Dear All,

We have much to do during the 2017 GA, and not much time to do it.  We have 2 hours scheduled on Thursday night.  We need to do most of the work ahead of time.

our agenda includes 

refocusing AMIC's vision:  Jerry has stated and restated that AMIC's purpose is to connect and communicate.  Rafi has skillfully stated his vision in a letter he sent to Shant and me, reprinted below.

electing new leadership:  We currently have a President, Treasurer and Secretary (myself, Rick, Zarmine).  In the past we have had a Vice President.

As a minimum, we need to choose the next President.  Rafi proposed the Secretary -> VP -> Pres rotation (Rick, you remain our Treasurer!).

We also have an Executive Board (Jerry, Vicken, Zarmine, Larry, Georges, Rick).  Can we develop that?

Rafi's letter:

Hi all,

I also agree with both notions of suboptimal communication and lack of vision accepted by all component societies that results in ambiguousness of role of AMIC.

The plan is to find what is it that the societies cannot do without AMIC and then prove the value. In my opinion this is not too difficult to do since we all know it but haven't put it on the paper yet. 

1) Centralized coordination of efforts

2) single channel communication with MOH in Armenia and Artsakh

3) Organizing multinational committees to attack identified problems

are just a few of the value of having AMIC as I see it.

The main task of GA will be revisiting mission, electing leadership group, and identifying workgroup (the three most important ones that I can think of now are (Communication, Disaster Readiness, Education) .

The leadership should consist of Executive Committee with a succession from Secretary treasurer to Vice President and President plus Board of Directors members at large. I think all local societies should have a seat at the board and there should be an ad hoc seat from the MOH.

I can come with a proposal but it is going to be similar to what I had sent last GA.

As for us running for the President, I think it may be for the membership to vote. I am currently the Vice President of an International Scientific Society and will be the president in two years. So not much time available for another organization, however I will be honored to be a part of the Board of Directors or EC if I am elected.

Jerry, I think Al can participate in the Friday morning plenary session of Telemedicine, Communication, mobile health and Technology in Medicine. it would be interesting for him.