Governance

2011  STEERING COMMITTEE

  • Mark Cloud: Chair
  • Loretta Maine: Liaison
  • Jim Key
  • Stephan Pollard
  • Don Moseley
  • Lee Waren
  • Katie Breshears
  • Mikel Lolley
  • Ben Dye
  • Keaton Smith
  • Heath Rheay
  • Sam Muffeletto

 

  • CHARTER
    USGBC – Western Branch Arkansas Chapter
    Approved: January 8, 2007

Article I – Vision

The Western Branch of the Arkansas Chapter of the US Green Building Council is established as the recognized regional leader for the advocacy of
livable sustainable communities by promoting environmentally and socially sensitive building design, construction, remodeling, operation,
maintenance, deconstruction, demolition and disposal.

Article II – Purpose

Section 1 – Mission

The mission of the Western Branch of the Arkansas Chapter of the US Green Building Council, heretofore referred to as WBAC, is to advance market transformation in green building and inform the community about environmental awareness by promoting sustainable development through outreach, collaboration, and education. To accomplish these outcomes, WBAC aims to:

  • Serve as the premier resource for information exchange pertinent to sustainable development in Western Arkansas and offer a platform for two-way communication with the stakeholders to reinforce the learning dynamics about sustainability.
  • Provide leadership and guidance for the integration of sustainability by businesses, institutions, groups and individuals to achieve green buildings and environments.
  • Enhance professional development and augment the human potential for the green building practice through outreach activities of training and education.
  • Foster partnership and collaboration with public and private organizations that focus on responsible solutions for the conservation of the environment.
  • Accomplish effective synergy with the academia Universities and K-12 Schools- in advancing the mutual goal of ecological literacy and stewardship through research information sharing, curricular developments and extra curricular activities.

Section 2 – Definition of Sustainable Development

The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987) defines: “sustainable development” as follows: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development respects the limited capacity of supporting ecosystems to absorb the impact of human activities.

Section 3 – Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development Policy

The World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED, 1987) defines: “sustainable development” as follows: development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development respects the limited capacity of supporting ecosystems to absorb the impact of human activities.

  • Sustainable Building Design – WBAC supports design standards that integrate sustainability into decision making to positively impact upon the preservation of the environment as well as the satisfaction, comfort and well being of the occupants.
  • Building Commissioning – WBAC encourages commissioning to ensure that the complex array of systems is installed and tested to perform according to the design intent and the building owner’s operational needs. WBAC believes that the commissioning process is most effective when considered throughout the planning stages of the building and as early as the schematic design.
  • Sustainable Building Construction and Remodeling – WBAC commits to a way of building that reduces the use of natural resources and eliminates the negative health and environmental impacts caused by the construction processes.
  • Sustainable Building Operation and Maintenance – WBAC advocates the maximization of the useful lifetime and performance of buildings with a well managed program of operation and maintenance strategies.
  • Sustainable Building Deconstruction, Demolition and Disposal – WBAC puts emphasis on the careful disassembly and demolition of buildings to maximize the reuse and recycling of materials and eliminate the solid waste production that ends up in landfills.

Article III – Goals and Purpose

Goal 1: Serve as the premier resource for information exchange pertinent to sustainable development in Western Arkansas and offer a platform for two-way communication with the stakeholders to reinforce the learning dynamics about sustainability.

  • Augment professional abilities in all aspects of sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Increase WBAC capacity to facilitate, analyze and disseminate research, practice and policy innovations.
    • Position WBAC as a primary driver of emerging LEED-related and green building research agendas.
    • Increase local adoption of LEED by strengthening consistency, technical rigor and ensure continuous adaptation and improvement.
    • Disseminate the advancement of knowledge in sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Provide leadership for sound design, engineering, and planning philosophies and professional practices that recognize community and global goals for sustainability, environmental sensitivity, livability and safety.
  • Act as an Inter-institutional catalyst for effective communication among professional organizations, policy makers and community leaders.
    • Take leadership role in defining and discussing issues related to sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Organize association members to respond to important policy issues.
    • Use the media to promote public awareness of the importance of balanced, environmentally sensitive, and sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.

Goal 2: Provide leadership and guidance for the integration of sustainability by businesses, institutions, groups and individuals to achieve green buildings and environments.

  • Provide a spectrum of member services for professional growth and career development.
    • Provide opportunities for Branch members to share information, practices, and technology.
    • Plan and organize professional development courses, workshops, and specialty conferences.
    • Identify and provide other needed professional services for Branch members.
    • Provide sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction information to general Chapter membership and members of other professional organizations, and the public.
  • Quickly respond to issues related to sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Identify emerging regional issues and proactively develop Branch policy and activities.
    • Facilitate the presentation of specialty conferences and workshops on emerging issues.
    • Streamline Branch management procedures.

Goal 3: Enhance professional development and augment the human potential for the practice of sustainability through outreach activities of training and education.

  • Provide continuing education for professionals, organizations, and individuals on the latest green building trends and technologies.
    • Increase the value of being an accredited LEED professional.
    • Expand LEED workshop offerings to meet priority market needs.
    • Establish LEED workshops as attractive programs in the marketplace.

Goal 4: Foster partnership and collaboration with public and private organizations that focus on responsible solutions for the conservation of the environment.

  • Foster multidisciplinary collaboration.
    • Commit to productive professional discussions and information sharing for policies, systems and projects related to sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Sponsor multidisciplinary professional conferences, forums, and other outreach activities.
  • Partner with other organizations involved in promoting sustainable development.
    • Recognize the significant, though focused, roles played by a range of professional organizations in sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Inform other professional organizations of association goals and activities.
    • Discuss cooperative opportunities for conferences and projects.
    • Increase cooperation among industry, consultants, academia, and government agencies.

Goal 5: Accomplish effective synergy with academia -Universities and K-12 Schools- in advancing mutual goal of ecological literacy and stewardship through research information sharing, curricular developments and extra curricular activities.

  • Foster education and research in sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Integrate sustainability into professional and academic curricula.
    • Strengthen collaboration with the University through organized conferences, seminars and workshops.
    • Establish workshops as educational providers for K-12 schools.

Goal 6: Membership and Organization Excellence

  • Recruit a diverse and empowered membership that is dedicated to improving sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction.
    • Promote active member participation and provide leadership opportunities.
    • Recruit members from a variety of disciplines including engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, planning, education, policy-making, construction, land development, property management, and others who are stakeholders in building design, construction, operation, maintenance, deconstruction, as well as land development.
    • Recruit local members.
    • Recognize outstanding achievements and service of Branch members.
  • Operate on a sound financial basis.
    • Promote break-even and revenue generating activities.
    • Invest in worthy Branch activities in support of member needs.
    • Seek external partnerships to leverage resources and revenues.
    • Develop a sound, accessible database for managing Branch resources.
  • Monitor and influence local and regional legislative action and public policy in support of WBAC’s goals.
    • Influence sustainable building design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction development policies at the local and regional level.
    • Serve as a legislative resource.

FACT SHEET DESCRIBING BRANCH STEERING COMMITTEE AND ELECTION TO (PDF)
USGBC – Western Branch Arkansas Chapter

Purpose: The USGBC – Arkansas Chapter Bylaws state that a Steering Committee consisting of Regular Arkansas Chapter members residing in each of the three geographic regions (Branches) of the state will be appropriate to plan and execute periodic branch programs, provide representation through their elected officers to the Chapter Board, and to otherwise carry out the responsibilities of the Steering Committee as defined below. For purposes of branch finances and elections (terms of office), the calendar year shall be used.

Responsibilities:

  • Supervise, control and direct the affairs of the Branch, its committees and activities;
  • Elect the branch officers and to hire staff;
  • Actively pursue the branch’s objectives and supervise the disbursement of its funds;
  • Adopt a policy on conflicts of interest;
  • Take such actions as may be necessary to conduct the organization including but not limited to adopting rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable, establishing policies from time to time, and delegating certain authority and responsibility to the Executive Committee if one exists;
  • Determine the organization’s mission and purposes;
  • Select the Executive Director or Chief Executive if one exists;
  • Support the Executive Director or Chief Executive and assess his/her performance;
  • Ensure effective organizational planning;
  • Ensure adequate resources;
  • Manage resources effectively;
  • Determine, monitor, and strengthen the organization’s programs and services;
  • Enhance the organization’s public standing;
  • Ensure legal and ethical integrity and maintain accountability;
  • Recruit and orient new board members and assess board performance.

Composition: As of January 1, 2010 the Steering Committee is comprised of a maximum of eleven (11) seats.  Each seat shall be entitled to vote on Steering Committee business.

  1. Contractors and Builders
  2. Corporate and Retail
  3. Educational Institutes: K-12 School Systems, Universities, Research Institutes
  4. Federal Government: Government Owned, Contractor Operated Labs
  5. Financial Institutions and Insurance Companies
  6. Non-Profit and Environmental Organizations
  7. Product Manufacturers: Building Controls, Distributors, Service Contractors
  8. Professional Firms: Sub-Category A. Building Design Professionals: Architects, Interior Designers, Landscape Architects, Planners and Urban Designers Sub-Category B. Building Engineering Professionals: Engineers, Commissioning Providers, Consultants Sub-Category C. Non-Building Professionals: Press, Attorneys, Accountants
  9. Professional Societies: Professional Societies and Trade Associations
  10. Real Estate/Real Estate Service Providers
  11. State and Local Government
  12. Utilities and Energy Services: Energy Service Company, Utilities

Terms: The length of term of office for Steering Committee members is two years. A Steering Committee member can be elected to three consecutive terms (serving up to 6 consecutive years) before stepping down for at least one year before being elected to the Steering Committee again. However, elections shall be held each year to solicit new Steering Committee members for up to the number of seats available, including those currently held by incumbents at the end of each of their terms. A relocation of residence outside the Branch area, or a change in the employer or professional category (as listed above) of a Steering Committee member shall cause the immediate loss of their seat on the Committee, unless the new employer or professional category of the member meets one of the other categories and does not exceed the limit on the number of members on the Steering Committee from that category. All initial terms of office shall officially commence on January 1 with responsibilities to end on December 31st, two years later.

Elections: Each year, the Steering Committee shall cause elections to be held for unfilled seats and for those occupied by incumbents at the end of their term(s). Nominees shall be solicited from the members of the branch for all USGBC member categories. Biographical data and such other information as deemed necessary by the Steering Committee for all qualified and willing candidates shall be posted on the Chapter, or Branch website for review by the Branch electorate, and shall be listed to show those persons wishing to serve as a representative of each USGBC member category. Nominees shall be selected by a vote of the Regular (voting) members of the Steering Committee to provide provide a desirable mix of expertise, potential contributions, leadership experience, diversity, and continuity.

In the circumstance there is no nominee for a category(s) then those categories for which there are nominees shall be ranked according to the number of nominees in them. Major Categories shall then be successively allocated an additional seat until all 14 seats are filled beginning with the category for which there are the most nominees followed by the next most, and so on. No Major Category shall be represented by more than two seats excepting Professional Firms which may be represented by up to three seats; one per each of its three Sub-Categories. In the circumstance of a tie vote in general elections the Steering Committee shall cast the tie breaking vote.

In addition, each Major Category nominee that receives the second highest number of votes in the general election will be invited to attend the Steering Committee meetings as in-waiting member having no voting privileges. In the event that a Major Category voting member can no longer fulfill his/her duties and decides to step down, the in-waiting member will be asked to participate with voting privileges in accordance with the bylaws. The term of in-waiting members shall not exceed one year.

A call for nominations shall occur in the month of November with elections to occur in month of December. Individuals may nominate themselves and must complete a Nomination Form or they may nominate another branch member by asking them to do so. The Nomination Form must be completed in its entirety and submitted to the chapter by fax or email to info@usgbcar.org.

If elected to the Steering Committee, individuals are expected to commit themselves to the following specific responsibilities: (1) Remain a chapter member in good standing; (2) Contribute knowledge and experience to help assure success of priority programs and needs of the chapter; (3) Help influence key players and sectors in the industry including high priority sectors of real estate, corporate, energy/utility, finance, residential and product manufacturers; (4) Help recruit new members for the chapter; (5) Serve on committees as needed including leadership positions; (6) Help secure funding for the chapter’s programs through sponsorships, corporate and charitable sources, and other significant sources of funding; (7) Abide by the USGBC’s conflict of interest policy; (8) Attend, at minimum, 9 of the 12 Steering Committee monthly meetings. Failure to do so may result in my dismissal from this committee.

Officers: Within 30 days following the conclusion of branch elections, the Steering Committee for each branch shall meet for at least the purpose of determining procedures whereby it shall select officers. A second meeting shall be held no later than 30 days later to finalize that selection. Required officers include the following, and their term as a Branch Officer shall be one year:

Branch Chairperson – The Branch Chairman shall serve as the chief administrative officer of the branch and shall represent the branch as a voting member on the USGBC – Arkansas Chapter Board of Directors. He or she shall ascend through the line of succession of the Chapter Board each year and shall therefore be replaced as the official Branch representative with the newly elected Branch Chair each year. This procedure will require some additional fine tuning, but is designed to ensure that representatives from each branch have the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the
Chapter in rotation following a period of tenure on the Chapter Board.

Branch Liaison – The Branch Liaison shall serve in addition to the Branch Chairperson as a voting member on the Chapter Board, but shall not be eligible to ascend through the Chapter Board line of succession.

Conflict of Interest: All branch Steering Committee members and officers shall adhere to the USGBC conflict of interest policy as summarized as follows:
Leaders must avoid activities and situations that actually, potentially or apparently conflict with the branch or chapter’s interests or interfere with their duty to serve the chapter with undivided loyalty. Conflicts include: (1) having a direct financial or close personal interest in a company, service or product that could be affected (in a positive or negative manner) by a decision of a board, committee or other Chapter governing body on which the Leader serves, (2) revealing or misusing confidential information, (3) accepting or offering substantial gifts, excessive entertainment, favors or payments which may reasonably be construed to constitute undue or otherwise improper influence, (4) breaching any fiduciary duty owed to the chapter, (5) participating in any transactions where the Chapter’s resources are transferred to an individual solely by virtue of the individual’s relationship with the chapter and without regard to accomplishing the chapter’s purposes, (6) exploiting opportunities for personal or private benefit that could otherwise benefit the chapter, and (7) taking direct action on behalf of the chapter that may result in material personal or private benefit or that may result in a material adverse impact to a personal or private competitor.