Board and Bylaws

On 4 May 2011 the Center Council voted to amend the bylaws as noted below, with interim trustees being selected in September.

May 2011 Bylaws for Mankind Project Northwest

1. NAME: The name of this organization (hereinafter “the Center”) is ManKind Project Northwest.

2. PURPOSE: The Center is a nonprofit corporation organized under Oregon Revised Statue 65 on December 10, 2004 and operating under the federal 501(c)3 status of IRDx Corp of Illinois, doing business as ManKind Project International in accordance with IRS determination of July 12, 1999.

3. COMMUNITIES: The Center is divided into geographical “Communities.” In addition to a general “at large” Community, six named communities are recognized: Puget Sound, Portland, Willamette Valley, Bend, Southern Oregon and Shasta. The Board of Trustees may change the number and definition of Communities as it sees fit, such changes to take effect on the following December 31st.

4. MEMBERSHIP: Natural persons who have attended a New Warrior Training Adventure as licensed by ManKind Project International are eligible to be non-voting members, upon petition and admission into the membership rolls until removed. Each member is considered a “member at large” until declaring their affiliation with a given Community, based on their permanent residence. Affiliation may be changed once per year, during the month of December.

5. VOTING: Voting members are those who have met criteria established by the Board of Trustees no later than December 31st of the year before elections. Regular Trustee elections shall be held in January, with newly-elected Trustees seated on January 31st.

6. DIRECTORS: There shall be an odd number of directors, no less than five and no more than thirteen, herein called “Trustees”. No more than two Trustees per named Community may serve on the board at one time. Trustees serve for no more than three years per term. No Trustee may serve more than six years, with at least a full one-year sabbatical before serving again. Should a Trustee step down or otherwise be unable to fulfill their duties, voting members of the Community which elected them may select another as they see fit to complete that Trustee’s designated term. All Trustees have a vote on the Board, in keeping with ORS 65.

7. STAFF:, Trustees are responsible for hiring and supervising an Executive Director, who in turn may select, supervise and hire other staff. The Executive Director is a paid employee who may sit on the Board of Trustees, but has no vote. All Trustees and the Executive Director are ex-officio members of the Community Congress.

8. COMMUNITY CONGRESS: A single Community Congress shall serve as the central democratic structure for coordination of the organization, with a special focus on operations to support the orderly function of the Center. The Community Congress may make recommendations to the Board of Trustees. All regular employees of the Center are non-voting, ex-officio members of the Community Congress.

9. MEETINGS: There shall be a meeting of the Community Congress at least quarterly, to be presided over by the Executive Director. There shall be quarterly meetings of the Board of Trustees, to be convened as they see fit. All Community Congress meetings shall be open to attendance by any member of the Center.

10. OFFICERS: Trustees shall select their own officers and make other decisions as they see fit, in accordance with ORS 65.

11. ADOPTION AND TRANSITION: These bylaws are adopted on 5/4/2011 and are effective 1/1/2012. Initial Trustees shall be elected by the existing Northwest Council with recommendations from the membership, with initial terms staggered so as to maximize continuity over time.

12. AMENDMENTS: Amendments to these bylaws may be suggested by the Community Congress by a vote of two-thirds, but changes may only be made by the Board of Trustees in accordance with ORS 65.

Interim Trustees Appointed September 2011

Nelson Oostenink, President, term ending 2013
Steve Newcomb, Vice President, term ending 2012
Robert Crowell, interim Executive Director
Rory Bowman, Secretary, term ending 2013
Fred Bromley, Treasurer, term ending 2012
Adam H. Cummings, term ending 2013
Ted Fowler, term ending 2012
Aaron Hendrickson, term ending 2012

Corporate registration information is also available via the Oregon Secretary of State under registry number 118755-98.