ARTICLE VII.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• The executive powers of the ASSOCIATION shall rest in the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors thereof. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the following elected or selected officers: President Honor, President Advisor, which are Honorary titles and given to individual members who meet desired qualifications of the respective titles, and President, President-Elect, Vice President Operations, regional Vice Presidents who are also the presidents of the Component Associations, a Secretary General, a Treasurer, minimum of four executive members and the immediate past President. The Regional Vice Presidents shall either be elected by the regions or be appointed by the Board of Directors to represent the various geographic regions of the ASSOCIATION, The number of Regional Vice Presidents and the boundaries of the regions they represent shall be determined by the Board of Directors, and approved by the Assembly of Delegates and shall be revised as deemed appropriate so that the geographic distribution of the ASSOCIATION membership and other ASSOCIATION needs are properly represented.
• Members of the Executive Committee shall hold office for a term of two (2) years or until their successors take the office. They shall not serve more than four (4) consecutive terms as a member of the Executive Committee. Newly elected members shall assume their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election.
• Nominations and Elections:
  • Nominations: The Nominating Committee will consist of three past Presidents of the ASSOCIATION (until such past presidents become available, the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Advisory Board and the Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board of Ethics, Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of Bylaws committee will fulfill empty seats on three past president position) and two (2) members elected by the Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee shall seek candidates among the ASSOCIATION affiliate members, in preparing its slate of nominees. Candidates proposed by at least 20% (twenty percent) of the Component Association shall be included in the list of nominees. The slate shall consist of one or more names for each office to be filled by election and shall be approved by the Board of Directors. In preparing its slate, the Nominating Committee shall consider demonstrated potential for competent service at the international and national levels.
  • Elections:
    • President Honor (Fahri Baskan), President Advisor (Ana Baskan), President, President-Elect, Vice President Operations, Secretary General, Treasurer, and Executive Committee members shall be elected by the Assembly of Delegates.

      The selection of President Honor will be done with open voting and on request from the Board of Directors. The Assembly of Delegates do review the request from the Board of Directors and vote for the President Honor. To be selected as a President Honor, the candidate needs 100% affirmative vote of the delegates.

      The selection of President Advisor will be done with open voting and on request from the Board of Directors. The Assembly of Delegates do review the request from Board of Directors and vote for the President Advisor. To be selected as a President Advisor, the candidate needs to be the current President or Vice Presidents of the Component Associations or a past President of the Component Association, President or Vice President, or past President of parental/umbrella organization, with a simple majority vote of the delegates.

      The selection of Regional Vice Presidents will be done:

      • by the Board of Directors, upon nomination(s) approved by the President.
      • though mail ballot, if so decided and requested in writing by the majority of the Affiliate Members of the Component Associations and approved by the Assembly of Delegates.

      The Regional Vice Presidents shall be Affiliate Members residing in the region and the selection by ``option i'' (Regional Vice President's appointment) or selection by ``option ii'' (mail ballot) must be completed minimum of three (3) months before the meeting of Assembly of Delegates. Under the tie vote conditions, the selection of Regional Vice President will be completed by the Board of Directors, thus selection of regional board will not be delayed.

      In the event of election by mail ballot, the ballot participants will be Affiliate Members of their region and the Board of Directors, the Advisory Board, the Board of Ethics, the Membership and Confidential Records Board, and the Board of Trustees.

      The Vice President Bakanliklar, Ankara /Turkey and the Vice President District of Columbia/ USA will be appointed by the Board of Directors until otherwise decided by the Assembly of Delegates. The above Vice Presidents are not expected to have regional boards, however, they are expected to perform the necessary functions to coordinate Official and governmental activities. Similar positions may be established for United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or in any other country if the Assembly of Delegates decide, on need, to establish the respective offices in respective countries.

    • The slate of candidates, prepared by the Nominating Committee, shall be mailed:
      • to the ASSOCIATION Members at least sixty (60) days before the Assembly of Delegates meeting for selection of the Executive Committee, Board of Ethics, Advisory Board, By-laws Committee and Membership and Confidential Records Board.
      • to the regional Affiliate Members at least thirty days before Regional Vice Presidents' elections, if mail ballot will be used.
    • The nominees with the highest number of votes shall be the officers. If a tie vote, the Assembly of Delegates shall elect by secret ballot the winner from among the candidates with equal votes.
    • The selection of regional board officers will be done :
      • by the Regional Vice Presidents and be approved by the Executive Committee of the ASSOCIATION.
      • through mail ballot, if so decided and requested in writing by the majority of the Affiliate Members of the Component Associations and approved by the Board of Directors.

    The regional officers shall be Affiliate Members residing in the region, and the selection by ``option i'' (Regional Vice President's selection) or selection by ``option ii'' (mail ballot) must be completed within four (4) weeks after the selection of Regional Vice Presidents of the ASSOCIATION.

    The number of officers may vary from region to region and if any conflict this issue may be put on the same ballot. Division of positions or titles among the regional officers will be done in the first meeting of the regional Board of Directors and by simple majority vote.

    Selection of area directors (Vice Presidents of the local boards) is among the duties of the regional Vice President of the ASSOCIATION. This selection must be approved by the regional board to be effective.

    The newly elected Vice President will attend the meetings of existing Regional Board of Directors. However, he or she cannot vote until the first assembly of the new board. First assembly of new regional board will be called jointly by the old and new Vice Presidents and within no later than two (2) weeks after the results are announced by the Nominating Committee.

• The functions of the Board of Directors are as follows:
  • Carry out the mandates of the Assembly of Delegates.
  • Propose policies for consideration by the ASSOCIATION.
  • Identify the needs of and provide services for the Component ASSOCIATIONs and the membership.
  • Develop and carry out programs for public education and information.
  • Coordinate the work of the Component Associations.
  • Submit the annual budget proposal to the Board of Trustees for endorsement and thereafter present the same to the Assembly of Delegates for final approval.

  To carry out its functions, the Board of Directors is authorized to:

  • Assess dues and/or provide financial support for Component ASSOCIATIONs.
  • Appoint or hire staff for the conduct of the day-to-day activities of the ASSOCIATION.
  • Fill vacancies among the officers for the remainder of their terms.
  • Retain counsel for the ASSOCIATION.
  • Appoint an independent certified accountant in consultation with the Board of Trustees for the annual audit of the ASSOCIATION accounts and report to the Assembly of Delegates at the annual meeting.
  • Determine the time and place of all general and special meetings, unless overruled by two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly of Delegates.
• The duties of the executive officers shall be those specified herein.
  • The President shall:
    • Preside over meetings of the Assembly of Delegates and of the Board of Directors.
    • Appoint all standing and ad hoc committee chairpersons with the approval of the Board of Directors, except the Central Fund Raising Committee (See ARTICLE IX, Section 2c).
    • Be accountable to the Board of Directors and to the Assembly of Delegates in the discharge of his or her duties within the guidelines of these Bylaws.
  • The President-Elect and the Vice President Operations:
    • Shall assist the President in whatever duties the President shall assign.
    • The President-Elect to perform the duties of the President during the temporary absence or disability of the President; the Vice President Operations to perform duties of the President-Elect during temporary absence or disability of the President-Elect.
    • The President-Elect to assume the Presidency when the office of the President becomes temporarily vacant between elections; the Vice President Operations to assume the office of the President-Elect when the President-Elect assumes the Presidency temporarily between elections.
    • The Vice President Operations will not be eligible to succeed the President automatically, unless in the case of full vacancy in both the office of the President and the office of the President-Elect. The Vice President Operations shall become President and with the concurrence of the board of Directors shall fill the vacancies temporarily until next term elections.
    • In the permanent absence of the President-Elect during any term, the President shall assume full duties and roles of the President-Elect. His or her new title will then be President/President-Elect. Similarly, in the permanent absence of Vice President Operations during any term, the President-elect shall assume full duties and roles of the Vice President Operations and his or her new title will then be Vice President Operations until the election of the next Vice President Operations by the Assembly of Delegates.

      In either of the above events, and with the request of its members, the Board of Directors may call for an emergency meeting which in that a simple majority of the Board of Directors may decide upon and early election to fulfill the vacancy or vacancies.

      The election in this case:

      • may be the election of Vice President Operations only and for the remaining of the term, or
      • may be the general elections as if the term is (nearly) completed.

      ``Option i'' should be selected if election decision was within the first half of the term. ``Option ii'' should be selected otherwise. In the event of selection of ``option ii'', all supporting Boards, Component Associations, and the Committee durations need also be adjusted or reduced to comply with the rules and regulations of these Bylaws.

    • The President-Elect to assume full-term Presidency, Vice President Operations to assume full-term President-Elect upon elections of the next term Vice President Operations.
    • The President Honor title can only be given to the individuals with proven, exceptional, and/or extra ordinary (one of a kind) service to ASSOCIATION Community. The President Honor title is an Honorary title and it is attached to the selection period. The President Honor has right to preside over the meetings which he or she attends. The President Honor, on request from the Board of Directors and in the permanent absence of the President, could assume Presidency with his or her title being President Honor/President and until the election of the Vice President Operations, thus the President as described in ARTICLE VII, Section 5b, Item 6.
    • The President Advisor title can only be given to the individuals as previously defined or who are one of the founders of the ASSOCIATION. The President Advisor title is an honorary title. The President Advisor has right to preside over the meetings which he or she attends when the President Honor is not selected or absent. The President Advisor, on request from the Board of Directors and in the permanent absence of both the President and the President Honor, could assume Presidency with his or her title being President Advisor/President and until the election of Vice President Operations, thus the President as described in ARTICLE VII Section 5b, Item 6.
  • The Secretary General shall issue notices of meetings, solicit agenda items, keep records of meetings, perform the usual duties of a Secretary of an organization under the supervision of the President and the Board of Directors, and preside over the Board of Directors if vacancy or absence of Vice Presidents. The Secretary General is the keeper of the Association records, Membership List, activities related to operational fund raising, and coordination of all committee activities.
  • The Regional Vice Presidents shall coordinate the major functions of the ASSOCIATION with the Component Associations in their respective regions. They shall be in constant communication with the area directors and the ASSOCIATION and assure an effective working relationship between the Component ASSOCIATIONs and the ASSOCIATION. They shall represent the ASSOCIATION Members in their regions. The Regional Vice Presidents are the Presidents of Component ASSOCIATIONs. They are members of the Board of Directors and the Board of Presidents. They have the right to attend and cast vote on Executive Committee meetings.
  • The Treasurer shall:
    • Be in charge and have custody of, and be responsible for, all funds of the ASSOCIATION and perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time-to-time may be assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the Board of Trustees.
    • Keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the ASSOCIATION.
    • Deposit all monies and other valuables to the credit of the ASSOCIATION in such repositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors or the Board of Trustees.
    • Attend the Board of Trustees meetings and provide liaison between the Board of Directors and the Board of Trustees.
    • Serve as a voting member of the Central Fund Raising Committee.
• The Records Officer primarily assumes duties identical to the Secretary General of the Executive Committee, and secondly, keeps track of the lessons learned by each Board or Committee activity. The Record Officer serves 1/2 (one and a half) term in the respective Board or Committee and also an additional 1/2 term as a voting member of the respective Board or Committee in which during this period he or she transfers the accumulated knowledge to the newly elected Records Officer.
• Members of the Executive Committee will divide the work load of the ASSOCIATION. Form and chair temporary or permanent committees. Assist in the implementation of Association Policies. Assist in the collection of operational funds.

  The titles of the executive members will be decided for each term and during the first meeting.

  A minimum of five (5) executive members are required for each term.

• A member of the Board of Directors may be suspended or removed from office for cause by two-thirds majority vote of the Directors then in office. Similarly, a member of the Executive Committee may be suspended or removed from office with the cause by two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee members then in office. All removal or suspension decisions must also be approved by the Board of Ethics. The Board of Ethics has the right to reject any decision of suspension or removal. Decision of the Board of Ethics presides over any other Board or Committee, except the Assembly of Delegates.