The annual meeting of the general membership of the Helena Business Association was held on Tuesday, April 7, 2015 at 8 a.m. at Frankie's Market Cafe in Helena, Alabama. A total of 27 members and guests were in attendance. The following activities took place:
- Outgoing president Bob Van Loan welcomed the attendees, briefly described the board election process and allowed each attendee to introduce himself or herself to the remainder of the audience.
- Vice president Alan Farmer recapped the previous week's First Friday event and invited all attendees to participate during the upcoming months in order to put their products and services on display to Helena residents that might not otherwise know of them.
- Treasurer Deidree Jones summed up the major fiscal events of the previous year. Membership and cash flow were up but due to extraordinary expenses related to equipment for Movies in the Park and liability insurance for First Friday, the closing bank balance was about $1,000 less than the previous year.
- On behalf of injured board member David Schlueter, Bob described the film lineup for Movies in the Park and reemphasized the need for sponsors and volunteers. To date, sponsorships have almost covered the cost of the movies themselves but additional income is required for concession stand supplies and equipment repair or replacement, if needed.
- An election was held to replace retiring board members Henry Neff and David Schlueter. The nominees were Kristi Scozzaro, Rodney Parker, John Burch, Erin Trapolino Black, Jason Otis, Steve Hogue, Rhett McReight, Gretchen Birdwell and Tammy Hogue. Steve Hogue and Gretchen Birdwell declined to run. Members then voted on the remaining candidates and elected Kristi Scozzaro and John Burch as our two new board members. Officer positions will be decided upon at the board meeting scheduled for April 21, 2015.
- Ben Williams described the process that the organization went through in order to re-brand itself at the recommendation of the Brock School of Business at Samford University. Ben urged all members to go to the newly reinvented website to make sure that their profile information was there and to submit corrections if necessary. All attendees received "goody cups" and rack cards featuring the organization's new look, and members received decals for their storefronts and vehicles. All marketing materials, to include the website and Facebook page, were expertly designed by Ben.
- Bob, Alan, and Deidree made closing remarks and the meeting was adjourned at 9 a.m.
