XVI. LERA ANNUAL REPORTS

     Finances/Membership Committee Report„Greg Woodhead, Chair, reported that the financial condition of the association is good. In 2004, we collected $196,000 in dues, paid expenses of $374,000 dollars, and for this year, received $271,000 in grants, which means that the association is currently dependent on grants. He reported that we are seeing a downward trend in membership, with this year's total topping at 2,871 members. He reported that online memberships are up, and plans to consider an online members survey. The association continues to build relationships with local chapters in order to encourage joint memberships to strengthen the association both locally and nationally. He reported that the Executive Board approved the recommendations of the committee to approve the 2005 budget, and to increase memberships for the 2006 year. [details on increases]      Development Committee Report„David Lipsky, Chair, gave some history on the work of the Development Committee, specifically its plans to facilitate an organized fundraising effort. He reported that the association will begin a formal fundraising process, noting that these efforts will be made to each member as part of the membership renewal efforts. He reported that the association will launch a three-year million-dollar campaign starting in 2006. In facilitating this effort, the committee will develop new initiatives for fundraising efforts, including naming opportunities. He also reported that several members have been working to raise funds to support the Susan C. Eaton Scholar-Practitioner Award, and to date they have successfully raised $50,000 towards the award. They plan to convene a committee that will administer that award and funds.

     Interest Sections Committee Report„—Hoyt Wheeler, Chair, reported that the Interest Sections have been lively for 10 years, with listservs, email newsletters, meetings, and networking. He noted that the recently created Sections and Councils Coordinating Committee has elected to split and become two committees that will focus specifically on each area. Hoyt will remain the chair of the Sections Coordinating Committee and Joel Cutcher- Gershenfeld will chair the Industry Councils Coordinating Committee. Joel reported on the Councils, noting that the plans for 8 councils are going strong. Three charters„Aerospace, Airline, and Public Sector-Federal„ have been ratified by the Executive Board. Six other Councils continue to develop, all to complement existing programs from other like organizations, providing opportunities for members of the work and employment, industry, or academic arenas. He also reported that the Councils project has successfully brought 83 new members to the association this year.

     Editorial Committee Report„Adrienne Eaton, Chair, reported that the primary business of the committee has been active. The 2005 issue is on Ethics, edited by John Budd and James Scoville, and should be published in Summer 2005. The 2006 issue will be edited by David Lewin, and will be focused on contemporary issues; and the committee elected to focus the 2007 issue on retirement and security.

IRRA Awards Presentations

     Best Dissertation Award Co-Winners„John F. Burton, Jr. presented the 2004 IRRA awards to Christopher Riddell, University of British Columbia. Ph.D. from the University of Toronto for his dissertation was titled, Three Essays on Labour Policy. The award was also present to Eric Verhoogen, Columbia University. Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley for his dissertation titled, Essays on External Conditions and Wage-Setting Within Firm. Honorable Mentions were given to Forrest Briscoe, Penn State University, PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Isabel Fernandez-Mateo, London Business School, Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

     Excellence in Education Award„Janet Conti, member of the Excellence in Education Awards committee, presented the award to Mary Ellen Benedict, Bowling Green State University in Labor Economics.

     Young Scholar Awards„ Harry Katz presented the Young Scholar Awards to recognize outstanding research addressing an IR problem of national significance, to two co-winners Jody Hoffer Gittell, Brandeis University, and Kevin F. Hallock, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

     Outstanding Scholar-Practitioner Award„ Susan C. Eaton presented this award in recognition of outstanding research, teaching, and practice emphasizing the value of bringing together the academic and practitioner communities in our field, to Eileen Appelbaum, Rutgers University.

     Lifetime Achievement Award„Marlene Heyser welcomed James Small, president of the Orange County California IRRA Chapter, on behalf of the family of Kenneth Ristau, award receiptant.

     National Chapter Advisory Committee Report„Lavonne Ritter, chair of the NCAC, reported that the NCAC heard several recommendations for the Chapter Awards process, and that the NCAC/Chapter Representatives Meeting included a workshop on Chapter Programming and Membership Development. She then presented the 2004 Chapter Star Awards, to the TERRA (Tennessee Chapter) and Washington D.C. chapters.

     Announce Dates of Next Meetings„Marlene Heyser reported that the National Policy Forum will be June 16 & 17, 2005 at the Hotel Washington, 15th and Pennsylvania in Washington, D.C. The theme for the meeting will be Benefits at Risk: Health Care Benefits and Retirement Income. She noted that announcements will be at the LERA website and in the LERA Newsletter in March for details on speakers, registration. She announced that the IRRA 58th Annual Meeting will be in Boston, MA, January 5¿8, 2006.