Sheddy elected President at 2010 AWNA conference
It was déjà vu all over again for Drumheller Mail publisher Osborne (Ossie) Sheddy. Sheddy, who served as AWNA President back in 1977-78 when he was a young publisher learning the business, was re-elected by members at their annual general meeting in Calgary on Saturday, September 11, 2010.
He succeeds George Brown, who completed a two-year term as President. Brown told delegates that it had been an honour to serve them and thanked members for giving him the opportunity. He presided over the association during a difficult time financially, but the AWNA has recovered and appears to be on a stable footing. During Brown’s tenure, the membership has grown; the association acquired a new office building and then replaced an antiquated advertising system, in order to better serve members. In addition, the AWNA continues to develop its groundbreaking, digital archive/ETears system.
One of the issues President Sheddy will be grappling with is the implementation of a new retail pricing system that will be made available to clients that qualify. He told members that the AWNA and AdWest would be offering a retail rate card to advertisers such as UFA Co-op and others who are looking for a way to get access to local, retail rates yet still want to take advantage of the association’s marketing tools and one-order billing system. This is being offered on a time-limited ‘trial’ basis. He will be asking staff for updates on how the program is going throughout the fall period and the board will conduct a review of the program in January 2011.
Two long-serving directors – Diana Walker (Oyen Echo) and Roxanne Thompson (Claresholm Local Press) – retired from the board this year.
The AWNA Board of Directors for 2010-11 includes:
President Ossie Sheddy
Vice President Murray Elliott
AWNA Directors: Fred Gorman
Brian Bachynski
Nancy Middleton
Dave Bruha
Mary-Ann Kostiuk
CCNA Directors: George Brown (one year left of a three year term)
Roger Holmes (two years left of a three year term)
Frank McTighe (first year of a three year term)
Following is a re-cap of some of the decisions made at the annual business meeting and Board of Directors meeting:
• An ad hoc committee has been formed to review AWNA’s involvement in AdWest after 2011. George Brown reported that incoming President Ossie Sheddy would make committee appointments. The committee will include Fred Gorman, the Ad Committee Chair, the President as ex officio and two AWNA members at large. The committee will report back to the board at its meeting in January 2011;
• A rebate will be paid to members to reimburse them for revenue lost as a result of how the new NAV ad system calculates ad payments to members. It was reported that with the NAV system, the association’s service charge is derived from the gross rate instead of the net. This has been done to eliminate discrepancies we have been experiencing with invoices to our advertising customers. It was reported that members will receive an additional payment of $31,000 for ads received during May and June 2010;
• The board approved a new Online Advertising proposal submitted by AdWest;
• CCNA reported on a new readership study that it hopes to launch in 2011. In addition, the national association has transferred its Community Media Canada brand to the regional associations. Initially, the CMC website will be administered by the AWNA. A coalition of regional associations have applied to Heritage Canada for funding to upgrade the website and promote CMC.
Several members received awards at the President’s banquet on September 11th, as follows:
• Former president Scott Fitzpatrick received the Bill Draayer award for outstanding service to the association;
• Coleen Campbell received the inaugural CCNA President’s Quill award from President Paul MacNeill;
• Roger Holmes and Mansoor Ladha were awarded the Silver Quill for 25 years or more service to the industry;