It might be surprising to some, but PDA has not updated its bylaws in 20 years. As a result, there were items included in the bylaws that are no longer required and some of the provisions no longer comply with legal requirements.

Therefore, we undertook a long-overdue revision of the PDA bylaws in order to make them compliant with legal requirements, to help PDA be more effective in its governance and to better represent the PDA community today and into the future.

The updates to the bylaws were developed by a Committee convened specifically for this purpose. The Committee includes a cross-section of members that represents the diverse interests of PDA’s international membership.  The PDA Board of Directors is in unanimous and wholehearted support for these changes.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to Chair this Committee and to have been involved with this important initiative that will improve PDA’s ability to better serve its membership.  And, I encourage you to vote to modernize the PDA bylaws to enable PDA to become more efficient and better serve its members.

The Bylaws Committee has done an excellent job of making updates and revisions to the Bylaws to bring them into compliance with legal requirements, to modernize them and to improve PDA’s effectiveness.   The PDA Board of Directors is in unanimous and wholehearted support for these changes.

Consideration and voting on the proposed changes will be a multi-phase process.

The proposed changes were announced on April 3 at the 2017 PDA Annual Meeting. They will be voted on by the PDA membership during the months of May and June. However, to ensure that there is clear understanding among members regarding the proposed changes, there will be an “Education Period” between April and June, providing members with multiple opportunities to ask questions and seek clarification on these changes.

PDA has created a website, pda.org/bylaws, where the changes are explained in detail. This page also includes a form you can complete to submit questions regarding the bylaws.

In addition, we will be hosting three informational online “Town Hall” meetings, where the bylaws changes and the rationale behind each will be discussed by the Committee members themselves and members will have the opportunity to submit questions in real time. These meetings will be scheduled at different times of day so that our members around the world will be able to participate in one of the meetings during their normal business hours.

Further explanations of the proposed bylaws changes will be communicated through the PDA Connector weekly e-newsletter, PDA Letter and dedicated emails.

Voting will commence on May 1 and conclude on June 30. The results will be reported in July.

I encourage you to visit the website and attend a virtual Town Hall meeting to learn as much as you can about the proposed bylaws changes.

And, I encourage you to vote to modernize the PDA bylaws to enable PDA to become more efficient and better serve its members.

I am Deborah Autor and I served on the PDA Bylaws Committee. I am pleased to have worked with such a diverse and dedicated group to bring necessary updates to PDA’s bylaws. Enabling PDA to operate more efficiently and to better represent the needs of all of its members was a primary goal of these changes, and these revisions achieve this important goal.

One of the most significant changes under the new bylaws is that the Board of Directors will now include three appointed directors – one appointed per year – and nine elected Directors, instead of 12 elected Directors. This change is designed to permit PDA to ensure that underrepresented segments of PDA’s membership are included on the Board of Directors.

For the appointed position, each year, the Board’s Nominating Committee will recommend a candidate slate, and the Director will be appointed by a majority vote of the Board.

The Board will continue to include the elected Officers of the Association and the Immediate Past Chair. Each Board member will serve a three-year term, meaning that each year, three Directors will be elected, and one will be appointed. In all, 25% of the Board will be appointed and 75% of the Board will be elected.

This change to the bylaws is critical to ensuring that PDA is able to recognize and address the needs of all of its member segments.

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the proposed bylaws changes and how they will benefit you as a member and PDA as a whole. And please vote to approve these important updates.

I am Georg Roessling and I participated on the PDA Bylaws Committee. I was happy to serve with a knowledgeable and experienced group of PDA members to undertake the important task of updating PDA’'s bylaws.

The proposed changes simplify processes and improve PDA’s governance. These changes are not only necessary but also beneficial to the efficiency and effectiveness of PDA in representing its members.

One important change is to reduce the notice required for Board special meetings from 14 days to two. This also makes it possible for the Board to address issues quickly and for “emergency” actions. This is not possible under the current bylaws and, as a result, has hindered the Board’s decision making in some instances.

Other changes designed to modernize the Board’'s rules regarding meetings include allowing electronic correspondence to and consultation of Board members, and removing the requirement to hold a business-like proceeding at the Annual Meeting, which is not required by law.

These changes will enable the Board to act more swiftly and to integrate widely accepted modern technology, such as email, into the governance process.

I am fully behind these important changes and encourage you to support them as well.

I am Masahiro Akimoto and I was a member of the PDA Bylaws Committee. It was a privilege to serve on this important Committee, convened to do the important job of bringing PDA’s bylaws into compliance with current laws.

I am confident that this Committee has made all changes with the best interest of PDA’s varied members in mind, and I support the changes.

PDA has proposed changes to the bylaws that clarify and allow for more efficient governance, while maintaining ever-important checks and balances.

In addition, the revisions will align the bylaws with current Board of Directors governance practice.  Most important, the bylaw revisions will bring PDA’s bylaws into compliance with DC law.

Compliance with regulations and requirements is a hallmark of our industry, and it is no different for our association. It is imperative that we are operating efficiently and in compliance with all appropriate regulations.

I encourage you to learn more about the proposed changes to the bylaws and to vote in favor of them to support the modernization and legal compliance of PDA.

I am Russ Madsen and I served on the PDA Bylaws Committee. As a former staff member and Honorary Member, I am pleased to have worked with such a diverse and dedicated group to bring necessary updates to PDA’s bylaws. Enabling PDA to operate more efficiently and to better represent the needs of all of its members was a primary goal of these changes, and these revisions achieve this important goal.

PDA as an organization has a long history, and over time, it has evolved to best serve its members.  Continuing to adapt to meet member needs is critical as our organization expands globally.

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with the proposed bylaws changes and how they will benefit you as a member and PDA as a whole. And please vote to approve these important updates.