Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, October 7, 2023

• The Board of Directors meeting was called to order at 1306 by President, Wes Gibson.
• Officers, Directors, and Chairs present include: Wes Gibson, Lisa Borges, Samuel Trice, Gary Mann, Sammy Solt, Greg McCreash, Todd Beveridge Jerry Billings, and Johnny Bivera.
• Highlights of the Pensacola BOD meeting minutes discussed. Minutes were on-hand for review.
• Treasury report given by Treasurer, Sam Trice. The NANP currently has $46,586.45. This figure does not reflect settlement of the 2023 Navy Photographer’s Reunion.
• Ray Simonse’s Auditor’s Report was read by Wes Gibson. No anomalies were found in the NANP Treasury.

Old Business

• Ratification of the new NANP By-laws were completed and published.
• Sam Trice is still looking into moving some of our funds into interest bearing accounts. With interest rates on the rise, this would be a good time to move some money into CDs.
• Johnny Bivera is still looking into the idea of forming a Photo of the Month and Year program as a means to get active duty MCs involved in the NANP. Photos selected would be published on the website, the newsletter, and on the Facebook group page. Wes Gibson is working with Johnny on this idea.
• A website redesign is still in the plans. Webmaster, Wes Gibson, reports that life got in the way and he hasn’t started it yet. It is anticipated that the redesign will begin this coming winter. Wes is also hoping to add an Assistant Webmaster sometime soon. For now, he will share the website’s login and password with Lisa Borges just in case of an emergency.
• We voted in the idea of a Fundraising Committee last year with Sammy Solt taking the lead on it as the Awards Chairman. The idea of fundraising was to support Johnny Bivera’s Shoot-Offs and the annual Scholarship program without significantly impacting NANP funds. To date, we haven’t pursued any fundraising. Some ideas tossed around by the Board of Directors include:
  • Adding a donation button on the website.
  • Raffling off photographic prints created and donated by NANP photographers.
• Last year we decided to put together a book of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for the NANP. Wes Gibson has only received input from three or four people. Wes will send out new emails on the subject containing a rough outline of the SOP and a format that he has come up with for the President’s position. Reminder emails will be sent out to the Board of Directors quarterly.
• Last year, Jeff Hilton proposed the NANP sponsor a historical plaque to be placed at the site of the NAS Jacksonville Photo Lab. That Photo Lab was key in the processing and printing of aerial reconnaissance during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Wes Gibson recently saw some photos taken by Jeff Cole that indicates a historical plaque is already in place. Wes will follow up with Jeff on this.

New Business

• Sammy Solt reports that there was only one applicant for the NANP Scholarship program again this year. This year’s winner of the scholarship is Alexandra Wolford-Griggs, daughter of Diane Wolford. Despite our best efforts, there seems to be little interest in the Scholarship program. Sammy will bring up the possibility of adding Trade Schools to the eligibility list at the General Meeting.
• Jim Russell has replaced Laura Androus as our book custodian in Pensacola as of September 2023. The books have already been moved to his home and he’s got us caught back up with shipments.
• Johnny Bivera is going to pick up 100 copies of book, “The Eyes of the Fleet” from Jim Russell sometime in the future. These books will be donated to the school house to put in the library and/or give out to deserving students.
• Jerry Billings reports that the NANP gained approximately 20 new members since the last reunion. We are averaging approximately six to eight active duty members each year. Johnny Bivera wants to  reincorporate the policy of those who participate in the NANP sponsored Shoot-Offs become members of the NANP as part of the application process.
• Johnny Bivera reports that with the Shoot-Off program back in full swing, they have currently exhausted all of their funds. He would like to tap into the $5000 a year seed money approved and written into the NANP Bylaws. He hopes that in future years, with the addition of Shoot-Off sponsors and fundraising, he will not have to depend on money from the NANP.
• We need to fill the Director’s position for 2024, 2025, 2026. There will be an online vote by the membership. Wes will go out requesting online nominations prior to the actual vote. Duane Romaine was nominated by the Board of Directors and accepted the nomination.
• Greg McCreash proposes that we restructure future Navy Photographer’s Reunions. Getting away from big events at expensive venues with many costly tours. With a few exceptions, the Association ends up losing money and it’s not sustainable. Greg proposes that we do the Navy Photographer’s Reunion every other year, only in Virginia Beach, VA; Jacksonville, FL; and Pensacola, FL. This will be brought up at the General Meeting and added to the online membership vote this year.
• Greg McCreash is interested in stepping down as Reunion Chairperson sometime in the not too distant future. The association needs to start looking for a replacement who can train under Greg.
• Sammy Solt proposes that we cancel the San Diego, CA reunion in 2024 and change it to a three day cruise out of Port Canaveral. This recommendation was based on the expense of a reunion in San Diego, the traditional low attendance of west coast reunions, and the fact that no one in San Diego has volunteered to be the Reunion Coordinator. Greg McCreash motioned that we go forward with canceling the San Diego reunion and doing a cruise out out of Cape Canaveral. Motion seconded. All on BOD voted “yay.”
• Lisa Borges motioned that we adjourn the BOD meeting. Greg McCreash seconded. Meeting adjourned at 1425.