NEC North American Dealers Association
Council Meeting Minutes
January 17, 1998, Chicago, Illinois

Council Members Present: Maureen Gaynor, Art Weinrach, Vito Marrone, Tim Madden, Suzanne Sherrod, Steve Autor, Ron Brennan, Mark Lynn, Mike Ellis. Absent: Ken Newell

Call to Order: Maureen Gaynor at 8:15 a.m.

1. Minutes of September meeting. Mike Ellis moved to approve minutes but change all references to Ken in the minutes to Ken Jones. Motion passed.

2. Treasurer's Report: Art Weinrach, Treasurer gave the Treasurer's Report.
Balance of $90,300.35 Note: Error of $3500.00 in March 1997 report has been corrected in the January 1998 report. Steve moves to postpone approval on budget until we receive final copy via email and vote to accept via email. Motion passed.

3. Discussion ensued regarding fund allocation for 1998:
- Art noted that over $2200.00 represents 1998 dues
- Exhibit at Users Group in Las Vegas, April 1998 - Hand out directories, talk to dealers
- NADA Brochure
- RCR Assn. Mgmt.

4. Discussion regarding meeting with NEC at CTI March 1998.

5. Financial Secretary - Gladys, our in-house administrator, is working 8-10 hrs per week at $12/hour. Duties; probable that the volume of work will be as much as 16 hrs./week, but cyclical.

Unfinished Business:

1. Training Committee - report from Mark Lynn.

Dealers did not hear about the NEC free training and Master Tech training programs in time to schedule attendees (October 1998). The second course starts third week of January and Maureen and Tim will monitor and report on outcome.

Two issues re NEC Training/Master Tech Program:
A. What is the content of curriculum?
B. Is the curriculum addressing the intention of the program?

  • Community/technical college training programs.
  • Maureen will attend BCIT Advisory Committee Meeting, Vancouver in May.
  • BCIT will graduate a class in May;
  • Take the Telecom portion of the BCIT course and duplicate it (NEC partner in education) at other community colleges and technical schools.
  • Current programs will graduate over 100 students in 1998.
  • Discussion regarding getting the NADA members and the graduates connected with respect to recruiting and job placement.

    Key Telephone Systems - report by Ron Brennan

  • Reviewed cost comparison of 120, Level IIA and Level II.
  • Recommend NEC provide a "package" price for a 120 in order for dealers to compete in key system market;
  • NEC still needs a new key system product;
  • NEC will enhance software upon receipt of survey from NADA members;
  • clarify with NEC what is the demarcation between key and pbx vis-a-vis the NEAX 1000;
  • We are trying to deliver a strategy to the dealer base.

    Art Weinrach moved that a priority of the Council is to get NEC to LISTEN to the Council and Membership; keep promises about contacting the committees; communicate their direction, strategy.
    Motion passed.

    3. PBX- no further discussion.

    4. Multi Location Agreement - no report.

    5. Internet -Steve Autor submitted Membership Directory as it appears on Internet, sorted by name, sorted by zip/postal code. Members can print on demand.

  • Demo'd how to edit/read the Dealer Record.
  • Presented Web Site pages in order of popularity.
  • Art moved to put this info in the next Newsletter. Motion passed.
  • Email broadcast to principals will be set up by Jan. 23/98
  • nventory database (Items for sale items stay for 90 days; seller can click to renew)
  • Posting of resumes for techs graduating from BCIT, North Lake, etc.:

    Tim moved that a web-site help-wanted application for technicians seeking employment be password protected and password provided only to the institutions with whom we are working. Motion passed.

    Mike Ellis moved to allocate more funds to the improvement of the website, as it is the prime resource for Members. Vito amended that funds be allocated to the improvement of the website and that Steve Autor be compensated for the time he devotes to nadealer.com., and that Council develop a webmaster backup plan in the event Steve should be unable to carry out these duties. Motion passed.

  • Administration of website databases: Steve will bring scope of work to March meeting.

    6. Dispatch Account Software Review: Report by Tim Madden. ATI having problems with release of software.

  • Met with Computerland to look at their fully integrated system, proprietary to Computerland franchises and is not for sale.
  • Concern with Phonebizz and their progress with Windows; suspect they are at 3.1. Tim has talked to approximately 50 dealers and no one has indicated that they have an integrated system they are pleased with.
  • NADA membership should be able to commission a software development available to the members and ultimately salable to other interconnects. Ron Brennan suggest Member survey card at Annual Mtg.

    7. Membership
    Vito moved newly added NEC dealers can become NADA members for an introductory $100 for the balance of the current calendar year and receive full membership benefits. Motion passed.

    8. Lamarche - Mike Ellis researched LaMarche and moved we reject their offer on basis of unfavorable pricing. Motion passed.

    9. Tim moved that we purchase Liability Insurance and allocate $1200.00/annum. Motion passed.

    10. Review of By-Law Changes

    Ron B. moved to reinstate regions. Motion was defeated.
    Tim moved to clarify that US is open--no regions--with 2 votes allowed and to retain Canada only as a distinct region with 1 vote allowed. Motion passed.
    Art moved to rescind that dealer council members be limited to two consecutive full terms. Debate ensued. Motion was defeated.
    New Business:

    1. Steve moved to accept new Mission Statement. Motion passed.
    2. Steve moved to approve welcome letter for new board members. Motion passed.
    3. Steve moved to accept By-Laws Proposed Policy #4 - Requirements for NADA Board of Directors. Motion passed. Tim moved to amend Item 3 to:

  • Only one person per member company can hold office on the Board of Directors at a given time. Amendment passed.
    4. Executive Committee (officers) and Committee Chair Responsibilities was deferred to the Council President

    5. Steve moved to accept RCR proposal beginning Feb 1/98 for period of year at a rate per annum. Debate ensued.

  • Art reviewed his evaluation of RCR's proposal.
  • All agreed to outsource, but analyze in house administrator versus RCR.
  • Pros for RCR: their track record with NEC User's Group (their largest customer);
  • Familiarity with our industry.
  • Concerns: What tasks belong to RCR and how will they execute them? Any conflict of interest with User's Group/NEC?

    Steve moved to amend motion to accept RCR proposal beginning Feb. 1/98 for a period of one year at a rate not to exceed $1,250.00 per month plus incidental expenses not to exceed $3K per annum and to give Council Executive Committee the power to evaluate, negotiate tasks and rates with RCR with Council retaining financial control; and ultimately evaluating RCR performance. Motion passed.

    Vito moved we accept the following agenda items to present to NEC at CTI: Motion passed.

    Agenda for NEC/NADA Council Meeting at CTI, March 1998:
    1. Elite/E Series Terminal Problem
    2. Special Package Discount (50%) for PRO120 (for 1 PIM sales)
    3. Replace Son of Shit Mail in product line
    4. Single terminal for all systems
    5. BCS Spinoff - stop competing with dealers
    6. Exclusive NEC dealers program
    7. Dealer Survey Results
    8. Provide competitive info
    9. Software upgrade program (affordable so dealers can sell with annual maintenance)
    10. Label software w/req. for OS, RAM, Hardware, & Advertising
    11. Matworx Upgrade FREE to MW32
    12. 90 Day lead time for all price increases
    13. Sales Incentive Program for Principals (e.g.: key system percentage credit rebate)
    14. Where are the leads generated from 800TEAM NEC, NEC Web going? 15. Continuing reports required

    7. Marketing Proposal: (Gant & Donald)

  • Steve moved to accept marketing proposal not exceed $10K and to develop, name, logo, equity line and brochure which the Association will own. Motion passed.

  • Marketing Committee: Tim and Maureen.

    Tim moved to accept Strategic Goals and Short Term goals. Motion passed.

    Meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m.