The annual business meeting of the membership of the Norman Mailer Society (“NMS”) was held on October 12, 2007, at the Provincetown Inn, in Provincetown, Massachusetts. President J. Michael Lennon presided.
A motion by Vice President Barry Leeds for the approval of the minutes of the 2006 NMS business meeting was made and approved.
Michael Lennon raised the issue of the need for amendment of the NMS By-Laws regarding the permitted number of Board members. The current by-laws provide for the number of Board Members to be from 12 to 18. Michael Lennon moved that the by-laws be amended to increase the number of Board members to 12 to 21. The motion was seconded by Chris Busa and was approved and adopted by voice vote of the membership.
Barry Leeds was recognized for the purpose of presenting a report of the Nominating Committee. Pursuant to the action of the membership of the NMS in increasing the permitted number of Board members, Barry Leeds proposed that the 21 members of the Board serve in three groups of seven each, for terms ending in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively. He noted with regret the passing of Board member Robert F. Lucid and the need to fill Dr. Lucid’s seat on the Board. For the term ending in 2009, Leeds moved that Carol Holmes and Gerald Lucas be elected to the Board of Directors. The motion was passed and Carol Holmes and Gerald Lucas were elected to the Board.
Barry Leeds moved that Mark Olshaker be elected to the Board for the term ending in
- The motion was passed and Mark Olshaker was elected to the Board.
Barry Leeds reported that Tara Sikora has resigned as Secretary of the NMS. She will remain as a member of the Board. Leeds nominated Marc Triplett for election as Secretary and as a member of the Board for the term ending in 2010. The nomination was approved and Marc Triplett was elected Secretary and member of the Board.
Barry Leeds moved that the following six persons be elected to the Board for the term ending 2010: J. Michael Lennon, President; Barry Leeds, Vice President; David Light, Treasurer; Tara Sikora; John Whalen-Bridge; Lawrence Schiller.
Barry Leeds was recognized for the purpose of announcing the winner of the Robert F. Lucid Award. The Committee decided that the award would be presented to John WhalenBridge, who will receive a plaque and a check for $250.00
J. Michael Lennon reported on the Schiller Award. The Norman Mailer Society received $20,000 from Lawrence Schiller, for purposes of the funding of the Schiller Award for non-fiction writing. Mr. Schiller was unable to be present for this year’s conference, and has requested that further discussion of the establishment of the award be postponed until the 2008 meeting. Michael Lennon announced that the setting of the award will be revisited next year, and recognized the generosity of Lawrence and Kathy Schiller in funding the award. It appears likely that two awards will be established.
Treasurer David Light was recognized for presentation of the Treasurer’s Report. The details of the finances of the Norman Mailer Society were set forth in the report provided in the members’ packets. Mr. Light reported that the Society’s finances are in a healthy position and set out the break-down of the funds. He stated the approximately $5,000 to $6,000 of accessible funds that are available for the needs of the NMS and the Mailer Review. He reported that a stipend of $100 would be paid to each student making a presentation at this year’s conference. Mr. Light indicated that, in addition to the general accounts of the NMS, there are three special accounts: the Mailer Review Account, the Lucid Award account, and the Schiller account. The Mailer Review account is a restricted account whose funds are for the purposes of support of the Mailer Review. Donations totaling $11,830 have been received. It is anticipated that further funding will come from sales of limited editions of the Mailer Review and ad revenue received from Random House, which purchased advertising space on the back page of the journal.
Treasurer Light reported that Lucid Award account exists to fund future Lucid Awards and consists of a certificate of deposit in the amount of $17,000.00, comprised mostly of contributions from Lawrence Schiller.
The Schiller account will accumulate the contributions made and to be made by Lawrence Schiller for future awards. These funds are in a money market account. Treasurer Light reported that he is always looking for better investment vehicles for the money.
A discussion followed regarding the likely need to increase conference fees in the future in order to make the conferences self-sustaining, i.e., without the need for conference expenses to be funded from money collected for membership dues.
Phillip Sipiora, Editor of the Mailer Review, was recognized for the purpose of a report on its progress. The inaugural edition of the Review has been published and distributed to conference attendees. The University of South Florida was recognized as a co-sponsor of the Mailer Review. USF contributed $11,500.00 along with facilities and other resources for use in production of the Mailer Review. Sipiora thanked editors Gerald Lucas, Raymond Vince and Constance Holmes and recognized their great efforts in producing the first Mailer Review. Thanks were also extended to Michael Lennon for the many ways he assisted.
The Mailer Review was originally projected to have a budget of $10,500.00. Phillip Sipiora reported that it came in under that figure by a couple thousand dollars. The 2008 edition of the Review is being produced now. It is anticipated that there will be two issues of the Mailer Review in 2009. Sipiora solicited ideas for future fund-raising and urged members to assist in enhancing the subscription base to include colleges as well as members of the Society. The purpose of the Review is the promotion of the legacy of Norman Mailer.
David Light was recognized for discussion of the 2008 NMS meeting. Light moved that the 2008 conference be held again at the Provincetown Inn, in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Sabrina McLaughlin seconded the motion and, after discussion, the motion was carried. Tentative dates are October 16-18, 2008. Michael Lennon stated that he would establish an ad hoc committee to report next year on proposals for future meetings (in 2009 and beyond) of the Norman Mailer Society.
Michael Lennon extended thanks to a number of persons for their assistance and contributions to the NMS, including Larry and Kathy Schiller, Phillip Sipiora and Deborah Martinson, program chairs, the Lucid Award Committee, Barry Leeds, Christopher Busa, the Board members, the staff of the Mailer Review, Bonnie Culver and students of Wilkes University for presenting again the “Reader’s Theater”, Steve Borkowski, Barbara Wasserman, sister of Norman Mailer, the Provincetown Inn, Maggie and Danielle Mailer, John Buffalo Mailer, Michael Chaiken, Sam Coppola and Ed Setrakian for their reading of “Earl and Lyndon,” Norman Mailer and Norris Church Mailer for their continuing support, and Donna Pedro Lennon.
President J. Michael Lennon presented a special award, in the form of a signed photograph of Norman Mailer, to Treasurer David Light, for his hard work for the Society.
After a question period, the 2007 business meeting of the membership of the Norman Mailer Society was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Marc S. Triplett, Secretary