Abstract
The meeting was called to order by President Virginia “Ginny” Stoffel at 12:03 p.m.
The President introduced those sitting on the dais: Fred Somers, Executive Director; Nicholas Hantzes, Legal Counsel; Pamela Toto, Director; Mollie Verdier, Director; Kristina Finnel, Consumer Advisor; Susan Parker, Public Advisor; Shawn Phipps, Director; Kimberly Hartmann, Director; Timothy Wolf, Director; Mary Frances Baxter, Speaker, Representative Assembly; Diana Ramsay, President, American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF); Wendy Hildenbrand, Director; Patrick Bloom, Treasurer; Amy Lamb, Vice President; and Brent Braveman, Secretary.
President Stoffel welcomed the audience and honored guests.
Secretary Braveman called the roll of the states and announced that a quorum was reached. Forty-four election areas were represented at the meeting.
Secretary Braveman announced the volunteer members of the Minutes Review Committee. The Committee consisted of the following individuals: Ashley Fecht (NV), Dianne Simons (VA), Kathy Foley (GA), Jaclyn Schwartz (WI), and Laurel Cargill Radley (NC).
Secretary Braveman moved for adoption of the agenda. President Stoffel asked for any changes or additions to the agenda; there being no opposition, the motion was adopted.
Secretary Braveman announced that the minutes from the 2014 Annual Business Meeting were published in the November/December 2014 issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT). He moved that the minutes be adopted. President Stoffel asked for any changes to the minutes; there being no opposition, the minutes of the 2014 Annual Business meeting were approved.
Written reports from the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Commission on Practice, Commission on Education (COE), Ethics Commission, Commission on Continuing Competence and Professional Development (CCCPD), Special Interest Section Council (SISC), Affiliated State Association Presidents, Assembly of Student Delegates, American Occupational Therapy Political Action Committee Chair, Accreditation Council on Occupational Therapy Education Chair, World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) Delegate, Speaker of the Representative Assembly, and AOTF were submitted and included in the Annual Business Meeting Report Booklet. There were no questions from the floor.
The following individuals gave brief verbal reports:
– Amy Lamb, Vice President, reported on the Centennial Vision highlights, including leadership development, the AOTA–AOTF collaboration on a research network, and specific efforts to meet society’s occupational needs. She also presented the Distinct Value Statement and described future activities related to the distinct value of occupational therapy, including formation of six Distinct Value Ad Hoc Committees to address the six Centennial Vision focus areas. There were no questions for Vice President Lamb.
– Patrick Bloom, Treasurer, gave a brief update on the financial status of the association through 2014. Highlights included continued growth in membership revenue and the fifth consecutive year of record positive growth in the Association’s finances. Membership as an area of core revenue experienced its 10th year of positive growth. The floor was opened for questions and comments:
■ Claudette Reid (MI) asked what percentage of the budget is fund balanced and about the plan for contingencies. Executive Director Somers noted that each month, the officers meet by conference call and review the financial statements with the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer. Approximately 75 days of cash on hand was held as of the end of March 2015, and AOTA has approximately $5 million in reserves.
■ Carolyn Baum (MO) commented on the positive financial results of the Association and urged that the budget balance protecting the profession with meeting society’s occupational needs.
– Mary Frances Baxter, Speaker of the Representative Assembly, gave a summary of the activities of the Representative Assembly from throughout the year as well as those that occurred at this year’s Assembly face-to-face meeting just prior to Conference. Highlights included adoption of Standard Operating Procedures presented by the Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Committee and adoption of revised official documents, including the Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy Education, Complex Environmental Modifications, Value of Occupational Therapy Assistant Education to the Profession, and the revised Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics (2015). Motions adopted included formation of Ad Hoc Committees on Recommendation 3 of the OTA Ad Hoc Committee, license portability, and case management. There were no questions for Speaker Baxter.
– Fred Somers, Executive Director, announced that Conference registration was approximately 9,100, including exhibitors, and represented the largest paid attendance at conference in Association history. This was followed with highlights on activities from the national office:
■ Two new continuing education products are available, which provide continuing education credits related to SIS Topics and AJOT articles
■ Publication of two new AOTA Practice Guidelines, on adults with stroke and on driving and community mobility for older adults
■ Expansion of the AOTA Residency program at 19 additional sites
■ Specialty conferences on documentation, stroke, and older adults
■ 135 articles on occupational therapy have appeared in media publications with circulation of 5 million or more
■ Advocacy successes, including licensure in Hawaii, which marks the 50th state to obtain licensure.
– Members had the following questions and comments, which were responded to by the Executive Director:
■ Debra Dougherty (MI) requested a breakdown of membership. Christopher Bluhm, AOTA Chief Operating Officer, clarified that approximately 13% of members are students.
■ Penny Moyers-Cleveland (MN) requested investigation into development of a toolkit for translating research into practice.
■ Robin Jones (IL) commented on the quality of closed captioning at large events at Conference and requested efforts to improve the quality.
■ Thomas Fisher (IN) moved that the ballots for the 2015 General Election be destroyed, and the motion was approved by voice vote. The motion was adopted without objection.
President Stoffel called on Debi Hinerfeld, Chairperson of the Volunteer Leadership Development Committee (VLDC), to give the results of the 2015 general election. Results were as follows: Amy Lamb, President-Elect; Shawn Phipps, Vice President; Denise Chisholm, Board Director; Debra Young, Board Director; Moses Ikiugu, WFOT Delegate. Chairperson Hinerfeld announced the 2016 Call for Nominations, which include the positions of Secretary, Board Director (2), WFOT Alternate Delegate, COE Chairperson, CCCPD Chairperson-Elect, OTA Representative to the Representative Assembly, VLDC Chairperson, SISC Chairperson-Elect, Education SIS Chairperson, Gerontology SIS Chairperson, Physical Disabilities SIS Chairperson, and Technology SIS Chairperson. Representatives from the following election areas will also be elected: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York #1, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania #1, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming.
President Stoffel opened the floor to new business. No new business was presented. The following comments and questions were presented:
– Reggie Campbell (TX) asked who is responsible for updating members on issues such as the structure of AOTA and how decisions are made. She inquired about distribution of reports and whether the website was an official publication. Executive Director Somers noted that the website is an official publication of the Association. Calling attention to new reports on the front page of the website was noted as an effective strategy.
– Mary Galvin (OH) inquired regarding AOTA’s CPT coding project and requested support of the membership in the use of timed codes and its impact on private practice.
President Stoffel called the newly elected board members to the stage and administered the oath of office to them.
Mary Ellen East of Michigan won a drawing for free membership.
President Stoffel adjourned the meeting at 1:49 p.m.