International Guild of Knot Tyers
North American Branch

By-Laws

Article 1: Name

The name of the organization shall be the International Guild of Knot Tyers - North American Branch, hereinafter, the IGKT-NAB.

Article 2: Location

The IGKT-NAB is a non-profit corporation located in the state of Michigan and shall maintain a mailing address in whatever North American location deemed convenient by the board of directors in order to conduct the affairs and activities of the branch.

Article 3: Purpose

The purpose of the IGKT-NAB is to serve as the North American branch of the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT), a registered educational charity based in England with worldwide membership, the purpose of which is to promote the art, craft, and science of knotting, its study and practice, and to facilitate communications among all North American members and between the IGKT-NAB and IGKT.

Article 4: Membership

1. Membership in the IGKT-NAB shall be open to any IGKT member interested in the purposes of the IGKT-NAB.
2. Members who live in North America may be enrolled simultaneously in IGKT and IGKT-NAB. Members of the IGKT may become members of the IGKT-NAB on payment of the IGKT-NAB membership dues. Membership dues will be set for dual membership in IGKT & IGKT-NAB that covers membership in both the parent and branch organization. Membership dues shall be collected by IGKT-NAB in U.S. dollars. Transmittal of the IGKT dues and membership information shall made to IGKT at regular intervals agreed upon by the membership secretaries and treasurers of both the IGKT and the IGKT-NAB.
3. Dues and length of IGKT-NAB membership shall be set by majority vote of the IGKT-NAB board of directors, and approved by the IGKT council.

Article 5: Meetings

1. General membership meetings shall be held at least once each year. One general membership meeting shall be designated as the annual meeting at which the results of the election of the board of directors are tallied.
2. Times and locations of general membership meetings shall be set by the board of directors and announced by mail four months prior to the meeting.
3. A quorum for a general membership meeting shall be ten (10) members.
4. Each member shall be entitled to one vote, in accordance with the voting privileges extended to that membership type as delineated by the board of directors.

Article 6: Board of Directors

1. The board of directors shall consist of seven members.
2. All directors' terms shall be for a two year period. Four directors' terms shall expire on even numbered years. Three directors' terms shall expire on odd numbered years. Terms will expire at the annual meeting. Directors may be elected to two consecutive terms, but not limited to two terms.
3. The function of the board of directors shall be to conduct the affairs of the branch, to elect the officers, establish policy, make financial decisions, and coordinate the annual meeting.
4. The first duty of the incoming board of directors shall be to elect the officers.
5. All board meetings shall be open to the general membership although only board members may vote.
6. Regular meeting dates shall be announced to the general membership in advance. The board shall meet at least twice each year. Meetings of the board may be called by any two board members. Special meetings at the request by any two board members can be arranged at short notice by calling all board members.
7. A quorum for regular board meetings shall consist of four board members.
8. Decisions at regular board meetings shall be by majority of those present. Decisions at special board meetings shall be by a majority vote of the total board.
9. Minutes of board meetings shall be distributed to the board. The general membership shall be notified of board action.

Article 7: Officers

1. The officers of the IGKT-NAB shall be president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by parliamentary authority adopted by the IGKT-NAB. Only elected board of directors who are members in good standing may be officers.
2. Terms of office shall be one year. Elections of officers shall be conducted annually by the board of directors.
3. No member shall hold more than one elected office at a time with the exception of a thirty-day transition period between treasurers to accommodate an audit

Article 8: Elections

1. Elections for board of directors' shall take place by mail ballots. Results will be tallied at the annual meeting.
2. A nominating committee shall consist of three members from general membership. Only one member may be a board of director.
3. The nominating committee shall solicit candidates for nomination by mail from members. Any member may nominate others, including themselves, by submitting a request with signatures from three members in good standing, to the nominating committee
4. The committee will nominate at least one candidate for each board position.
5. The secretary shall mail ballots to the membership; Members shall return ballots to the secretary by mail.
6. The secretary brings the mail-in ballots to the annual meeting to be counted.
7. Time line for elections is as follows:
   1. Solicit candidates by mail-60 days prior to annual meeting.
   2. Nominations returned by mail-45 days prior to annual meeting.
   3. Ballots mailed-30 days prior to annual meeting.
   4. Ballots returned by mail-10 days prior to annual meeting.
8. The ballots shall be counted by three members selected from those attending the meeting.

Article 9: Committees

1. Committees for specific purposes may be appointed by the board or by the President with the consent of the board.
2. Standing Committees
   1. Membership Committee - whose purpose is to help publicize the Guild, build membership in the Guild, and maintain IGKT-NAB membership rolls. The membership chair shall be responsible for maintaining a current membership list, sending membership fees to the treasurer, providing IGKT with a list of current members, providing mail labels, and coordinating mailings to the membership.
   2. Annual Meeting Committee - to coordinate and plan the annual meeting.
   3. Fund Raising Committee - whose purpose is to plan and carry out fund raising activities for the IGKT-NAB.
   4. Nominating Committee - whose purpose is to nominate candidates for board positions.
   5. Display Committee - whose purpose is to create and maintain displays for use at Branch meetings and other functions and to properly care for loaned articles.

Article 10: Activities

1. Activities undertaken by or in the name of the IGKT-NAB, such as publications, grants proposals, and solicitation of materials, shall first be approved by the board. Activities of major scope shall be discussed and approved by the general membership and/or the IGKT council when appropriate.
2. Members will be encouraged to lend or donate knotted work to the parent organization IGKT and to the IGKT-NAB for display at Guild and Branch activities. A display committee, appointed by the board, shall be responsible for storing and caring for such objects and arranging for their display at IGKT-NAB functions.

Article 11: Finances

1. The fiscal year for the IGKT-NAB will be from January 1 to December 31.
2. Auditors shall be appointed or hired by the general membership at the annual meeting to examine the accounts of the IGKT - NAB and to report at the subsequent annual general membership meeting.

Article 12: Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws shall be made by a 2/3 vote of those voting by mail ballot. A motion to change the by-laws must be presented to the board and seconded by the board in time for the general membership meeting for discussion, amended, them presented to the membership by mail.

Article 13: Relationship to Parent Organization

1. The By-Laws of IGKT-NAB and any approved amendments will be submitted to the IGKT Council for ratification.
2. All educational activities, including general membership meetings, shall be open to any IGKT member worldwide, as well as to the general public, but only IGKT-NAB members can vote in elections or other issues of the Branch.
3. All IGKT properties (books, pins, patches, videotapes, etc.) loaned to the Branch for display purposes shall be cared for properly and returned.

Article 14: Parliamentary Authority

The parliamentary authority for the IGKT-NAB is Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Article 15: Dissolution

1. IGKT-NAB may be dissolved by a 3/4 vote by the general membership by mail, provided that a motion for dissolution has been announced by mail at least four weeks prior to the vote.
2. Should IGKT-NAB be dissolved for any reason, all assets remaining after all debts have been paid shall be donated to the parent organization, the International Guild of Knot Tyers, a registered educational charity based in England.

Incorporating Directors