2021 Convention Panoramic Photo Order Form

Dear SPJST Convention Delegate,

Congratulations on your election as a delegate to the 33rd SPJST Convention to be held in Killeen, Texas, on August 13 to 15, 2021.

Registration
Registration will begin in the lobby of the Killeen Civic and Conference Center on Friday, August 13 at 2 p.m. The Killeen Civic and Conference Center is located at 3601 South WS Young Drive in Killeen. The Howdy Party is scheduled for Friday evening, August 13. Late registration will continue on Saturday morning, August 14.

Hotel information for the 33rd SPJST Convention
Howdy Party – Friday, August 13
Convention – Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15

Here is a list of hotels in the Killeen area at which we have blocked rooms at a special rate. These rooms are only available at these special rates until July 12, 2021, on a first come, first served basis. To guarantee the reservation, you will need to provide the hotel with your credit card number or prepay for one night’s lodging. (If you had a prior reservation, we urge you to call the hotel to confirm.)

When making room reservations, please call the hotel directly and be sure to give them the Special Rate Code which is “SPJST”.

Again, please note that the rooms at the listed rates will not be guaranteed after July 12, 2021. All room rates are subject to applicable tax, and prices are based on double occupancy.

Shilo Inn Suites Hotel
3701 South WS Young Dr
Killeen, TX 76542
254-247-3133 or 254-699-0999
Rate: $120 – Special Rate Code: SPJST
105 rooms available

Best Western Plus
2709 Cunningham Rd
Killeen, TX 76542
254-634-5560
Rate: $95 – Special Rate Code: SPJST
40 rooms available

Hampton Inn Killeen
2702 O.W. Curry Dr.
Killeen, TX 76542
254-554-7110, dial 0 when you hear hotel greeting message
Rate: $94 – Special Rate Code: SPJST
25 rooms available

Courtyard Killeen
1721 E Central Texas Expy
Killeen, TX 76541
254-616-2000
Rate: $120 – Special Rate Code: SPJST
100 rooms available

Please note: If you had a reservation at Hilton Garden Inn, this hotel is temporarily closed due to a fire and will not be available for the Convention.

The address for the Killeen Civic and Conference Center is 3601 South WS Young Dr, Killeen, TX 76542. Please call Linda at the SPJST Home Office if you have any questions or need assistance in making your hotel reservations. Linda can be reached by email lindah@spjst.com or by telephone 254-773-1575, ext. 162.

We look forward to seeing you in August in Killeen!

Fraternally,
Leonard Mikeska
Chief Financial Officer

SPJST By-Law Recommendations as approved by the SPJST Supreme Lodge on April 20, 2021, and submitted to the By-Law Committee and Delegates to the 33rd SPJST Convention

2021 By-Law Recommendations from Supreme Lodge 05-04-2021

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May 4, 2021
In going through the proposed by-law changes this weekend, I noticed one that I feel needs to be modified. It is Article IX, Section 36, stating that the President is to be a voting member of the board of directors. His vote could serve to cause for motions being voted on to end in a 4/4 tie and that would cause the motion to fail. I do think that he should be the tie breaking vote if one would arise because of an absent board member or from a member abstaining in a vote. It is not normal practice for a hired president to be a voting member of a board of directors, and in this case, it would put the president is a more powerful position than is appropriate. Thanks for your help and hard work in serving SPJST’s membership to make the needed change to the by-laws to improve the operations for this body.
—Don Fruin
Lodge 196, Houston-West

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Recommendations previously submitted to the By-Law Committee and published in the Vestnik

Note: Please note that the Article and Section numbers may be based on the Supreme Lodge recommendations that were published in the March 23, 2020, Vestnik.

From the April 13, 2020 Vestnik – page 5
The following is a recommendation that the By-Law Committee received, but did not act upon. Lodge 160 delegates – or any convention delegate – can bring up the recommendation for discussion on the convention floor, if they so choose.

Implement term limits for directors. Method and terms to be decided.
—Submitted by Lodge 160, San Angelo
Charlene Dusek, Secretary
February 26, 2020

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The following recommendations were received by the By-Law Committee. However, we did not act upon them. We determined the issue in each recommendation was financial and should be handled by the Finance Committee. These recommendations have been forwarded to Mr. Dewyan Weise, chairman of the Finance Committee.

Any officer or director living within 50 miles of the city limits of Temple or any other meetings within 50 miles of their home base, would not be paid overnight lodging.
—Submitted by Lodge 160, San Angelo
Charlene Dusek, Secretary
February 26, 2020

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SPJST Non-Contractual Spending
The SPJST Supreme Lodge (officers and directors) must reduce non-contractual spending by 10 percent annually, starting January 1, 2021, until an amount is achieved that does not exceed the revenue generated by the income of the surplus or unassigned funds. This amount is to be determined by the rate of return on all assets multiplied by the amount of unassigned funds of the proceeding year.
—Submitted to By-Law Committee by Herman Dewyan Weise
Lodge 160, San Angelo
February 22, 2020

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The following are recommendations from the By-Law Committee for changes to the by-law recommendations received from the Supreme Lodge at the February 8, 2020, meeting held in Temple:

Page 9, Section 21 – Method of voting by the delegates. Last sentence (starting on line 37) should read: “Delegates shall vote by voice, show of hands, standing, roll call, or due to the sensitivity of the subject matter, secret ballot where needed, as designated by the Convention Chair. No delegate shall vote by proxy.”

Page 13, Section 28. Meetings. (starting on line 9) should read: “The Convention Committee shall meet annually in between Convention years or on an as needed basis.”
—Submitted by Beverly Teplicek, Secretary – District Four
Ronnie Rieger, Chairman – District Two
Richard Ford – District One
Dorothy Pflughaupt – District Five
Joe Siptak – District Six
Oscar Korus – District Seven

From the June 22, 2020 Vestnik – page 4
Following are the recommendations the By-Law Committee received that need to be published for our members. Some of these were sent to the Finance Committee as we felt they were not for us to decide.
Fraternally,
Beverly Teplicek, Secretary
By-Law Committee

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Here is my list of recommendations for officer’s and director’s qualifications to be considered by the By-Law Committee. Thank you.
Fraternally,
Donnie Victorick
March 30, 2020

By-Law Recommendations
1. Officer Qualifications

a. President/CEO
1. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from accredited university in management or administration.
2. Have experience in supervision and employee evaluation.
3. Have minimal knowledge of fraternal benefit organizations/non- profits.
4. Exhibit leadership skills.
5. Be a self-starter and ability to motivate others.
6. Ability to exhibit self-confidence and make difficult deci- sions in the best interest of the organization.
7. Be open-minded and have a willingness to grow and improve on a daily basis.

b. Vice President
1. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in marketing/sales.
2. Have experience in supervision and employee evaluation.
3. Have knowledge and experience in the insurance industry.
4. Exhibit leadership skills.
5. Be a self-starter and ability to motivate others.
6. Ability to exhibit self-confidence and make difficult deci- sions in the best interest of the organization.
7. Be open-minded and have a willingness to grow and improve on a daily basis.

c. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
1. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in finance/accounting or investment.
2. Have experience in supervision and employee evaluation.
3. Have knowledge in processing death claims.
4. Have knowledge in real estate/ mortgage loan processes.
5. Exhibit leadership skills.
6. Be a self-starter and ability to motivate others.
7. Ability to exhibit self-confidence and make difficult deci- sions in the best interest of the organization.
8. Be open-minded and have a willingness to grow and improve on a daily basis.

d. Controller
1. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in accounting, preferably a Certified Public Accountant.
2. Experience in auditing and business procedures.
3. Have experience in supervision and employee evaluation.
4. Exhibit leadership skills.
5. Be a self-starter and ability to motivate others.
6. Ability to exhibit self-confidence and make difficult deci- sions in the best interest of the organization.
7. Be open-minded and have a willingness to grow and improve on a daily basis.

e. Director
1. Meet to qualifications to be eligible to be a delegate to the quadrennial convention.
2. Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
3. Have knowledge of evaluation of management.
4. Exhibit leadership skills.
5. Be a self-starter and ability to motivate others.
6. Ability to exhibit self-confidence and make difficult decisions in the best interest of the organization.
7. Make business decisions without letting personal feelings interfere.
8. Be active in his/her local lodge 9. Be open-minded and have a willingness to grow and improve on a daily basis.

I am not advocating elimination of any existing requirements that are present in our existing by-laws, but some could be codified to make them work with the above proposed recommendations. —Fraternally,
Donnie Victorick
District One Director – Lodge 9, Snook

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May 28, 2019 By-Law Changes
• No funding for the museum.
• Cut scholarships to 25.
• Cap fraternal spending to percentage on income made from investment income.
• Term limits.
• Redistrict based on membership.
• Elect only President and Editor/Director of Communication. Supreme Lodge hire Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
• Stagger terms on board members, elect new two every year by district delegates at spring meeting. This keeps SPJST from possibly having 11 new Supreme Lodge members after the convention. Very scary to insurance regulators, AM Best,  and TDI.
• Change frequency of Vestnik.
• Cut DYC pay.
• Move museum back to the Home Office basement.

February 5, 2020
New by-laws change all except term limits. Put off term battle till 2024. Try to still add capping fraternal expense to percentage of investment  income. Try to get redistricting studied and tabled for 2024 Convention, especially  now how we will be voting at convention – hurts bigger lodges like Lodge 88, Houston.
—Thanks,
Bradley Stavinoha
Lodge 81, Needville

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From the July 13, 2020 Vestnik – pages 19 and 20
June 14, 2020
Recommendations to By-Law Committee for 2020 SPJST Convention
Please see the attached recommendations for the upcoming SPJST Convention. These recommendations are being submitted by a group of SPJST Lodge 88, Houston delegates. Thank you to the By-Law Committee for serving. We look forward to seeing your recommendations to the Convention.

Proposed Recommendations for 2020 Convention
Article VI Section 12 (f) – Convention/Purpose
– Add to the end of the sentence: Decide what donations will be made to various charities and educational institutions, etc. based on the financial performance of the Society of the year of disbursement.
– Rationale: If the Society is not performing profitably, then either need to reduce or withhold disbursement. It is best to limit the amount of disbursements versus having an open amount.

Article VI Section 14 – Convention / Special Conventions
– Add the underlined portion to the fourth sentence: A call for a Special Convention shall be deposited in the United States mail or multiple forms of media currently in practice for commerce at least 30 days prior to the convening of such Special Convention, addressed to each delegate at his/her last known address or email address as shown by the records of SPJST.
– Rationale: US mail is close but not an accurate form of communication. It should state that communications and notice will be given via multiple methods currently in practice for commerce.

Article VI Section 20 (b) – Convention/Discussions
– Add the underlined to the first sentence of the proposed amendment. – No motion to change by-laws or amendment thereto can be presented to the Convention unless the motion or amendment thereto has been discussed and approved by a lodge and submitted to any member of the Convention Committee, with copy of the approved lodge minutes indicating the decision, not later than 60 days prior to the Convention so that the Committee could study such motion or amendment and deliver its opinion.
– Rationale: This will ensure there was a proper discussion with members at a meeting, and a true approval by the membership.

Article VII Section 26 (i) – Convention Committee / Duties
– Remove language: The Supreme Lodge will determine if copies will be printed or available digitally and will provide copies to lodges and members upon request. – Replace with: The Supreme Lodge will make the newly adopted by-laws available electronically to all members or to the public at their discretion
– Rationale: Members should be able to have access to the rules that govern them without having to request them. Can be made publicly available or behind a password protected site.

Article VIII Section 32 – Lodge Delegate Elections / Votes
– Remove language – Replace with: A lodge represented by its delegate or delegates is entitled to one vote for every adult member. Delegates from each lodge shall divide their lodge’s votes equally among themselves. In the event the votes do not divide equally among its delegates, the extra votes shall be assigned proportionally to all of the lodge’s delegates. (Example: A lodge with 4 delegates and 405 votes would result in each delegate having 101.25 votes).
– Rationale: Delegates are voted to represent the entire lodge membership; therefore, the existing voting allocation should remain in place.

Article IX Section 37 – Supreme Lodge / Composition
– Remove President as a voting member of Supreme Lodge, and add the position to be hired
– Recommendation to reword: The Supreme Lodge shall be composed of the seven elected directors (one from each of the seven districts). The officers (President, who is hired by the directors, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Vice President of Communications, Chief Financial Officer, and Controller) shall serve as non-voting members of the Supreme Lodge. The Supreme Lodge shall have the authority to provide rules and regulations for the extension and development of SPJST and shall have all other necessary and incidental powers to carry out the objectives of SPJST and such other duties as prescribed by these by-laws.
– Rationale: An effective board is a board of odd number versus even number. Should there be a tie, how does the Society progress?

Article IX Section 40 (as proposed) – Supreme Lodge / Supreme Lodge Chair
– Remove language: “however they may not be successive”
– Rationale: Excessively burdensome. If someone is doing a good job and the rest of the directors want them to stay in office, why force a change? This position needs to have someone who knows parliamentary procedure and is a leader who can lead a group.

Article X Section 53 (c) – Supreme Lodge Officers / Officer Requirements
– Add to end of sentence: Home Office agent to forfeit commission.
– Rationale: Who gets to write the policy? This would minimize this question by requiring the Home Office be the agent without commission.

Article XV Section 71 – Local Lodges / Charter Withdrawal
– At the end of the first sentence, add the following: “and the Society agrees with such determination by the Supreme Lodge. Such agreement shall be demonstrated via a majority vote at the next Convention or via calling a Special Convention as outlined in these bylaws.”
– Rationale: Withdrawing a charter should not be left to seven officials. That should be determined by the entire Society.

Article XV Section 76 – Local Lodges / Lodge Dues
– Remove the following language: – First sentence “at the annual meeting”
– Reword the last sentence: “Dues are to be paid to and according to the direction of the lodge treasurer.”
– Rationale: If local lodges are allowed to determine their dues they should also be allowed to determine how they are approved and when they are due.

Article XXV (c) (as proposed)
– Reword: Grievances at a district or state level should be directed to the Supreme Lodge Chairman – or if the Supreme Lodge Chairman is being cited – to the Supreme Lodge Vice Chairman
– Remove: President.
– Rationale: If approved, President will be a hired position and not an elected one.
—Melissa Victorick Brown
Adam Curley
Alex D’Ambrosio
John Douglass
Ryan Epps
Jeffery Hickl
Jason Homrighaus
Janice Jahns
Wallace Jahns
Ashley Victorick

• • • • •

June 14, 2020
Rigamonti Proposed Lodge By-Law Amendments
Article V Section 9 (a) (5) – Membership Classes / Adult Member
– Remove last part: and shall not be required to pay annual dues or assessment.
– Rationale: Local lodges should be allowed to determine who pays what dues and assessments.

Article VII Section 26 (h) – Convention Committee / Duties
– Remove language: The Supreme Lodge will determine if copies will be printed or available digitally and will provide copies to lodges and members upon request.
– Replace with: The Supreme Lodge will make the newly adopted by-laws available electronically to all members or to the public at their discretion.
– Rationale: Members should be able to have access to the rules that govern them without having to request them. Can be made publicly available or behind a password protected site.

Article VIII Section 31 (b) – Lodge Delegate Election / Number of Delegates per Lodge
– Delete this section.
– Rationale: Excessively tedious. Determination of delegate count should come at the time of the annual meeting. Ignores that some additions may be because members transferred in which case you would also need to logically deduct delegates from other lodges

Article VII Section 34 (c) – Lodge Delegate Election / Delegate Requirements
– Delete and replace with “Lodges shall determine any other participation based requirements as they see fit.”
– Rationale: We have plenty of members who are very involved but cannot make monthly meetings. In many cases, they are married to other members and one goes to meetings while the other takes care of the kids. They are still very much actively involved in the lodge, its committees, and informed of lodge activities, they just cannot make the official meetings.

Article IX Section 40 (as proposed) – Supreme Lodge / Supreme Lodge Chair
– Remove language: “however they may not be successive”
– Rationale: Excessively burdensome. If someone is doing a good job and the rest of the directors want them to stay in office, why force a change?

Article X Section 53 (a) (as proposed) and (c) – Supreme Lodge Officers / Officer Requirements
– Remove both
– Rationale: If these are hired personnel and they are required to buy life insurance, this could be construed as a form of rebating. i.e. you get this job but you have to buy at least $50K of life insurance.

Article XV Section 71 – Local Lodges / Charter Withdrawal
– At the end of the first sentence, add the following: “and the Society agrees with such determination by the Supreme Lodge. Such agreement shall be demonstrated via a majority vote at the next Convention or via calling a Special Convention as outlined in these bylaws.”
– Rationale: Withdrawing a charter should not be left to seven officials. That should be determined by the entire Society

Article XV Section 74 – Local Lodges / Lodge Meetings
– Replace first sentence with: Local lodges must conduct meetings at least quarterly so as to remain in good standing and have authority to elect delegates to the Convention.
– Rationale: This is consistent with the legal requirement. Time and resources committed to meetings could be used in more fraternal and charitable purposes.

Article XV Section 76 – Local Lodges / Lodge Dues
Remove the following language:
– First sentence: “at the annual meeting”
– Last sentence in its entirety: “Dues are to be paid to the treasurer before or at the end of the regular business meeting:
– Rationale: If local lodges are allowed to determine their dues, they should also be allowed to determine how they are approved and when they are due.

Article XXV (c) (as proposed)
– Grievances at a district or state level should be directed to the Supreme Lodge Chairman, not the President.
– Rationale: If approved, President will be a hired position and not an elected one.
—Aaron Rigamonti Lodge 88, Houston

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Dear By-Law Committee,
We would like to submit this recommendation to the by-laws for the 33rd SPJST Convention: In the event that the Supreme Lodge proposal (corporate governance) does not pass, we would like to recommend that the Editor/Director of Communication serve as a non-voting Supreme Lodge officer and be referred to as Vice President of Communications.
—Fraternally,
SPJST Publication Committee
Floyd Kostelka, Chairman
Regina House, Secretary
Tammy Cannon
Lynda Novak
Sharon Hohmann
Lorenda Baldwin
Helen Kelner

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Article X Supreme Lodge Officers Section 53.
Officer Requirements. To be a Supreme Lodge officer, an individual must meet the following requirements:
(g) No Supreme Lodge officer or his/her spouse can receive commissions for services as a sales agent.
(g) delete the words – or his/her spouse, and leave remaining of sentence.
Reason: Sales are welcome and encouraged from district directors who are Supreme Lodge members so it should not be a conflict for spouses to serve as sales agents.
—Lisa Bubela
Lodge 30, Taiton

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