Call for Nominations

The Call for Nominations to the PASS Board of Directors is now open

The PASS Board of Directors is currently accepting nominations until October 24th, 2008 for the 2009/2010 term. If elected, candidates will commit both personal and occupational time. These roles require significant bandwidth beyond the typical commitment made by PASS volunteers and members.

The PASS Board of Directors is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the organization, as well as setting the course for the organization on short- and long-term decisions. The primary directive of the board is to focus on the key strategic issues of the SQL Server community by providing members with opportunities to advance their technical and professional skills, network at the local and international levels, and interact with the industry’s most accomplished users and experts.

Prior to filling out an application, please read through the information below to learn more about the Board of Directors. Please fill out the pdf application form; (you must have Adobe Acrobat 9) or the Word application form, and return it to blythe.morrow@sqlpass.org. The election results will be announced at the 2008 PASS Community Summit, November 18-21st in Seattle, Washington.

Board of Directors’ Mission:

The structure and purpose of the Board of Directors is governed by the bylaws of PASS. The Board of Directors has the authority and responsibility for the day-to-day activities of the organization. However, the primary duty of the Board is to concentrate on issues of strategic importance on the future well-being of PASS.

What does it take to be a PASS Board of Director?

General Qualifications	Strong written, verbal, and communication skills. Strong leadership abilities. Substantial practical experience with SQL Server or related products. Prior experience within the PASS volunteer organisation. Support from employer to fulfill the role of a board member. Able to fulfill time commitments outlines below.
Time Commitments	Commit on average 3-4 hours per week depending Director’s portfolio. Commit time required to the term of office set by election procedures. Attendance of one conference per year. Attendance of three Board meetings per year. Available to participate in a one-hour conference call a month. Attendance at special conferences or meetings called by the president.
General Responsibilities	Set policies and strategic direction for PASS. Has fiduciary and budgetary responsibility for PASS and reviews monthly financial statements. Sets direction of PASS’s management firm to ensure that activities are carried out in accordance with PASS’s goals and objectives. Approves and monitors general activity and budget. Maintains communication channels with Microsoft and all levels of PASS. Participates in strategic planning sessions held by user groups, Microsoft, or other organizations that require non-disclosure. Must act in accordance with PASS’s bylaws. Represent PASS to other user groups. Vote on issues presented to the Board of Directors. Act in any capacity designated by the Board of Directors.
Benefits	Directors make significant contribution to the database industry and interact directly with Microsoft executive management. Through interaction with PASS’s membership, directors provide vision, develop policies, and contribute to making PASS a successful, sustainable, highly effective organization. Directors interact with top experts in the SQL Server industry, broadening their networks and learning from the best minds in the business. Directors explicitly manage a specific portfolio of activities for the PASS organization, with commensurate titles (such as “Director of Global Community Development” or “Director of Technology”), which directly enriches their resume. Directors’ registration fees are waived for the PASS annual North American Summit. Directors’ registration fees may be waived for other PASS events, at the discretion of the board. Directors have first opportunity to broaden their writing opportunities by writing for PASS outlets, such as the PASS general website, SIG websites, newsletters, and other publications. Through volunteer training and direct mentoring, directors learn important strategic leadership skills, including budget management, financial planning, small team management, project planning and tracking, volunteer motivation, and priority setting. Directors make pertinent business decisions necessary to grow and manage a dynamic, small business in the technology industry.