NCBEA Report
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The North Central Business Education Association held their spring meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 2002. President Joyce McGrath distributed "bunny ears" and Easter candy to board members as she called the meeting to order.

Key Issues Discussed at Spring Board Meeting

Several key issues were discussed. First, Sharon Fisher-Larson, executive director, submitted her resignation as of March 1, 2002. The board regretfully accepted her resignation. A motion was passed to table any further executive director discussion until spring 2003. Next, it was announced that John Little, Indiana, will serve as the NBEA president when the north central region hosts the NBEA convention in 2004 at Chicago. It was also announced that the 2006 NBEA convention will be held April 12-15 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The two sites in the running to host the 2007 NBEA convention are New York and Boston. NBEA was last in New York in the year 1997, while Boston last hosted in 1992.

Voting for NCBEA open positions will be conducted via the Internet. Members should download the form, complete it, and mail it to the individual indicated on the ballot. Each vote will require an NBEA membership number which will be verified against the current NBEA membership list. Running for NCBEA president-elect is Matt Hankins, Indiana. Running for NBEA representative is Kimberly Schultz, Iowa. Both positions will be three-year terms.

Although some discussion was held concerning the NBEA representative position descriptions, no final action was taken. It is anticipated that one representative will be responsible for membership while the other representative will take care of administrative-type duties. Duties and responsibilities for each representative will be determined at the board retreat.

Always an issue, funding influenced two decisions. First, preliminary research indicated that financing an NCBEA board meeting and convention in Wausau, Wisconsin, this fall would be cost prohibitive. After much discussion, the board voted to meet in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 9 and 10 for a board retreat instead of in Wisconsin. Several by-law changes, position descriptions, and committee goals need to be discussed. The retreat format will provide ample time to examine issues and make informed decisions. The 2002 NCBEA award winners will still be determined this summer with the presentation of the award’s logistics to be determined while at the retreat.

It was also decided to continue with the publication of another computer applications activity packet. Strong sales from the first publication indicated the need our members have for this type of material. Each state is asked to submit three activities. If you have an activity you would like to have published see the information included in this newsletter or contact me for information. Authors are asked to tie the activity to one of the NBEA standards. Sale proceeds from the publication will be placed in our general fund.

The north central region was well represented at the NBEA awards luncheon held on Friday, March 29. Ethel Holladay, Illinois, won the secondary teacher of the year award, while Joanne Newcomer, Missouri, was named the state supervisor of the year. Five of the 13 stipends awarded to first-time convention attendees were supported by our region including those given to our own Johnny Hurley, Emmetsburg, and Linda Slusher, Solon. Our region also represented six of the 14 state president-elects attending the leadership workshop sponsored by NBEA. Iowa was represented by Pat Sheridan, Turkey Valley, Jackson Junction.

Now that the 2002 national and regional awards have been presented, it is time to solicit nominees for the 2003 awards. The nomination form, along with criteria information, for the regional awards is located in this newsletter. The only stringent requirements are that the nominee and nominator must be an NCBEA/NBEA member (membership number is required) and the nominee must be a potential candidate for the award both when nominated and when the award will be issued. The NBEA award program is run exactly like the regional award system (which is run just like our state award procedure!). Nomination forms for the national awards are found on the national organization web site, www.nbea.org.

Iowan Influence Felt at National Convention

Several Iowans attended the national convention. Marilyn Price, Cedar Rapids, served as the NBEA secretary/treasurer and a session coordinator. Barb Bielenberg, Sioux City, coordinated several computer workshops and was a liaison. Carol Casebolt, Muscatine, served as a liaison; and Kimberly Schultz, Lisbon, worked in the NBEA publications booth and served as the Policy Commission for Business and Economic Education past chair. Several excellent sessions were attended and social activities included trips to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, a hockey game, and a play.

If you’ve never attended an NBEA convention, now is the time to mark your calendar and start saving your money. The north central region will host the NBEA convention in Chicago, IL, on April 7-10, 2004. Several workers will be needed to serve as session presenters, coordinators, assistant coordinators, and liaisons, as well as on audiovisual services, decorations, hospitality, professional opportunities, and registration committees. Please say yes if you are asked to serve in one of these capacities or better yet, volunteer to serve! Networking and developing lasting friendships are two of the many benefits you experience when you attend a national convention

Iowa membership in NBEA has increased! Thank you very much for your support. We’ve gone from 146 members last fall to 163 members this spring. However, we are still 44 members short of the goal of 207 members that NBEA has set for us. Consider joining today (see the membership form in this issue) or be sure to renew when your membership is set to expire. If you’ve forgotten to write that check, and your membership has lapsed, don’t wait another day before renewing. Membership benefits begin the day your information is entered into the NBEA database at the national office.

Belonging to NBEA entitles you to a variety of wonderful benefits. First, NBEA prints numerous publications. The annual NBEA Yearbook will arrive in late May, just in time for some summer reading. You will also receive quarterly issues of the Business Education Forum magazine as well as several issues of Keying In, our membership newsletter. NBEA membership provides a $250,000 liability insurance coverage and the opportunity to increase that coverage to $1,000,000 for just $25 or to $2,000,000 for a mere $40. (Those are both annual payments, not monthly costs!)

Awards and scholarships can also be garnered and networking opportunities can be developed when attending regional and national conventions. (We’re heading to Dallas, Texas, next year!) Serving as a leader on one of the many boards or committees and voicing your opinion via a legislative initiative is also possible with an NBEA membership.

Your membership runs one year from the date it is received in the national office. So, you’ll never miss any benefits when you register as you’ll always experience a full year of membership. Role model your professionalism by becoming or remaining an NBEA/NCBEA member. Our students need your dedication and commitment to business education

As a final note, it has been a privilege to serve the Iowa business educator these past two years as the NCBEA representative. Our state organization is strong due to our innovative and caring members. I leave you in the capable hands of Beth Sindt, Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo. Beth will begin her term on July 1, 2002. Please continue to support our profession by paying your membership dues, volunteering to serve as a committee member or leader, and/or providing encouragement to your fellow business education instructors.

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