1. Eastern Divisional, September 18, 2004 - Charleston, W.Va. instead of Wheeling, W.Va. as previously announced.

Western Divisional, September 11, 2004 - Troy, Ohio. When chapters are bidding for Divisionals, the District requires there to be at least 650 seats in the auditorium and that the rent should be less than $1000.

2. ASCAP fees are now based on total ticket sales and therefore are not to be paid until after your show. However, the method for paying for show clearance dates to the District is still being worked on. For 2004, pay what you did in 2003 until this is resolved.

3. SWOT forms are to be completed by the end of May. Forms can be found on the District Directory website "www.Kordsman. org".

4. Applecorp info. is on the website. It's late this year (June 17 - 20) but will go back to the second weekend in June next year.

5. They are looking for an editor for the Cider Press. Two men are doing it temporarily. You can get all the info. on the website.

6. The District is urging all chapters to adopt a YMIH program.

7. Joe Jenkins, Society Board member representing JAD & CARD, assures us that our new CEO, even though he was a nonbarbershopper, is a fine person to lead the society.

8. Society membership as of the end of March - 31,352; JAD - 2384.

9. News from the Society:

A. The Clarke Communications Group, headed by Boston Commons bass, Terry Clarke, is completing a marketing plan based on the marketing research completed in 2003. The marketing plan will be presented to the Board June 1 and will be discussed at the Louisville convention meeting of the Board. The focus of the marketing plan is to help us grow in membership in many ways, including helping every chapter to identity and recruit men who love to sing.

B. An Envisioning Task Force (Chuck Green, chairman:, Clarke CaIdwell, Gary Denton, Don Harris, Rob Hopkins and Digger McDougall) is working with about 150 Barbershoppers, including the Society Board, to think about our membership's core values, the Society's fundamental reason for existence, and what a preferred future for the Society might look like. The Society Board will then use revised vision and mission statements to make short-term strategic plans. The envisioning process was the main focus for the Board's meeting held in Atlanta on March 26-29.

C. In July, 2003; the Society Board approved structural changes in District Boards by 2005 (earlier if desired by the district). The District Board will consist of a president, executive vice president, immediate past president, secretary, treasurer and a number of board members-at-large. Board members-at-large wear no other hat (even though they may hold another functional position in the management structure).

Elections of Society Board members is different this year, too. Each nominating committee of the appropriate paired districts (for 2004 that is MAD and SAD; RMD and SWD) nominates at least two candidates to the Society Nominating Committee. The latter group may also independently consider "at-large" candidates from the paired districts. All three nominating committees, those from the paired districts and the Society Nominating Committee, ultimately must agree on a minimum of two nominees. The Society Board will elect one of them by majority vote. There will be no nominations from the floor at the Society level for Society Board members from paired districts. Each nominee will have an opportunity to present written materials for consideration and make a very brief oral presentation to the Board prior to the election.

The Board has established a Society Operations Team (OT) under the leadership of Don Harris to create and carry out operational plans that further the long-term strategic goals of the Society Board and be accountable for results that indicate progress toward achieving those goals. The OT consists of the district presidents, functional committee chairmen and their respective staff liaisons, and a Harmony Foundation representative.

By 2005, each district shall have an appointed operations team whose functions align with those of the Society Operations Team. The number of individuals a district chooses to carry out its mission, and the