Update for Department Leadership Candidates 12.02.2020
The American Legion Department of Arizona issued new guidelines for the Leading Candidate. Upon election, the Leading Candidate shall assume the role and responsibilities of Membership Director for the ensuing year (the year immediately prior to his/her election as Department Commander).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Legion National Organization, through a resolution duly passed by the NEC, allowed all elected Officers to remain in their current positions, if able, for another year. The majority of the officers of the National Organization remained in office; some did not.
The American Legion Department of Arizona concurred with National’s decision and the DEC passed its own resolution consistent with National’s. The DEC also recognized that this would be an opportune time to change the process of how our Department Commander was elected and adopted election procedures similar to those used by the National Organization. The new procedures required (1) an expansion of the roles of the Committee on Committees and the Credentials Committee, and (2) new rules regarding the submission of a Candidates qualifications for review and consideration. Further details and other information may be found here.
Fall Conference Report 10.29.2020
October 29, 2020
Ken Queen
Department Commander
American Legion
Department of Arizona
The committee’s selection process to serve on the Committee on Committees & Credentials Committee is complete. Each of the following Legionnaires has agreed to serve on the following committees:
Credentials Committee: 2020-2021.
Area A: Past Vice CMD Robert Krumwiede (Chairman) (480) 229-8336 rkrumwiede@gmail.com
Past Vice CMD Manny Beltran
Dist. 2 CMD Steven Sperl
Area B: PDC Henry Branch (Chairman) 623-806-9421
branhen@cox.net
Dist. 11 CMD Roberta Kimelton
Dist. 12 Past Vice CMD Jesse Fernandez
Area C: Past Vice CMD Roger Ely (Chairman) (928)380-6027
juggy64@aol.com
Vice CMD John Timmons
CMD Ben Gomez
Note: Chairmen’s email address is listed above.
Committee on Committees: 2020-2021
PDC Steve Aguirre (Chairman) (520) 906-1748
chico-59@live.com
PDC Domingo Bonillas
PDC Charles Bugh
PDC Billy Ellis
PDC Andres Jaime
Leading Candidates Worksheet
The additions include and acknowledge the candidate’s membership in the American Legion and other Veterans Service Organization (VSO’s), Military or Civilian Organizations in any leadership positions (see attached). The purpose of adding this block is to determine the most qualified candidate who possesses excellent leadership skills as they assume the Membership Director’s (Leading Candidate) position for the year 2021-2022.
Credentials Committee
Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, the Area (A, B, C) Chairmen shall call for a meeting with your committee members. If possible, schedule the discussion around your District first meeting in October. If your district is not meeting, schedule a time for your committee to meet physically, virtually, or by phone before October 28, 2020. The Credentials Committee Chairman shall brief their committee on the authorized duties and responsibilities outlined in the Resolution and prepare to receive the candidates’ resume. The Area
Chairmen shall notify the Committee on Committees Chairman via email upon completing their initial meetings not later than October 29, 2020.
Members of the Credential Committee shall all agreed to your assignment and have no intention of applying for the leading candidate position. The Chairman of the Committee on Committees’ responsibility is to ensure that the vetting process is transparent and equitable to the candidates by establishing a policy that no person on the committee can apply for the leading candidate position. Any committee member wishing to do so shall notify the Committee on Committee Chairman of their intentions of seeking the Leading Candidate position to allow time for a replacement on the committee. If there are any questions about your assignment, please consult the Committee on Committee’s Chairman.
Upon the conclusion of any candidate announcements from Department Headquarters, including Department Officers, lead candidates for Membership Director may begin submitting their resumes to the appropriate Area Credentials Committee Chairman. Each committee will examine the candidate’s submitted information. The Area Chairman shall then schedule a time and place for an interview with each of the candidates. The Credentials Committee Chairman will then submit the endorsed candidate name to the Committee on Committees Chairman by February 19, 2021.
Department of Arizona
Department may decide to make a virtual announcement concerning the Lead Candidate endorsement’s details and purpose as outlined in the Resolution. The Department will provide an online resource page on the Department’s website, regardless of a virtual notification, and disseminate the information via the Department mailings to each District Commanders/ Adjutants and Post POC.
Committee on Committees
The name(s) submitted by the Credentials Committee Chairman are then disseminated to the full Committee on Committees for their review. The Chairman will request a full committee follow-up interview with the candidate(s) at Department Headquarters.
The committee will assemble on a date to be determined at Department Headquarters as a body to deliberate the committees’ choice of a Lead and Second Leading candidate, respectively. The Chairman will then transmit the Endorsed Legionnaires’ name(s) to the Department Commander and Adjutant by March 10, 2021. The Department Commander, in coordination with Department Headquarters, will subsequently announce the endorsed legionnaire’s name.
Note:
The allotted time frame for any Legionnaire, in good standing, to submit the information required by the Resolution shall be consistent with the American Legion Department of Arizona’s Constitution and bylaws. Committee members should refrain from discussing their deliberations of the candidates’ submissions, as a courtesy to the candidates, and allow the process to advance to its completion.
Respectfully,
Steve Chico Aguirre
Committee on Committees
Chairman
American Legion
Department of Arizona
CC; Adjutant Angel Juarez