Board funds benchmarking, remodeling, other initiatives

The AVMA Executive Board took up an agenda comprising more than 135 recommendations at its Nov. 14-16, 2002, meeting at AVMA headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. Dr. James H. Brandt, Nokomis, Fla., chaired the meeting.

Initiatives approved by the board totaled $969,750, although many agenda items did not involve any expense. Two initiatives were funded from the reserves, or fund balance, which requires a three-fourths majority vote. They were $100,000 for a benchmarking program to be undertaken by the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (see Jan. 1, page 9), and $775,000 for renovation of the AVMA building (see related article in this issue). In addition, $94,750 was drawn from contingency funds budgeted for 2002.

Key board actions are reported on the following pages.