Constitution and By-Laws

Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION OF

MARINE UNDERWRITERS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

ARTICLE I

NAME

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be "MARINE UNDERWRITERS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA."

ARTICLE II

OBJECTIVES

Declaration of Policy

Section 1. The objectives of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California are:

A. Fellowship
B. Education

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of Marine Underwriters of Southern California shall consist of persons:

a) Engaged in the production, underwriting and servicing of Ocean Marine and Inland Marine Insurance;

b) And employed by Insurance Companies, bonafide General Agencies, and similar organizations engaged in the underwriting and servicing of Ocean Marine and Inland Marine Insurance;

c) And which have agreed to be bound by the Constitution and By-laws of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California;

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California shall be one President, one Vice President, one Secretary, and one Treasurer.

Section 2. How elected. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California shall be nominated and elected in accordance with the By-laws.

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings shall be held monthly at a definite time and place, to be determined.

Section 2. It shall be the duty, within reason, of each member in good standing to be present at each meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California.

ARTICLE VI

REVENUE

Section 1. Each member shall pay dues or other fees to the Marine Underwriters of Southern California as provided by the By-laws.

ARTICLE VII

BY-LAWS

Section 1. By-laws inconsistent with this Constitution, embodying additional provisions for the government of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, shall be adopted and may be amended from time to time by a meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only at a meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and ratified by at least a majority of two-thirds or more of the membership entitled to vote.

Ten days prior written notice of such meeting, stating the time and place, shall be mailed to the entire membership.

ARTICLE IX

CHANGES MADE BY AMENDMENTS

Changes to the Constitution by amendment are in BOLD.

Section 1. Amending Article IV Section 1.

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California shall be one President, one Vice President, one Treasurer, one Secretary, and one Webmaster.

Section 2. Amending Article IV Section 2.

OFFICERS

Section 2. How elected. The President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Webmaster of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California shall be nominated and elected in accordance with the By-laws.

Section 3. Amending Article V Section 1.

MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings shall be held Bi - monthly at a definite time and place, to be determined.

Section 4. Amending Article VIII Section

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution shall be made only at a meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and ratified by at least a majority of two-thirds of quorum. or more of the membership entitled to vote. Quorum is defined as a minimum of 13 members in good standing.

Ten days prior written notice of such meeting, stating the time and place, shall be mailed to the entire membership.

BY-LAWS OF

MARINE UNDERWRITERS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Application for membership shall me made to the Secretary of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, who in turn shall immediately present same to the MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE for consideration and action. Such application shall be accompanied by a check in payment of dues as set forth in these by-laws. The MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE in approving or disapproving any membership application shall to final.

ARTICLE-II

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Non-Attendance Any member failing for three consecutive times to attend a monthly meeting may be suspended by the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee may, however, for good and sufficient cause, restore such member to membership in good standing.

Section 2. Non-Payment Any member more than sixty (60) days in arrears for any financial obligation to the Marine Underwriters of Southern California may be suspended by the Membership Committee, provided two successive notices of said indebtedness shall have been duly sent by mail to said member. Any such member may be restored to membership in good standing at the discretion of the Membership Committee, upon payment of the indebtedness.

Section 3. Discipline The Membership Committee may, for cause, by majority vote discipline or suspend a member, or by unanimous vote expel such member, provided a copy of the charges has been mailed to the member at least twenty (20) days from the date of mailing such decision to the member, file written notice of appeal with the Secretary of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, which notice of appeal shall be heard and decided at the next regular meeting of the membership.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS

Section 1 - Election The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually at the first regular May meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and inaugurated at its regular June meeting.

Section 2 - Qualification Each officer shall be a regular member in good standing of this organization.

Section 3. Term of Office The term of each officer shall run for one year concurrently with the fiscal year of the Association, or until the successor shall have been elected and qualified, unless otherwise herein specified. No officers shall immediately succeed themselves as officers of this organization.

Section 4. Vacancies In the event of a vacancy in any office, the Executive committee shall appoint a successor to fill the unexpired term.

Section 5. Compensation All officers shall serve without compensation.

Section 6. Duties
A. The President shall Preside at all meetings and committee meetings; and as chief executive shall supervise the work and activities of this organization, appoint the committee members and perform other such duties as usually pertain to the office.

B. The Vice President shall be given such duties as are deemed necessary by the Membership and shall aid and assist the President and preside at any meeting in the absence of the President.

C. The Secretary shall maintain all records pertaining to the Association, keep the minutes of its meetings and of the Executive Committee and make such reports thereof to the membership as may be required.

D. The Treasurer shall sign all documents requiring his/her signature, keep accounts, receive all monies, depositing same in a place of safe keeping to be approved by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall disburse the same by order of the Executive Committee, make a periodic report to the Executive Committee and report to the membership as required.

ARTICLE IV

ELECTIONS

Section 1. Electors Each member in good standing shall be entitled to one vote, and majority rule shall prevail at all meetings and elections, excepting as respects proposed amendment of the Constitution of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and/or for expelling a member. For the purpose of this organization a "majority" shall be fifty one percent (51%.) or more of all membership entitled to vote who are present at the meeting.

ARTICLE.V

COMMITTEES

Section 1. Procedure The President shall appoint, as soon as possible after his/her election, the Committees and their chairpersons, to be composed of members who shall serve for a term of one year, or for the unexplored term in the event of a vacancy and Presidential re appointment to fill such vacancy.

Section 2. Committees The following committees shall serve in accordance with these by-laws:

Nomination Committee
Golf Committee
Education Committee
Social Functions Committee
Membership Committee

Section 3. Duties of Committee, Shall be as follows:

A. Nomination Committee shall select nominees for President, Vice President Secretary, Treasurer and shall report the names of said nominees to the membership at the time of the annual election of officers; it being understood that members may also nominate from the floor any other member for any of the offices.

B. Golf Committee shall make all necessary arrangements for the annual Golf Tournament and Installation Banquet.

C. Education Committee shall identify areas of interest to the membership and present seminars as deemed necessary to the membership and insurance community at large.

D. Social Functions Committee shall prepare and arrange all social functions as may be directed by the membership.

E. Membership Committee shall be responsible for accepting or denying membership to the organization. The committee is made up of the present board members.

Section 4. Authority of Committees Any committee action shall be subject to the approval or disapproval of the membership.

Section 5. Special Committees The President may from time to time appoint such special temporary committees as are necessary, in whose judgement or in the judgement of the membership, and it is understood the retiring President shall automatically become a member of the Executive Committee for the ensuing year.

ARTICLE VI

REVENUE

Section 1. The fiscal year shall extend from September first to August thirty-first.

Section 2. Dues Each member shall pay to the Marine Underwriters of Southern California annually the sum of $30 dues, due and payable at of the beginning of each fiscal year, as set fourth in these by-laws. Such dues shall be used by the Marine Underwriters of Southern California for its purpose as set forth in the Constitution and these by-laws. For the purpose of acceptance of new members, such dues shall be payable in full pro rata quarterly from the date of acceptance of such new member to the close of the current fiscal year.

Section 3. Audit The Treasurer shall submit a statement of the financial condition of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California whenever required by the Executive Committee or the membership, and such statement shall subject to the audit of the Executive Committee, at their discretion.

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments to these by-laws shall be made only at a meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, by a majority vote of the membership entitled to vote who are present at the meeting. Notice and full particulars of proposed amendments shall be mailed to entire membership ten (10) days prior to meeting, at which vote is to be taken.

ARTICLE VIII

CHANGES MADE BY AMENDMENTS

Changes to the By-Laws by amendment are in BOLD.

Section 1. Amending Article III Section 1 - Election

OFFICERS

Section 1 - Election The President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected annually at the first regular May meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and inaugurated at its regular June meeting. The Webmaster shall be elected every four years at the first regular May meeting of the Marine Underwriters of Southern California, and inaugurated at its regular June meeting.

Section 2. Amending Article III Section 3 – Term of Office

OFFICERS

Section 2. Amending Article III Section 6 - Duties

OFFICERS

C. The Treasurer shall sign all documents requiring his/her signature, keep accounts, receive all monies, depositing same in a place of safe keeping to be approved by the Executive Committee. The treasurer shall disburse the same by order of the Executive Committee, make a periodic report to the Executive Committee and report to the membership as required.

D. The Secretary shall maintain all records pertaining to the Association, keep the minutes of its meetings and of the Executive Committee and make such reports thereof to the membership as may be required.

E. The Webmaster shall be given such duties as are deemed necessary by the Membership and shall maintain the website and all items related.