Association of Graduates Board of Directors Meeting
February 2008
Significant Progress on Big Issues for USAFA Graduates!
The Association of Graduates Board of Directors held its winter meetings at Doolittle Hall Feb. 7-9.
Your AOG directors and staff discussed many important subjects of interest to USAFA graduates, with the most important being a strong reaffirmation of the commitment to the three-part mission and the core purpose of the Association of Graduates.
These missions include:
- Working in partnership with the Academy to produce and foster graduates with an enduring commitment to integrity, excellence, and service to country.
- Providing leadership, communication, and support to all the Academy's graduates, and promoting camaraderie among them.
- Promoting the Academy's heritage, our common traditions, and the accomplishments of our graduates.
A core purpose of the AOG, according to the AOG bylaws, is "To work in support of the Air Force, the Academy and the graduates to raise private funds to support and develop Academy, cadet and graduate programs that would not otherwise be funded."
To support these mission elements and core purpose, your AOG directors have made a commitment to strengthening your AOG through these initiatives:
- Strengthening the development function by adding staff and resources to the AOG Development Group.
- Improving support to graduates by increasing resources for graduates at the chapter level, through business networking, job search initiatives, and making AOG staff and directors available for visits and speaking engagements at USAFA chapter and society meetings around the country.
- Working more closely with Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Regni, '73, who visited the board meeting and shared with the board his vision for the Academy and the entire fund raising effort of the many fund raising groups and foundations that support the Academy.
- Coordinating and cooperating with all funding organizations that support the Academy in the best and most efficient manner possible.
- Hiring a permanent CEO for the AOG as soon as possible.
The AOG directors also committed to review its strategic plan to assure that the board and the Academy are working together for beneficial accomplishment of mutual objectives. This effort was initiated after the conversation with General Regni and his vision of the strategic plan for our Academy.
The board held many briefings and discussions during the three days, including orientation for four new board members: Terry Storm, '61, (who, experienced in board governance, will draft a policy governance manual for board operations), Kevin Carmichael, '77, (a non-profit lawyer experienced in development who will work with the AOG Development Group and the other entities who support our Academy), Allison Hickey, '80, (a retired brigadier general experienced in strategic planning who will lead the effort to update the AOG Strategic Plan), and J.W. "Wild Bill" Stealey, '70, (an entrepreneur appointed as treasurer and chair of the Finance and Investment Committee).
Five board members also had the privilege of attending the USAFA versus Utah basketball game on Saturday. The enthusiasm of our graduates and USAFA supporters could not have been more heartening for the continued positive image of our institution and of all our graduates.
To enable graduates to review the many briefings and discussions of the board during this last meeting, the AOG Web site will have a link entitled "AOG Board Meetings" that will provide all graduates with one place to see PowerPoint charts and issues discussed at the recent board meetings. The minutes of this board meeting will also be included as soon as they are approved.
Go to www.usafa.org/about/Governance/AOGBoardMeetingRecap.aspx to see the documents of this meeting; especially the PowerPoint presentation used by AOG Board Chairman Jim Wheeler in the discussion with General Regni on the functions and missions of your AOG.
Please remember this is your Association of Graduates. The AOG only works if you participate. All board meetings are open to all graduates at Doolittle Hall.
The AOG directors thank all graduates for their continued support of your Air Force Academy and your Association of Graduates.
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