This organization shall be named the Aerospace Industry Committee of the Robins
Regional Chamber of Commerce. It may be referred to from time to time
as AIC.
Article II: Purpose
The Aerospace Industry Committee is organized for the purpose of preserving,
advancing and enhancing the community of aerospace and defense industries in the
Warner Robins area and for the advancement of their
collective interests. The Committee shall also engage in those programs
and projects which are designed to stimulate capital investment and jobs
creation within and throughout the middle-Georgia aerospace and defense sectors.
The Committee views as essential its ability to serve as a point of appropriate
and effective interface with senior military and civilian management personnel
of Robins Air Force Base, the United States Air Force, and local, state and
national elected leadership.
Article III: Membership
Section 1. Chamber of Commerce Membership: Each member of AIC
shall first and at all times be an active and assigned member of the Robins
Regional Chamber of Commerce, as provided in Article III of the Chamber’s By
Laws.
Section 2. Additional Membership Criteria: In addition to the
requirements of Section 1 (above), each member of AIC shall at all times meet at
least one of the following criteria:
(A) be a local management-level employee of an aerospace company, and/or a VP
or Director of Contracts, as hereinafter defined; or
(B) be a local
management-level employee of or representative of
a firm or an educational institution actively
representing the interests of, or involved in the support to, one or more
aerospace companies, as hereinafter defined.
Section 3. Aerospace Company Defined: For purposes of these
By Laws, an aerospace company shall be defined as an organization or a
representative or consultant of an organization which is primarily engaged in
research and development, engineering, manufacturing, sale, maintenance and/or
repair of:
(A) military aircraft,
spacecraft, or their components and/or subsystems;
(B) military weapons systems
or subsystems;
(C) military navigation,
guidance, or command and control systems or subsystems;
Section 4. Multiple Memberships: In cases where a member firm
or organization has one or more persons otherwise qualified for membership in
AIC, it shall be the responsibility of the firm or organization to designate the
person or persons it wishes to hold membership.
Section 5. Voting: Each AIC member shall be entitled to one
vote in any proceeding in which voting is required.
Section 6. Quorum: Twenty-five per cent of the members shall
constitute a quorum. When there is less than a quorum, those present may
adjourn the meeting until a quorum shall be present.
Section 7. Majority Vote: A quorum having been established, a
simple majority of those present and voting shall be required for action, except
as provided in Article VII.
Section 8. Ex-officio Officers : The Chamber’s
Chairman, Vice-Chairman for Economic Affairs and President shall be ex-officio,
non-voting members of AIC.
Section 9. Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the committee
shall coincide with the fiscal year of the Chamber of Commerce, beginning
January 1 of each year.
Section 10. Meetings: Meetings of the Committee shall be held
monthly at the time, date and place as designated by the Chairman of
AIC. Circumstances may require from time to time the
postponement and/or cancellation of monthly meetings, in which case the
provisions of this section will be waived.
Section 11. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the
Committee may be called by the Chairman, 1st Vice-Chairman or 2nd Vice-Chairman,
or whenever twenty-five per cent of more of the Committee’s membership shall
petition in writing the Chairman or either of the Vice-Chairmen.
Section 12. Notice of Meetings: Notice of all meetings shall
be mailed to all members of the Committee not less than five days prior to the
meeting, stating the date, time place and purpose of the meeting.
Attendance at such meeting shall constitute waiver of notice.
Section 13. Special Events and Meetings: From time to time
AIC may deem it useful to sponsor or co-sponsor special events or meetings
(luncheons, dinners, receptions, seminars, recreational outings and the like)
which serve to support and promote the overall aims and objectives of the
organization. AIC may establish appropriate policies and procedures regarding
the types of meetings which are to be held, eligibility of those who may attend,
and amounts and method of payment therefore. The membership and prospective
guests will be bound thereby.
Article IV: Officers
Section 1. Number and Title: The officers of AIC shall
consist of three persons: the Chairman, 1st Vice Chairman and 2nd Vice Chairman.
The Chamber’s Chairman, Vice Chairman for Economic Affairs and President shall
serve as Ex-officio and non-voting officers.
Section 2. Term of Office: The term of the office for the
Chairman, 1st Vice Chairman and the 2nd Vice Chairman shall be for one year,
beginning on January 1.
Section 3. Duties: The duties of the AIC Officers shall be:
(A) Chairman: As the chief elected officer of the Committee,
the Chairman shall preside at all meetings and have general supervision of the
business and affairs of the Committee. He shall appoint all committees and
assign all responsibilities. He shall represent the Committee at various
functions and events and in all ways carry out the duties of the office.
The AIC Chairman will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of
Directors of the Chamber of Commerce.
(B) 1st Vice Chairman: In the absence, inability to act
or failure to act of the Chairman, the 1st Vice-Chairman shall have the powers
of the Chairman and shall exercise the authority thereof. He/she
shall serve as the coordinator of all subcommittee chairs.
(C) 2nd Vice Chairman: In the absence, inability to act
or failure to act of the Chairman and 1st Vice-Chairman, the 2nd Vice-Chairman
shall have the powers of the Chairman and shall exercise the authority thereof.
He shall also serve as Chairman of the Program Committee.
(D) Ex-Officio Officers: The ex-officio officers shall
serve in an advisory, non-voting capacity. They shall be the principal
means through which the Chamber communicates its aims and objectives and
programs of particular interest to the AIC. They shall also work to
ensure that the aims, objectives, policies, procedures, projects and activities
of AIC are in harmony with and consistent with the purpose, goals and objectives
of the Chamber of Commerce.
Section 4. Officer Progression: At the beginning of each year, the
previous year’s 1st Vice Chairman automatically succeeds to the office of
Chairman and the 2nd Vice Chairman automatically succeeds to 1st Vice Chairman.
Section 5. Vacancy: During the year, should the office of
Chairman become vacant, the 1st Vice Chairman shall immediately succeed to the
office of Chairman, and shall complete the term of the vacated office and shall
also be Chairman for the term to which he would have otherwise succeeded had the
vacancy not occurred. According to the terms of this paragraph, the office
of 1st Vice Chairman then becomes vacant.
Should the office of 1st Vice
Chairman become vacant, the 2nd Vice Chairman shall succeed to the office of 1st
Vice Chairman and shall complete the term of the vacated office and shall also
be 1st Vice Chairman for the term to which he would have otherwise succeeded had
the vacancy not occurred. According to the terms of this paragraph, the
office of 2nd Vice Chairman then becomes vacant.
Should the office of 2nd Vice Chairman become vacant, the Executive
Committee shall appoint a 2nd Vice Chairman who shall complete the term. A
person appointed 2nd Vice Chairman under the terms of this paragraph may
also be nominated to the office of 2nd Vice Chairman for the term immediately
following, Article IV, Section 6 notwithstanding.
Section 6. Election: The 2nd Vice Chairman shall be elected
annually by mail ballot sent to each member of AIC. The Chairman
shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least three persons and designate its
Chairman no later than September 1 each year.
All members of AIC except
seated officers are eligible for nomination and election to the office of 2nd
Vice-Chairman, except as provided in Article IV, Section 5,
The nominating Committee
shall report no less than two nominees for the office of 2nd Vice-Chairman at
the regular October meeting of AIC. Nominations may also be made from the
floor. Nominations having been made, the Chamber will mail ballots to all
AIC members within ten business days. The official ballot shall also
provide for write-in votes.
Ballots shall be
returned to the Chamber of Commerce office no later than October 30. The
Nominating Committee shall count the ballots. If only two candidates receive
votes, the winner is decided by a simple majority of those voting. If
three or more candidates receive votes, the candidate receiving a plurality of
votes shall be the winner. The election results shall be transmitted to
the AIC Chairman who shall announce same at the regular November meeting of AIC.
Article V: Executive Committee
The Chairman, 1st Vice Chairman, 2nd Vice Chairman and Ex-Officio Officers shall
constitute the Executive Committee which shall have general responsibility for
the finances and activities of the AIC, subject to established policy and
procedure of AIC and the Chamber. Subject to ratification by the members
of AIC, the Executive Committee is empowered to take action on matters which may
come before it during the interim between regular meetings of AIC. On
matters requiring a vote, the ex-officio members of the Executive Committee
Shall have no vote, but shall be entitled to participate in discussions which
precede the vote.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees: The standing committees of
AIC shall be:
(A) Membership Committee: to identify prospective, qualified members
and encourage their membership in AIC.
(B) Program Committee: will work directly with the 2nd
Vice-Chairman and be responsible for obtaining programs of timely, useful and
specific interest for presentation to AIC, for making arrangements for same, and
for assisting the presenter in the presentation of the program.
(C) Nominating Committee: to provide for the selection of qualified
nominees according to Article IV, Section 6 of these By-laws.
Section 2. Other Committees: In order to achieve the aims and
objectives of AIC, the Chairman is empowered to appoint other committees as may
from time to time be necessary and to designate their chairman. Such
committees and all appointments thereto shall be automatically terminated on
December 31 of each year but may, at the discretion of the new Chairman, be
re-established.
Article VII: AIC Operating Funds
Section 1. Chamber of Commerce Dues: Membership dues to the
Chamber of Commerce are allocated to the Chamber’s general funds operating
accounts and are not allocated for the conduct of the affairs of the AIC.
Section 2. Special Assessments: At the beginning of each year, and
at such other times as may be appropriate, members of AIC may be assessed an
amount equal to their individual share of the organization’s operating expenses
(flowers for illness and death, awards, plaques for speakers, luncheon expenses
for guests and the like). Such assessments shall be specifically
identified and accounted for in the books of the Chamber and their disbursal
shall be at the instruction of the Executive Committee in accordance with
generally accepted practice and tradition.
Section 2. Funding For Special Activities: Certain activities
of AIC may, from time to time, require special funding which may be derived from
sponsors and/or participants. Such special funding activities might
include, but not necessarily be limited to luncheons, dinners, receptions,
seminars, symposiums, other social events, and the like.
Specially funded AIC
activities will be handled in a manner consistent with established AIC Policy
and Procedure, defining the activity, eligible participants, organizations
and/or individuals responsible for funding for same, and billing procedures.
Section 3. Insufficient or Excess Funding: To the fullest
extent possible, all activities of AIC which require funding should be designed
so as to provide for income equal to expenses. Members shall be assessed
their pro rata share of the anticipated project expense in advance of the event,
if possible, or as an alternative, as soon as possible after the event takes
place. Revenue shortfalls due to faulty
budget estimates, if any, may require additional assessments. At
year’s end, any significant income over expenses will be reviewed to determine
if a reduction in member fees is appropriate for the following year. Excess funds may be carried over
into the next year.
Article VIII: Amendments
Section 1. Amendment: These By-laws may be amended or repealed or
new by-laws may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members voting, provided
however:
(A) that voting may be either voice vote or secret ballot at a
regular or special meeting or by mail;
(B) that no less than five days written notice shall given to each
AIC member of the proposed amendment, proposal to repeal and/or proposed new
by-law, said notice also stating the time, date, place and manner of such
voting; and
(C) that such amendment, proposal to repeal and/or new by-law shall
also be approved by the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce.
Article IX: Limitation of Powers
Section 1. Limitations: The Aerospace Industry Committee
operates as a committee of the Robins Regional Chamber of Commerce. No
action or statement of any officer or member of AIC shall be binding upon the
Committee or upon the Chamber, nor shall it constitute an expression of policy
of the Committee or of the Chamber unless and until it shall have been approved
and ratified by the AIC membership at any regular meeting thereof or at any
called meeting therefore. Further, all actions or statements which may be
approved and ratified by AIC shall be subject to the final authority of the
Chamber’s Board of Directors which shall have the power to approve and ratify,
to modify or to disapprove, declaring null and void any action or policy of AIC.
Section 2. Resolution of Conflict: Any conflict which might
arise between the AIC and Chamber regarding by-laws, policy and procedure, or
any other operation of AIC shall be resolved according to the by-laws, policy
and procedure of the Chamber then existing or thereafter established.
Article X: Administrative Support
Appropriate administrative support for the activities of AIC will be provided by
the Chamber of Commerce staff as directed by the President, subject to the needs
of AIC and also subject to the other administrative responsibilities of the
Chamber.
Article XI: Miscellaneous
Section 1. Gender and Number: Wherever any words are used herein in
the masculine gender, they shall be construed as though they were also used in
the feminine gender in all cases where they would so apply, and wherever any
words are used herein in the singular form, they shall be construed as though
they were in the plural form in all cases where they would so apply.
Section 2. Repeal of By-laws: Whereas these by-laws constitute a
major revision to those previously adopted, all previous by-laws and portions
thereof in conflict with this document are hereby repealed and these amended
by-laws are adopted in full.