By Bill Wethe, Chair
Finance Advisory Committee (FAC)
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to describe the following:
- The process used by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC
- The criteria utilized by the Committee in the evaluation of candidates to join FAC
- The communication process utilized by the Committee in the evaluation process
- The process utilized by the Committee to make a written recommendation to the Board of Directors (Board)
History
I joined the Committee in June 2016 upon approval of the Board and have been Chairman of the Committee since September 2016 upon approval by the Board (Acting Chairman in August 2016). The Committee is authorized to have seven members. Those serving with me on the Committee in order of length of current service are:
- Bruce Marley
- Fera Mostow
- Larry Helseth
- Larry Anderson
- John Deshaw
- Steve Proia
Advisory Committee Interest Forms
Since August 2016 through the date of this article, the Executive Assistant to the General Manager of the HOA have furnished to me twelve (12) Advisory Committee Interest Forms which were completed by individuals expressing an interest in joining FAC.
Process for initial contact with candidate
I then follow up by email with the candidate:
- Advising the candidate that I received their Advisory Committee Interest Form
- Informing the candidate if there are openings on the Committee
- Requesting the candidate to complete and return to me and the HOA management office some specific additional information on a one-page summary of the candidate’s qualities, experience, expertise and service on other Advisory Committees or Chartered Clubs
- Upon receipt of the additional information requested from the candidate, I then furnish to the candidate the current Charter and Mission of the Committee approved by the Board and I schedule an interview with the members of the Committee
Criteria for candidates
During the summer of 2016, the Committee developed a list of certain qualities (including diversity and core values), experience and expertise that were desired when interviewing and evaluating candidates for the FAC. The experience and expertise (which is reviewed routinely, at least quarterly) include but is not limited to the following:
- Financial background including budgets and forecasts
- Fund accounting and financial reporting – not for profit
- HOA accounting and financial reporting
- Golf course accounting and financial reporting
- F&B accounting and financial reporting
- Risk management and insurance
- Contracts and contract compliance
- Treasuring and banking
- Cyber security and information technology
- Payment card industry (PCI compliance)
- Legal background
- Income tax background
- Research and analysis
Interview of candidates
The members of the FAC interview a candidate for approximately thirty minutes to understand the information that the candidate has provided to the Committee and to learn how the candidate believes they can add value to the Committee. The Committee then discusses the qualities, experience and expertise of the candidate. The Committee develops a consensus on whether the Committee will recommend to the Board that the candidate be added to the Committee. The conclusion of the Committee is documented in the minutes of the FAC meeting which are submitted to the Board monthly.
Communication with candidate
If the Committee has agreed to recommend that the candidate be added to the FAC, I then:
- Prepare a Board Action Form (BAF) that is approved by the Committee and sent to the HOA management office for inclusion in the meeting package for the next Board meeting
- Attach to the BAF the following items:
- Advisory Committee Interest Form completed by the candidate
- Summary of candidate’s qualities, experience and expertise together with a summary of FAC member’s qualities, experience and expertise
- Advise the candidate in writing that:
- The FAC developed a consensus to recommend that the candidate be added to the Committee, subject to Board approval
- The FAC has prepared a written recommendation for the candidate to be reviewed by the Board
If the Committee has developed a consensus to not recommend that the candidate be added to FAC, I advise the candidate in writing of that conclusion and the principal reasons for that conclusion.
Board
We understand the Board reviews the BAF’s in Executive Session of a Board meeting. The Board liaison, Carey Thompson, Treasurer then informs me whether or not the Board approved the BAF submitted by the FAC. Upon approval by the Board, I then notify the candidate in writing that they have been approved by the Board to join the FAC.
Results
A big thank you to the FAC members listed above who participate in this process. We have open dialogue to develop a consensus. A bigger thank you to the Committee members for developing a consensus on the candidates that are interviewed to join the Committee. Of the twelve candidates that prepared and submitted Advisory Committee Interest Forms since August 2016: six were recommend by FAC to be added to the Committee and were approved by the Board to join the Committee; five were not recommended by FAC to be added to the Committee; and, one did not fill out the additional information requested by the Committee and therefore was not interviewed.