Minutes of January 23, 1998 Board Meeting

Present: Dr. Jeffrey Abrams, Bob Babich, George Bralla, Allen C. Brown, Chet DeVore, Carole Eigner, Spike Harvey, Barry Humphrey, Kevin McGarry, Jerry Ringer, Brian Sexton, Steve Smith, Ted Tollner, Guest, John Razor

Absent: Dennis Ackerman, Andy Anderson, Steve Brand, Dr. George Brown, Bill Christopher, Dan Dole, Brian Fogarty, Sid Gillman, Don Macek, Dennis McKnight, Mark Osman, Jerry Ralph, Walt Zable.

1) Jerry Ringer welcomed everyone.

2) Minutes from the Nov. 20, 1997 meeting were reviewed and approved. SDSU head football coach Ted Tollner talked about his team’s recruiting efforts. Aside from having good local results and competing with PAC-10 schools for players, Ted talked about making sure student-athletes at SDSU that are given scholarships are also strong academically.

Kevin McGarry, head football coach at USD, also discussed his team’s recruiting processes. He too, is encouraged with the results to date.

3) The chapter’s 26th annual awards banquet dinner plans were reviewed by co-chairs, Jerry Ringer and Carole Eigner.

a) Date is Friday, March 13, 1998 at the Town and County Convention Center.

b) Invitations will be sent to chapter membership, school officials, school booster clubs, High School Sports Association, Hall of Champions, Board of Directors and the Greater San Diego Sports Association. Co-dinner chairs will create the invitation and response method.

Jeff Abrams said he would invite Cal High Sports Magazine people to the event.

c) Selection Committee chair, Chet DeVore, reported 22 high school scholar-athletes were picked; 13 are all CIF picks, one community college player and two university students were also selected. Overall class GPA was 3.8. Buddy Brown of USD was chosen as most inspirational player and was awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

d) George Bralla agreed once again to provide the lobby display with board members photos and bios attached. He also agreed to check the chapter banquet banner and mounting plus make new signs for game of the week. George said he would repair any table centerpieces that need attention.

e) In general discussion, board members were reminded to please try and sell tables of 10 people at the dinner for $400. Board members were also asked to please be at the banquet, regardless of their table selling success.

Jerry also said that Eric Bliss, Helix High, class of 1988, and Jerry Ralph, class of 1980, would be guest alumni speakers at the dinner.

4) It was suggested that we have a board outing for the Saturday, Sept. 26 game between SDSU and the University of Arizona at the stadium. Barry Humphrey agreed to look into the matter and report back. The board estimated that about 40 people would attend. There will be a $5 fee for board members guests which will include game tickets, food, and drinks.

5) Jerry announced that Walt Zable will be honored by the High School Sports Association on Monday, Feb. 2, 1998 at MCRD with their community service award. Details of the event were handed out to the board and they were asked to attend. Jerry said he will make this item a highlight to pitch the news media for banquet publicity.

6) NFF Desert Golf Classic 1998 - Jerry asked the board if the chapter should send a foursome to play there on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15. Cost is approximately $1000 per player, but includes all.

Bob Babich asked where do profits from the tournament go? Who is the beneficiary of the tournament? Is it National, The Western Chapters, or does the money just roll over into the tournament’s bank account? He also asked who is responsible financially and legally for the tournament. If the tournament could not pays its bills, is National responsible for the liability, or are the Western Chapters? Is the tournament a franchise where each chapter has its own board of directors carrying the responsibility of the event?

Bob commented that the tournament is staged as a fun event, but attendance has been falling off. He asked why the tournament was being staged.

He further suggested that perhaps it would be a far greater benefit to the Western Chapters if we joined with the LA chapter and hold a super tournament in Las Vegas, with the profits going to each chapter that participates. Could make a real chapter tournament with each chapter putting a foursome team against one another and awarding trophies. It would also allow participating chapters to share the responsibility of running the event as well as sharing the liabilities.

Bob explained that today Las Vegas is an exciting place to go with easy transportation from anywhere.

Jerry told the board he did not have answers to the questions, but would ask Western Regional Coordinator, Bob Keropian, who heads the tournament to answer Bob’s questions.

7) Report from National - In Walt Zable’s absence, Jerry was given a note from Walt asking him to show the board the 1998 headquarters awards banquet program, as well as the December issue of the FOOTBALLER. Jerry reported that Dave Torromeo, V.P. and P.R. head at National, resigned in December. Dave was also editor of the FOOTBALLER. No successor named yet.

A copy of the Northern California chapter newsletter was distributed for board review.

8) Allen C. Brown gave a financial report saying the chapter is fiscally sound. He said one CD will mature this May. He gave the exact figures for the total cash assets of the chapter to the board.

9) New Business:

a) Jerry said Brian Fogarty is still asking the NCAA for a written ruling on our soliciting Division 1 schools for memorabilia to be distributed at our golf tournament. Brain last reported that he had made contact with the NCAA and was expecting a writer policy definition for our use.

b) Bob Babich also said he was going to meet with some Ford dealers to see if they would support our golf tournament. The board asked Steve Smith if he would check with the Ford Dealers Association to see if they would become a tournament sponsor. Bob also asked that a list of possible golf hole sponsors be developed along with corporate sponsors. Jerry will provide last year’s list and develop a new one for the August 17 tournament.

c) Jerry also suggested that perhaps the chapter membership and board would like to join with the San Diego Trojan Club who has router buses available that would go from here to the L.A. Coliseum to join together for the SDSU vs USC football game on Sept. 12. More discussion on this later.

Meeting adjourned