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2024 Suri Network Election |
Welcome to the online information center for the 2024 Suri Network Board of Trustees Election! Here you will find information on each of the candidates running for a seat on the Board of Trustees, as well as an outline of the electronic voting process. Below the Trustee Job Description, you will find this year's Trustee Candidate Statements. More information on how and when to vote will also be emailed directly to each member by Simply Voting, the organization managing our election process.
This year we have 4 candidates running for 2 Suri Network Board of Trustee positions, each with 3 year terms. The 2024 candidates for the Board election are Cathy Crawford, Chris Fredericks, Leslie Rebtoy, and Scott Shelhart. Karen Ball, Randy Brealey, Nikki Griffith, Candy McMahan, and Laurel Shouvlin, will be returning to the Board. The terms of Beth Sheets and Liz Vahlkamp are ending and they are unable to run again due to term limits.
Scroll down to view the 2024 Suri Network Board Trustee Candidates' statements. Members will be notified when the electronic vote opens mid June. Links to vote will be included in that email. Votes must be cast within 2 weeks of the start of the vote. Results will be tabulated and announced shortly after the voting period is completed. Please watch for the upcoming election email.
Suri Network Board of Trustees – Trustee Job Description
The Suri Network, is a 501(c)(5) organization, governed by a seven member Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees has legal responsibility for all activities of the organization. Responsibilities of Board members include, but are not limited to:
- Understand and make financial decisions for the organization.
- Provide consideration of and decision-making concerning proposed policies and activities.
- Prepare budgets for specific areas of responsibilities.
- Assume coordination of specific projects, which could include:
a. Planning and implementing the annual Suri Network Symposium and Fleece Show
b. Serving as editor for PurelySuri magazine, including solicitation of articles, editing, and layout and recruitment/coordination of advertising volunteers
c. Planning and coordinating fundraising eventsd.Planning and conducting the annual membership drive
e. Ensuring that promotional materials are current and available
f. Maintaining the Suri Network website
g. Planning and coordinating Suri Network educational webinars
h. Preparing Suri Network membership newsletters, news briefs, and email blasts
i. Serving as liaison with the Suri Network Product Development Committee
j. Coordinating and leading Suri Network Rallies at various alpaca shows
k. Ensuring that the Suri Network Members Facebook Group and Suri Network Facebook page are active and up to date
I. Soliciting donations for Suri Network auctions and events
m. Serving as liaison with the Suri Herd Improvement Program committee
n. Serving as liaison with the Branding Committee
o. Managing Suri Network Intellectual Property - Assist in implementation of above stated projects.
- Represent the Suri Network to members and non-members.
The following skills and abilities are desired: - leadership skills
- strong and positive communication skills
- decision making skills
- computer literacy
- social networking
- marketing skills
- ability to relate in a constructive way with a wide variety of people
The estimated time commitment for members of the Board is approximately 15-20 hours per month. In addition, the Board holds regular monthly meetings via conference call. Potential Board members should be aware that there is and will be no financial remuneration for their work on the Board.
2024 Suri Network Board of Trustees Candidates' Statements
The Trustee Candidates were asked the following questions:
1. In your opinion what makes the suri breed unique and marketable?
2. What do you feel you bring to the Suri Network Board that would enhance and strengthen the Suri Network's support of Suri breeders?
3. If you had one sentence to summarize your potential contribution to the Suri Network, what would it be?
4. What would you like the Suri Network to look like in 3 years and how will you help it get there?
5. What is one strength of the Suri Network that you feel should be built upon and how can you help do that?
6. What is one challenge that the Suri Network faces and how do you believe you can help to address it?
7. What skills or experience do you feel you have that could be a benefit to the Suri Network board?
| CATHY CRAWFORD First let me introduce myself. I am Cathy Crawford. My husband, Luke, and I own and operate Honey Maple Farms in Luthersburg, PA. 2024 marks our 5th year of Suri ownership and we have grown our herd from 2 to 80+ in a short time! Our decision to exclusively own Suri alpacas was based on their beauty and elegance. There is nothing more stunning, than a Suri in full fleece! In my opinion, it is the Suri fleece that makes the breed unique and marketable. The feel of the fleece and the products made from it, is soft, lays beautifully on the body (both on and off the animal) and is durable. If I am elected to the board, I will bring the perspective of a new breeder who is learning. As such, I want to connect with other new breeders who may have some of the same questions that I did and need guidance. I am an astute learner, and I would like to be able share what I have learned and to help people make connections with others in the organization. When I decided to join the Suri Network, I didn ’t really know what the organization was about. I was advised to join, but I was not sure why. I would like to be able to speak to new breeders about the benefits of membership. I would like to encourage them use their fleece and to learn about the product that their animals are producing. These are challenges I encountered and likely ones that others have faced as well. One strength of the Suri Network is the wealth of information available from its members! This can also be a challenge in some ways. The challenge is making that information available to everyone in the organization. As a former educator, I will assist and support efforts to make this happen. Some of my skills and experience I will bring to the board include: ability to work with others, love of learning, previous educator experience, customer service skills, desire to bring people together for a common purpose. At the end of my term, I would like to have helped the Suri Network membership grow, and I would like to have played a role in its members producing great fiber and using it. Thank you for your consideration. |
| Chris Fredericks In your opinion what makes the suri breed unique and marketable? What do you feel you bring to the Suri Network Board that would enhance and strengthen the Suri Network's support of Suri breeders? If you had one sentence to summarize your potential contribution to the Suri Network, what would it be? What would you like the Suri Network to look like in 3 years and how will you help it get there?Retain and build membership, and expanded outlets for suri fiber with the Suri Network maintaining itself as the worlds foremost suri alpaca organization. We should continue generating interest and familiarity with the breed, hopefully creating demand for the animals themselves, and for the fiber they produce. What is one strength of the Suri Network that you feel should be built upon and how can you help do that? What is one challenge that the Suri Network faces and how do you believe you can help to address it? What skills or experience do you feel you have that could be a benefit to the Suri Network board? |
| Leslie Rebtoy In your opinion what makes the Suri breed unique and marketable? What do you feel you bring to the Suri Network Board that would enhance and strengthen the Suri Network's support of Suri breeders? If you had one sentence to summarize your potential contribution to the Suri Network, what would it be? What would you like the Suri Network to look like in 3 years and how will you help it get there? What is one strength of the Suri Network that you feel should be built upon and how can you help do that? What is one challenge that the Suri Network faces and how do you believe you can help to address it? What skills or experience do you feel you have that could be a benefit to the Suri Network board? |
| Scott Shelhart 1. The Suri breed is unique in many different ways. One of its unique attributes is how we 2. As a fairly new breeder, I believe that I will bring new ideas forward to the board. I am dedicated and strongly passionate about the Suri breed. In addition, I am willing to help improve the Suri breed with the help of fellow breeders. 3. I ’m ready to learn more about the Suri breed and I ’m not afraid to face challenges. 4. I would like to see the Suri Network in 3 years at a strong standing point. More opportunities for everyone that is enhanced with education at a whole new level. We need more enthusiastic breeders that will uplift the network to keep it moving forward. 5. The fiber side of the industry and how we can improve its production, but also, getting more people involved in the opportunities the Suri Network offers. If we get more people involved in the membership side of things, the more our industry and breed will flourish. I believe encouraging and promoting will be the best thing we can do to grow the industry. 6. Again, restating back to question 5. The Suri network faces a membership struggle. Of course, we have an amazing group of breeders that are already a member in the network, but more thoughts and ideas from more members would improve our network. Encourage our fellow breeders to take advantage of the opportunities available and get involved. 7. Some of the skills I would present to the board would be my hardworking and dedicated mindset. Working with people that share the same interest in something as me makes the most of it. I ’m very excited to watch the network grow in the coming years. |
