SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

IMCA NEWSLETTER

www.imcofa.com September 2012

September Events
Please note our monthly September and October Luncheon Programs will be held on Wednesdays.

September 12, Luncheon

(Wednesday)

Our speaker is Mr. Jim Phippard speaking on, "Cuba in Transition"

For detailed information and to register and pay visit our website at www.imcofa.com

IMCA Welcomes

New Members

Daniel Kamm

Dr. Melvin Goldfine

Dr. Carmine P. Errico

Lester Friedberg

Dan Rapacz

Joe A. Abalos III, Ph.D

STAMMTISCH

Stammtisch will resume Oct. 3, 2012. For more informaion, directions, and reservations, contact:

AlexanderNeumann@comcast.net

Book Club

The Book Club will resume regular meetings beginning in November.

For more information, directions, and questions, please contact Frank Murphy at murphyfh@aol.com

New Brochures

The new Membership Brochures for 2012-2013 have been printed and are available at the sign-in desk at our Luncheons

IN MEMORIAM

Let us not forget the passing of our friend and member, Robert Michael Gerrity, 74. A funeral mass was held at St. Luke the Evangelist in Bellaire, Michigan July 10, 2012

Thought for the Day

"What ever happens in the world begins with a thought!"

Tip of the Month

If you would like to change the menu selection at our Luncheons, you can do it in two ways:
1. If you are paying by credit card/paypal you can add a note to the merchant on your payment to indicate you would prefer a Vegetable or Fruit Plate by clicking on "Note to Merchant" on your payment slip.
2. If you are paying by Check add your menu selection on the Memo Line of your check.
Call Henry Pfendt at 239-354-3657 if you need further clarification or assistance

Notices to Members

On December 1, 2012, your Board of Directors will be conducting their annual Planning Meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to review, discuss and approve the direction of our club over the coming year and into the future. As always, this meeting will follow the By-Laws currently in effect. This year, the Board is requesting your input as to what you feel our club should be trying to accomplish. ALL ideas are gratefully accepted and equally considered. With your considerations, please remember the "International" nature of our club, and our overall goal of, "Building Bridges of Friendship." A request for your input will be sent out well before the meeting.

The IMCA Annual Meeting is scheduled to be held in conjunction with our November 12, 2012 Luncheon, immediately following the Speaker.
Relevant informational material will be sent to the membership prior to the meeting. Please plan to attend.

Our website www.imcofa.com

is the best source for up-to-date information regarding our club. We encourage you to surf our website to stay informed of all our club activities and to register and pay for them via our very secure and easy to use credit card/paypal processing system. We are planning to hold tutorial sessions for website usage during our upcoming season, which we hope you may find useful.

Greetings!

President's Letter

Tempus fugit. It is hard to believe summer is almost over and our 20^th season has begun. We are looking forward to welcoming you back for a fantastic season, filled with outstanding events. Our 2012/13 Event Calendar has been finalized and you can access it on our homepage at www.imcofa.com ; you will also receive an email copy of it shortly.

A stellar line-up of speakers, comprising an U.S. Ambassador, an U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense and State, a Consul General and three captains of industry, highlight our luncheon programs. You will be receiving our Winter Program Speaker Schedule during September.

We will be officially kicking off our 20^th Season with the November 9^th Welcome back Cocktail and Conversation Reception at the Vineyards Country Club. Save this date.

Our Annual Dinner Dance Gala is scheduled for December 7 at the Vineyards Country Club. Formal invitations will be mailed in early October. As this is our signature event and limited to 128 persons, reserve early to be assured a table.

We have five outstanding social and four nature events planned during the season, all shown in our event calendar on our website IMCA homepage.

We have appointed an ad hoc 20^th Anniversary Committee, chaired by Wolfgang Schulz, to advise the Board to the type of celebratory events that would be appropriate and advisable for a 20^th Anniversary Celebration and to assist in the planning and execution for such event(s). We would like to use the occasion of our 20^th season to publicize IMCA externally in the local communities and to energize our membership to Built Bridges of Friendships. The occasion of our 20^th Anniversary should not be seen just as an event, but as a journey through the whole season.

To fill upcoming Board of Directors' vacancies , we have appointed a Nominating Committee, chaired by Robert Fairbrother. Three Directorship will need to be filled by May 2013, they are Treasurer, Membership and Social Director. In addition we are looking to fill the Luncheon Director position immediately. We are a member-managed organization and as such we not only appreciate our members' willingness to serve in these positions but depend on this to ensure the seamless and smooth functioning of our club. Please contact Robert Fairbrother should you be interested and willing to serve in any one of these position..

Our 2012/13 20^th Anniversary Membership Directory is being finalized and will be mailed to you in early October. Please make sure your personal information in our files and current Membership Directory is correct. If we do not have a current picture of you for the Directory please mail one to Fred Neighbors at frednn@aol.com

Enjoy the rest of the summer and I wish you safe travels back to South West Florida.

I am looking forward to welcoming you to our 20^th Season.

Henry Pfendt

President

Introducing

IMCA "Tuesday Club"

Are you interested in questions such as these?

What will happen if Israel attacks Iran's nuclear sites?

What if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz?

Will the Euro survive?

Does China's growing military presence in the Pacific pose a significant threat to the US?

If you are interested in questions such as these, then the new IMCA Tuesday Club is for you. Join us on the third Tuesday morning of the month to discuss significant international issues.

No advance preparation is necessary. Just bring an open mind and your willingness to contribute to the discussion. We look forward to lively conversation and an opportunity to learn from each others' views. Karl Wyss will be organizing and leading the group. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, Novembr 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Optional Lunch to follow) at Vineyards Country Club. If interested, plan to attend, or have questions, contact Karl Wyss at kwyss@comcast.net

Announcement

Your Board is delighted to announce that Mr. Lyle Bultman has accepted the position of Director, Communication for IMCA. In this position Lyle will play a key role in marketing IMCA both internal and external to IMCA so as to continue to attract high caliber candidates for membership. He will develop strategies, plans and programs to enhance and protect IMCA's reputation as a commanding club with an excellent reputation and a great future. Lyle will be the Chief Editor for all IMCA Correspondence (Newsletters, Flyers, Directory, Brochures and all printed material, and the content of the IMCA website). He will assist in organizing the Annual Meetings, Issuing Press Releases, and regular reporting on IMCA Board activities and decisions. Lyle is eminently qualified to tackle this challenging and critical Board position and he can count on our support. Welcome aboard, Lyle.

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