Chairman's Message

The ATOS Board of Directors and Officers (the Board) held three separate sessions last week in Cleveland, OH during the 2016 ATOS Annual Convention. The Board held its annual meeting on July1, 2016 and elected new officers for each of the leadership positions. The topics included a review of this year’s staff and committee reports, the election of new officers, adoption of an annual budget and an afternoon of discussions on topics such as our annual meeting plans and initiating an annual goal setting process. Additional issues of the need for a five year business plan, initiating a formal performance review process and the need for a formal annual report were discussed with suggestions on how to proceed on each.

The officers for 2016-2017 year are Richard Neidich, Chairman, George Andersen, Vice-Chairman, Vince Mirandi, Treasurer, and David Calendine, Secretary. Our new Directors are Mark Renwick and Jonas Nordwall (Jonas was elected by the Board to fill the Directors position for which Michael David was unable to serve). Juan Cordona, Jr. has resigned his directorship due to conflicts with his busy work schedule. Michael Fellenzer assumed the position of Past-Chairman to service a one year in that position. Ken Double continues in his position of President/CE, reporting to the Chairman of the Board.
In addition to the Board meeting, the Annual Membership and Membership Forum meetings were held, where our last year’s activities were reported by Ken Double and a number of members raised issues for future efforts during the Membership Forum. Michael Fellenzer, during the Board Meeting, informed the Board that he was cancelling the Special Membership Meeting which he no longer saw as necessary.
I wish to thank those retiring from the Board including John Ledwon, Bob Evans and Lee Lanier for their past efforts. John Ledwon has made many past contributions to our efforts, most recently a major overall hall of the Young Artists Competition. Bob Evans as served as ATOS Secretary, our gate keeper of status, for nine years and the supplier of words of wisdom, especially when it comes to chapter activities. Lee Lanier during the past year as Treasurer provided great assistance in transitioning our accounting system to a full IRS compliant financial accounting system.
Over the next couple of months you will be hearing from me regarding what I have labeled, “Going Forward…” What does this mean? Simply, it means that ATOS as a non-profit corporation must transition our business practices from a membership club to a viable corporation operated in a professional manner. As an organization and non-profit corporation ATOS faces many current challenges to preserve and promote theater organ which will require building and restructuring the necessary capital funds processes and permit the ATOS Board to align our spending with our available resources. Soon in the ATOS Journal I will provide my insights to what we need to and will be doing in a number of ways.

Change is never simple, particularly with an organization that has functioned in certain ways for over 50 year. However, today’s business environment and the status of theater organ has seen many changes. ATOS as an organization needs to make changes as well.

I pledge that you, the membership of ATOS, I will be kept you informed as we proceed and look forward to many constructive suggestions from you the members. If you have time, please consider letting me know how you may be able to help and add value to our efforts as we go forward together.

Richard Neidich
Chairman, ATOS Board of Directors