2-3:30 p.m.

Present: Brian Rank, Patti Swanson, Marie Tran, Anna Ourada, Matt Flory, Nicole Bennett Engler

1.       2008 SC member nomination slate

The committee is responsible for drafting a 2008-2009 Steering Committee membership slate. Terms ending include:

·         Fond du Lac Human Services (Individual Member),   
DeAnna Finifrock (Lisa)

·         Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Patrick Herson (Brian)

·         Hospice Minnesota, Michele Fedderly (Patti)

·         Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Yolanda Nina Garces (Nicole)

·         Minnesota Department of Health, Carol Woolverton (Brian)

·         Minnesota Medical Association, Paul Sanford (Brian)

·         Stairstep Foundation, Helen Jackson (Lisa)

·         Stratis Health, Jennifer Lundblad, (Brian)

Names after SC members indicate who will reach out to them to ask if they are interested in applying to extend their terms. Anyone interested in applying to be considered for a term extension must fill out the re-application (attached). These individuals’ applications will be reviewed along with all other new applications. 

Patrick Herson was asked to serve the remaining term for Rachel Lerner, thus, his one-year term will expire in Jan. If a member of BCBS should remain on the committee, we’ll need to begin recruiting another member and add one additional seat to the current recommended number of 22 SC positions.

A new commissioner of health will soon be assigned. Perhaps this individual may want to serve on the SC. Brian to check into this with Carol. According to bylaws, an MDH representative must be present on the committee.

The committee discussed potential individuals to add to the currently 20-member Steering Committee:

·         Pat McKone, American Lung Association of Minnesota, Minnesota
      Smoke-free Coalition

·         Marie Tran, Vietnamese Social Services

·         Warren Larson, MeritCare Bemidji

·         Paula Colwell, Virginia Piper Cancer Institute

      Marie expressed that while she likes to attend SC meetings when she is
      able, she is too busy at this time to take on the commitment. The committee
      was in consensus that the current members representing multicultural 
      communities (Jose William Castellanos, Helen Jackson, Sirad Osman and
      DeAnna Finifrock) offered an effective bridge to multicultural populations.   

      The committee discussed Paula Colwell (Virginia Piper Cancer Institute,
      Allina Hospital and Clinics) as a potential member but decided that she may
      be more suitable as an Alliance leader in the role of co-leader of the   
      survivorship task force currently being led by Freda Carlson at ACS. Linda
      Sershon (also from Allina) currently offers a similar voice from the health
      system.

Upon discussion, the committee decided to actively pursue Pat McKone and Warren Larson to the Committee. Pat fills the tobacco void and Warren offers a rural and health care system perspective.

      Action Items:

·         Brian to contact Warren

·         Matt to contact Pat

      The committee discussed potential vice chairs for 2008. Nicole reminded the  
      group that DeAnn communicated the need for a chair who is able to commit
      much more time than past chairs, due to the new direction, approach, and
      responsibility of chairing the coordinating committee.

      The committee recommended Lisa Stephens and Jennifer Lundblad as
      candidates to approach. Brian contacted Lisa, who relayed that she
      unfortunately did not have enough time at this point to take on this   
      commitment. He will next ask Jennifer and report back to the group.

The committee also discussed Matt as a potential candidate, although the group agreed that it may not be a good idea based on the fact that ACS is already a strong leader in the coalition. We do not want members or partners to view the plan or Alliance as “MDH and ACS’s”; instead we should begin recruiting additional organizations and leaders to become involved.

2.   Nomination process:

               1.  Membership Committee to canvas all (Steering Committee, Core
                    Team, Operational teams) to ask if they have recommendations for
                    potential SC members. (Nicole to send e-mail, including application).

               2.  Membership Committee to actively pursue Pat McKone and Warren
                    Larson for new SC membership based upon positive feedback from
                    members, partners.

               3.  Membership Committee (Nicole) to collect applications and meet 
                    via CC to review candidates.

               4.  Recommend a slate, including vice chair, at Oct. 11 SC meeting.

               5.  Communicate approved slate to members, partners via e-mail.

3.   Membership Committee recommendation:

·         Increase SC membership by 2 = 22 seats (number to be finalized
      after finding out whether or not we would like to continue having a
      BCBS representative on the committee; if so, we’d need to
      recommend 23 based on current slate recommendation).

·         Increase meeting duration to meeting six times per year

·         Increase SC terms to 3 years, with the opportunity to extend for
      one term, equaling 6 year total term. (If approved by SC, all new
      members or extended members will serve 3-year terms).

Action Item:
Nicole to draft amended bylaws for the above two items for Brian to propose to the SC during the Oct. 11 meeting.  

4.   New member recruitment

            Who do we want to reach out to and who are the appropriate people to bring

            them to the table?

      The committee decided that perhaps we need to be more strategic and concentrate on conducting better “in-reach” before we try to recruit new

            members. As we go through some of the in-reach orientation, we may get a

            better idea of which organizations need to be involved.

      In addition, Anna has been doing a wonderful job of spreading the word of the Alliance and her Web site outreach has resulted in several new members to date. 

      Nicole shared that Iowa had a coordinating committee under the membership committee that was charged with helping recruit members based upon the membership committee’s recommendations.

      The remainder of the new member recruitment conversation will be discussed during an upcoming membership committee meeting.

5.       Orientation materials

Nicole is currently working on collating new member orientation materials, which will be available at the Oct. 11 SC meeting. They will also be posted online for all to access.

   6.   Next meeting: Oct. 4 from 1-2 p.m.
Please note that depending on how we proceed with recruiting new vice chairs, the Oct. 4 meeting may be moved up a week or so.