How SAM is Governed, (From the President)

The Society of Antique Modelers came into existence in 1968/69. In the mid 1970’s it was incorporated in New Jersey as a not for profit corporation. It has a 501[c] [4] tax exemption letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service and also has a tax exemption letter issued by New Jersey. A 501[c] [4] non profit corporation is a membership organisation. Its income is tax exempt, but donations to it are not deductible for federal income.
SAM is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board of Directors consists of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer and four regional Vice Presidents; Eastern, Midwestern, Rocky Mountain and Western. The current officers of SAM can be seen above, or in the current issue of SAMSpeaks
Officers are elected for two year terms. The Treasurer, and the Eastern and Midwestern Vice Presidents are elected in odd numbered years. Anyone wishing to nominate candidate for anyone of those offices should submit the nomination to the President of SAM not later than January 31st.
The President, the Secretary, and the Rocky Mountain and Western Vice Presidents are elected in even numbered years. Newly elected or re-elected officers get installed at the annual SAM Champs each year. Most of the business of SAM gets conducted at the annual SAM Champs. There is an Annual Membership meeting at each SAM Champs where members can vote on matters governing the corporation. In a sense, the annual membership meeting of a non profit corporation is like a stockholder’s meeting for a publicly traded company. The agenda for the Annual Membership Meeting is posted at the SAM Champs, and on the SAM Website shortly before each Champs. The Board of Directors also holds an annual Director’s meeting at each SAM Champs. Most of the Board’s business is transacted at that meeting. The Board also as the ability to conduct a meeting, if necessary, via conference call or by e-mail. The Board can act by unanimous written consent without a meeting.
The principal business activities of SAM are the publication of SAM Speaks, the Web Page and conducting an Annual SAM Championships. SAM Speaks is a very high quality model magazine, published 6 times a year, and sent to full members of the Society of Antique Modelers. Packages to overseas SAM chapters in countries such as England, Australia and Italy.
In years past the SAM Championships was rotated around the country on a four year cycle with the Championships being conducted in each of the four SAM regions. The SAM Regional Vice President for the particular region had oversight of the SAM Champs conducted in his region. Difficulties in finding a suitable Champs location mean that we will probably rotate our SAM Champs on a two year cycle, one year in Muncie, Indiana and the next year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The current Official Rule Book, contains the Constitution and Bylaws of SAM and a clear statement of all SAM Rules for Competition.

Contact the Committee from this page, or just chat with other SAM members through the New SAM Talk, the SAM official message board.