarship endowment is $25,000, the interest of which would be committed to support hockey scholarships and the overall hockey program. This source of funds would be a predictable revenue stream not subject to variations of public support that may affect the hockey program and the club's membership in future years. As of mid-January this fund raising effort stood at 58 gifts totaling $8,744.
• Worked to provide support to underwrite source of the costs of the annual team banquet held each April. Club decision allowed player parents to get out of the raffle selling business as a source of funds used in the past to pay for plaques and meals. This year the club will pay $1,500 to subsidize the awards banquet.
• Established a hospitality room which is open to all club members and guests at 6 PM before each 7:05 p.m. home game start time. Allows members a place to congregate and socialize. Talks by MSU hockey head coach Don Brose, meet the player opportunities, and special drawings are featured. Copies of recent news stories are always available. Over and above the hospitality room passes provided to dues paying Club members, provided laminated Club hospitality room passes to player and cheerleader parents along with a select number of Club volunteers.
• Created the Hat Trick newsletter and mail several editions to Club members and player parents.
• Developed a Web site to further promote MSU hockey and the club. At present the Web address is: http://www.mnsu.edu/univops/puck
• On February 6, 1998, $100 was paid to establish a more concise address with a permanent domain name which, when activated, will be: http://www.mankatostatehockey.net
• Extended special invitations to the parents of players and cheerleaders to join Blue Line members in hospitality room events. Special laminated hospitality room passes were sent to each parent.
• On September 13, 1997, co-sponsored the Sixth Annual Hockey Golf Classic for hockey alumni.
• Co-sponsored, along with the Maverick Booster Club, special Friday luncheons where members can meet the coach of the opposing team.
• Annually distributed special mementos to each club member. Mementos included special one-of-a-kind Charter Member crystals, embroidered caps, and special "one of a kind" pens commemorating the men's hockey team's first full season playing only Division I opponents.
• Sponsored special receptions for members at the beginning of each hockey season where members get a chance to meet team players. Other receptions were held to announce various stages of progress as MSU sought membership in the prestigious WCHA (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) conference.

Election of Board Members

Ballots were then distributed by the Secretary-Treasurer which listed the names of eleven Club members, the names of whom had been placed on the ballot by the Nominations Committee consistent with requirements found in the Bylaws.

President Kent Schwickert asked if there were any additional nominations from the floor for any of the four one year term seats which all expire in February, 1999. There were none.

Schwickert then asked if there were any additional nominations from the floor for any of the five two year seats on the Board which all expire in February, 2000. There were none.

Jim Turk moved and it was seconded that nominations cease. Motion carried unanimously.

Following a tabulation of the ballots by the election teller these individuals were elected to the Board of Directors:

Board Voting Members - Terms Expire February, 1999

• Pat Keogh
• Larry Morales
• Brad Reeves
• Jim Turk

Board Voting Members - Terms Expire February, 2000

• Jim Bullard
• Steve Duea
• Henry Okleshen
• Kent Schwickert
• Larry Ward

[Club members Earl Cummings and Michael Fatis were the two candidates that did not get elected to the Board. Both were part of a 11 member slate recommended by the Nominations Committee to fill nine Board seats.]

Along with the above nine voting directors, the Club's Board has six "ex-officio, non-voting" members including:

• Don Amiot - MSU Men's Athletic Director
• Cheryl Regan - MSU Athletics Promotions Representative
• Don Brose - MSU Men's Ice Hockey Coach
• David Cowan - Maverick Boosters Club Liaison
• Ron Hybertson - Conference Faculty Representative (not WCHA)
• Margaret Healy - MSU Student Affairs Vice President

Adjourned

With no further business to be conducted, without objection the First Annual Meeting adjourned at 5:53 p.m.