AGM 2010

Minutes

AGM 2010

Minutes
Annual General Meeting AIVS
Ischgl, Austria
19th March 2010
Chairman: Peter Lamont
President: Thomas Hölzenbein

1. New National Representatives: Marc Pope was welcomed as the new Canadian national representative to replace Michael Ameli. Michael was thanked for his many years of service to the AIVS organisation. The Chairman also noted that Roberto Pacchioni had agreed to take over from Giancarlo Bracale as the Italian representative.
2. Minutes of AGM Jackson Hole 13th March 2009. The minutes, published on the AIVS website, were accepted as a correct record of the meeting.
3. Report from Executive Committee. The Jackson Hole meeting had run at a surplus, but the meeting had been supported by around $15000 of sponsorship. Such sponsorship had not been possible in Ischgl because of new rules governing European companies’ participation in scientific meetings, which excluded sponsorship in sporting venues. This loss of sponsorship had been made up in Ischgl by a surcharge of €60 per person, to cover the cost of dinner, drinks, coffee breaks and social events. This cost was offset by the hotel arrangements of room and breakfast only. A discussion was held on whether the registration fee for future meetings should be increased. The Executive had agreed that future meetings would be held in a single conference hotel, with half board arrangements for dinner, where there would be no need to pay for a conference organiser as the hotel should be able to provide in house event management. Events such as dinner in a mountain restaurant and a special gala dinner would add around €450 to the registration fee, whereas a meeting with more limited entertainment and dining in the hotel every night under a half board arrangement would add around €100 to the registration fee in the absence of sponsorship. The members present voted unanimously in favour of a more limited meeting with an increase of up to €100 in registration fee. 
   
   The Executive had discussed the possibility of applying for CME credits from the UEMS, but noted that the cost would be around €1000, which would also increase the registration fee. Members present agreed not to apply for CME credits. (Post meeting note – under new rules agreed in April 2010, EACCME credits would be available based on the number of participants, not the hours applied for, and this would reduce the fee for AIVS to around €100, raising the possibility of credits for the next meeting at a much lower price. These credits would also be accepted in the USA). 
   
   The Executive had unanimously elected Mark Adelman as AIVS President for 2012. Markus Furrer had agreed to arrange the 2012 meeting in Switzerland and would bring a report on the proposed venue to the next meeting. (Post meeting note – following an offer at the end of the meeting, the Executive had agreed that Philippe Gutwirth would organise the 2013 meeting in France).
   
   
4. Publication of presentations/abstracts. A further discussion regarding the publication of the meeting powerpoint presentations on the AIVS website was held and it was agreed that the presentations would not be published on the website. Any member who wished to obtain a copy of a presentation could do so by application to the Chairman, who would contact the presenter for permission. Members encouraged the Chairman to explore the possibility of publication of the meeting abstracts.
5. Report on Ischgl. In the absence of the local organiser, Thomas Schmitz-Rixen, the President Thomas Hölzenbein reported that the meeting had been a great success, with a very high standard of papers presented and a record number of entries for the Finlandia Prize. Professor Schmitz-Rixen was thanked in absentia. The meeting was currently predicted to run at a small loss due to the lack of sponsorship.
6. Report on next meeting. The next meeting was planned for March 2011 in Andorra at the Sport Hotels Resort & Spa, although the exact dates were still under consideration. The venue was a complex of 3 hotels within a single group, where there was undercover communication between the buildings and a choice of different levels of expense for rooms. Juan Guilleuma gave a short presentation on the merits of the venue.
7. Date of next meeting. The next AGM would be held on 11th or 18th March 2011.