About Ozarks Alliance for Professional Organizations

Although the organizations that are members of Ozarks Alliance are primarily made up of women, any organization that supports advocacy for women of all ages is welcome to join.  Below are benefits, history and bylaws of Ozarks Alliance.  Is your organization interested in joining?  Contact Debra Dickinson, President

Benefits of Belonging

Ozarks Alliance provides a clearinghouse for information of interest and use to women, and promotes professional women in the community.

Each member organization operates independently with its own bylaws, procedures, mission statement and goals. Yet, all share common goals of advancing women, either professionally or in the community. From time to time, member organizations may propose that Ozarks Alliance address various issues of significance, a process which can lead to development of position statements and/or activities. Ozarks Alliance member organizations have adopted a position statement on gender equity and created an audio-visual program on equity in pay and other compensation.

Members relax, network and enjoy varied programs at twice-yearly mixers. Member groups volunteer to share hosting duties for these events. Ozarks Alliance also distributes minutes of the meetings to delegates by electronic means.

Dues for an organization are $50 annually. Each group names a delegate to participate in board and committee meetings, which meet on the 4th Thursday of the month at Churchills on Republic Road, Springfield, MO from 12-1.

Ozarks Alliance is a not-for-profit organization. For more information contact the Alliance President by email to president@ozarksalliance.org or snail mail Ozarks Alliance @ P.O. Box 6312, Springfield, MO 65801
 

History of Ozarks Alliance

The following persons have served as presidents of Alliance

• Nancy Brown (Network) 1986-1988

• Beverly Wehner (PSI) 1988-1990

• Carol Kueker (Women in Construction) 1990-1992

• Nancy Southworth (WICI) 1992-1993

• Laura Derrick (Fast Break) 1993-1994

• Stephany Gustin Ireland 1994-1995

• Julie Boyce (Forum) 1995-1997

• Brandy McShane (Network, BPW) 1997-1998

• Barbara Radford-Kapp (AWC) 1998-1999

• Maggie Castrey (Network, AWC) 1999-2000

• Wendy Myers (AWC) 2000-2001

• Mary B. Jackson (Republic BCW) 2001 to 2002 

• Deanna Ford (Greater Ozark BPW) 2002 to 2003 
• Paula Dougherty (Junior League of Springfield) 2003 to 2004
• Vicki Lindsey (ASWA) 2004 to 2005
• Lisa Jones (Greater Ozarks BPW) 2005 to 2006  
• Donna Medlin (AAUW) 2006 to 2007
   

Credit Nancy Brown (Network) for the origin of Alliance. In March of 1986, when Network was sponsoring a presentation by Harriett Woods, they saw a need for a communication link and networking vehicle among the various groups in Springfield comprising primarily women. Nancy sent letters to several organizations inviting them to a meeting to discuss the formation of a "{Super Net", which when the bylaws were drawn up in August 1986, was called the Alliance of Professional Organizations.

Nancy Brown served as the founding chairman for two years. She was assisted by Jeannette Collins (LWV) as vice president and Pepper Colley (WICI) as secretary/treasurer. The purpose of the organization was not only to be a communication link, but also to serve as a means of identifying issues of interest to women. Its first officers saw it as having a potential for being a collective voice and a creative leadership in the community. Alliance served as a clearinghouse for information about the member organizations. Committees were formed to address a speaker's bureau, a directory, a networking event, a monitoring of current board openings in the community, and later a way of summarizing the scholarships that were available through member organizations. Twelve organizations participated in the initial formation of this new "umbrella" organization.

The first networking event took place in May 1987 as a part of Today's Woman Journal Expo. Since then, there have been many other Networking events. Several directories have been compiled, the first underwritten by Mary Jo Wynn (Network) of the Women's Athletic Department at SMSU. The bylaws were established in 1986 and were amended in 1988, 1991, 1992 and 1995.

In 1988, Alliance distributed a needs assessment survey and compiled the results for the Women's Committee for the Goals for Springfield, 21st Century. This demonstrated how Alliance could provide leadership in increasing the community's awareness of the current needs of women. Economic opportunities topped the list.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the focus of Alliance was primarily on collecting ands disseminating information concerning programs and services in the community of interest to women. Not-for-profit status was established for Alliance in 1991. In 1993-1994, a mission statement/Goals Committee, under the leadership of Nancy Southworth (WICI) reviewed the mission statements of all of the member organizations and pulled together a focus for the future direction of Alliance. In addition to spelling out a process for all member organizations to support policy activities, the committee developed a position statement on Gender Equity that was adopted in July 1994.

In 1997 an Alliance committee developed an audio-visual program on gender equity that was presented to requesting organizations. In 1998 Alliance began seeking support for producing a Women's Yellow Pages directory (to be produced in 2000 by Sunburst Media. In 1999, the Alliance Board began actively working for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in the Missouri legislature. In 2000, the board voted to become a major sponsor of the Girls Scouts Women of Distinction Awards program. Sunburst Media underwrote production of the latest member directory, completed in April 2000.

At least 26 organizations have at one time been members of Alliance:
ABWA (Heart of the Ozarks Chapter), ABWA (Missouri Ann Chapter)
Women's Division, Chamber of Commerce, Executive Women's Club
(later Prof. Development Committee), League of Women Voters,
Greater Ozarks Business & Professional Women, Forum
Greene County Medical Personnel Assoc. N. A., Women in Construction
Matrix, Southwest Paralegal Assoc.,
Women in Communications, Soroptomists International,
Am Society Of Women Accountants, Fast Break Club
Am. Association University Women, Women in Architecture
Professional Secretaries (Hawthorn Chap.), Junior League of Springfield
Information Processing Association National Organization for Women,
MSU Gender Studies Committee, Republic Business & Prof. Women,
Republic Senior Center, Women's Council of Realtors, Decision Makers Network, Stone Soup Ministries, New Hope, JANE D.O.E., International Association of Administrative Professionals

Amended July, 2004

 ARTICLE I: NAME

 The name of the organization shall be Alliance of Professional Organizations

 ARTICLE II: MISSION STATEMENT

 Alliance is an independent non-profit association of organizations composed primarily of women involved in business and the community. Its purpose is to provide  a clearinghouse for information of interest to women that will help them advance their personal, professional and community goals.

 ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

 A. Membership requirements 

1. Each individual member must be a representative of a professional non-profit organization that is a member.  A professional non-profit organization shall be defined as a group that seeks to advance women’s personal, professional or community goals. One or more individuals who seek to promote a private business would not qualify under this definition.  

2. Organizations shall elect  one voting delegate and an alternate to represent the organization to Alliance. Both may choose to attend regularly. 

3. Each organization is expected to have at least one member present at each Alliance meeting.  Each member is expected to report on the activities of their respective organization at each Alliance meeting. 

4.  The current Board of Directors shall have final discretion and approval of all membership applications.

 B. Dues

There will be assigned dues for organizational members per year, payable at the June meeting to correspond with the new term of officers and the fiscal year.

 C. Ex-officio members, past officers and past members

 Ex-officio members, past officers and past members may serve as ex-officio members with the right to speak but no right to vote.

 ARTICLE IV: BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

A.     The Board of Directors shall consist of  one voting delegate representing each member organization. 

B.     The Board of Directors shall elect the officers. 

C.     The current Board of Directors shall have final discretion and approval of all membership applications. 

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS 

A. There shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer elected by the board of directors at the May meeting each year. 

B. The term of office shall be June through May.

C. Duties of officers

 1. President

a. Preside at meetings.
b. Work with the officers and membership for unified, efficiently functioning organization.
c. Represent, or provide for representation of Alliance at varying functions.
d. Appointment of nominating committee composed of four members. Nominees must meet membership criteria or be expected to represent their organization.

e. Vote in event of a tie. 

2. Vice-President

a. Preside at meetings of Alliance in the absence of the President.
b. Responsible for membership activities including the compilation and distribution of Alliance Membership Directory.

c. Responsible for marketing and advertising the Alliance group on as needed basis.
d. Will be President-elect and will automatically serve as President the following year.

 3. Secretary

a. Keep official record of the proceedings of each meeting; send out special notices as required; maintain bylaws and provide members with current copies.

b. Coordinate meeting arrangements including location and refreshments.

c. Responsible for oversight of Alliance website including calendar of events and minutes updates. 

4. Treasurer

a.      Collect funds and place them in a bank account; reimburse members for approved expenses.

b.      Create an accounting of monies in the organization bank account and provide a record of ongoing activity to the delegates at each monthly meeting, including balancing the Alliance checkbook.

c. Responsible for correspondence related to dues for membership including the collection of those dues from member organizations.

d.  Responsible for Alliance mailbox and the pickup and distribution of mail.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS AND BUSINESS OF ALLIANCE 

A. Meetings will be held monthly to be determined each June at the beginning of the fiscal year under the direction of newly elected officers. 

B. A majority of the organizational membership shall constitute a quorum. Each organization has one vote 

C. Special closed business meetings shall be called by the President as necessary, with ten days' written notice of the reason for the meeting provided to each organizational member with the reason for the meeting stated in the notice. 

D. Any elected or appointed officer may conduct business on behalf of the membership according to her duties as outlined in these bylaws.

 ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS

 These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the organizational members of Alliance, provided that the proposed amendment(s) shall have been submitted to the entire membership in writing prior to that meeting. 

Approved January 17, 1996

Amended July, 2004