Elections

The STC election follows the requirements of Article VIII of the STC Bylaws. The Nominating Committee is responsible for the selection of qualified candidates for STC office. The committee consists of five persons, including four elected members and an appointed chair.

The election is conducted each year prior to the annual business meeting.

Positions to Be Elected

  • Director (two-year term): All candidates must be regular or senior STC members in good standing for at least three years at time of consideration for candidacy.
  • Nominating Committee (two-year term): All candidates must be regular or senior STC members in good standing for at least one year at time of consideration for candidacy.

Typical Election Timeline

  • Summer: Solicitation of candidates. Members may nominate candidates and candidates may self-nominate. Candidates must meet the requirements defined in the STC Bylaws. STC encourages qualified candidates to consider this opportunity for service to STC and our membership. To nominate candidates for the next STC election, please complete the Candidate Recommendation Form.
  • September/October: The Nominating Committee reviews and evaluates potential candidates for specific positions on the slate, develops a short list, and conducts interviews to vet the potential candidates. The Nominating Committee may choose to solicit additional candidates.
  • November/December: The Nominating Committee develops a slate and presents it to the STC Board for approval.
  • January: STC publishes the slate.
  • February: Following the guidance of the Nominating Committee, candidates may campaign for office.
  • March: The election is held and results announced.
  • April/May: At board meeting at the end of April or start of May, the elected candidates are installed.
  • May/June: At the Annual Business Meeting, the Nominating Committee chair presents the election results and the elected candidates are recognized.
Electon voting

How to Run for Office

  1. Self-Nominate, or have a friend nominate you, using the Candidate Recommendation Form.
  2. The Nominating Committee will contact you to confirm your interest, and send you a link to the Application Form.
    • The Application is more formal than the nominating form, and requires references, a resume, and a professional headshot.
  3. Interview with the Nominating Committee.
  4. If you are selected, prepare a brief statement and submit it to STC for inclusion on the election website.
  5. Keep your membership up to date and vote in the election in the early spring.
  6. If elected, join the Board or Nominating Committee in May.
  7. Prepare to attend the Summit in person for a board meeting. The Nominating Committee meets at the Summit as well, although attending in person is not required.

Election Candidate Recommendation Form

Please recommend any regular or senior member (including yourself) whom you believe the Nominating Committee should consider for an elected position on STC’s Board of Directors or Nominating Committee. The committee will contact each individual to ascertain their interest. This recommendation does not guarantee selection for the ballot.

Complete the form below, and provide as much information as possible.

  • Nominations are due by September 30.
Candidate Recommendation Form

Election Results

View the results of the last election.

What Prospective Candidates Need to Know

Employer Support. All candidates need reasonable freedom of action at their jobs so, if necessary, they can handle Society business at the workplace. Candidates should expect to spend a minimum of 12-15 hours per month on STC business (more for President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary), yet much of it can be done from home. They also may need employer support or personal funds to cover some of their administrative and travel expenses.

Travel and Expense Reimbursements. Directors and Nominating Committee members may receive a discount, stipend, or reimbursement to help offset some of the expenses associated with attending face-to-face meetings. In most cases this will not cover all travel and associated expenses. The Board establishes the amount each year during the budget review process. In past years, extra consideration was given to Directors and Nominating Committee members based outside of North America.

In addition, you should be aware that STC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational, and charitable organization. Therefore, for residents of the United States, the portion of your expenses not reimbursed (other than personal services) that is more than the value of the benefit you receive may be deducted as a charitable contribution on your federal income tax return. Your personal financial advisor or tax preparer can provide details.

What Prospective Board Members Need to Know

Board Membership. All individuals elected to the position of Director serve on the STC Board of Directors for a two-year term (with the possibility of running for and being elected to a second consecutive two-year term). Board members are required to attend all Board meetings unless excused by the President for an emergency situation or illness.

  • In-person meetings: The Board meets in person once a year during the annual conference, and may meet at one other time during the Board year.
  • Monthly meetings: The Board also holds monthly meetings by conference call.

Executive Committee. The President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary serve as the Board’s officers, constituting the Executive Committee. When the Board is not in session, and a situation arises in which the full Board cannot be present, the Committee acts for the Board. All officers must be easily accessible and knowledgeable about the broad spectrum of the Society’s business.

Eligibility and Membership Requirements. The STC Board of Directors depends on experienced business, academic, and Society leaders. All candidates must be regular or senior STC members in good standing for at least three years at time of consideration for candidacy, have experience working at a strategic level; be comfortable making decisions collaboratively, and be focused on outcomes. They should have Society-level leadership experience, as well as professional skills in managing people, projects, and budgets. Being an STC Board member is a chance to leverage these skills, to learn how to lead a nonprofit organization, and to ensure that the Society continues providing members with a high level of opportunities and services.

What Prospective Nominating Committee Members Need to Know

Nominating Committee Membership. All individuals elected to the position of Nominating Committee member serve for a single two-year term. Members are required to attend all scheduled meetings, which generally are hosting virtually by conference call or a virtual meeting platform.

Eligibility. All candidates for the Nominating Committee must be regular or senior STC members in good standing for at least one year at time of consideration for candidacy.

Additional Resources. If you have questions about potential service as a Director or Nominating Committee member, current and past members are willing to share their experiences. You may contact members of the current Board for more information by looking them up on the STC website.

Questions. For additional questions about the election process, or if you’d like to nominate yourself or another member, please contact the Nominating Committee Chair.

FAQs for Potential Applicants

Q: Can I be a student member and be on the Board?


A: No, candidates must be a member in good standing and active for three years preceding the election.

Q: What does the nomination process entail?


A: The process involves the following:

  • You will be asked to fill out a candidate ballot questionnaire (online form) where you will be asked to describe your background and experiences, your previous service to STC or other professional organizations, and asked to respond to some open-ended questions about how you approach team building, decision making, etc.
  • You will also be asked to provide 3 references
  • You will provide a professional headshot photo
  • You will submit a current resume/CV.
  • You will be contacted by the Nom Comm for an interview if you are moving forward in the election process after submission of the candidate ballot questionnaire.

Q: What is the time commitment (hours per week or month and length of service)?


A: It differs for each position.

Candidates should expect to spend a minimum of 12-15 hours per month in their duties as Board members and 10 hours per month in their duties as Nominating Committee members (during the recruitment cycle).

Nominating Committee: During Summit, you’re expected to start reaching out to people in the halls and to your network in general to see who’s interested in running for a position. Our busier recruitment cycle starts around July, and regular time-demands start in August. This consists of meeting with the NomComm for an hour every couple of weeks, plus contacting potential nominees to see if they’re interested in running, and then to serve as liaison during the application process. The busiest time for the NomComm is during the interviews month (around October), where you might need to be available for 5-10 hours a week and depending on the availability of the rest of the committee and candidates, those hours might be during the workday. Between the time STC announces the final slate and the time the election ends, there is not much NomComm activity until the election is ready to be announced. You’ll then need to help notify the candidates as quickly as possible whether they won or lost the election.

Board: Time-commitment ebbs and flows and may be more if you are on the Executive Council. At most, 20 hours a month.

Q: What is the required/desired experience level?


A: Directors should have community experience. NomComm should have a robust network.

Q: Do we have a list of tasks Directors perform or a set list of responsibilities? Are Directors allowed to choose what they work on?


A: Typically the President assigns the Director to a committee as a liaison or as a Chair. The director has some say but it’s really up to the President to assign the director to a specific committee. The Board does not have a set list of tasks, but you should prepare to attend all board meetings and do any reading, pre-work, etc., necessary for a productive Board meeting. Any follow-up action items should be completed timely. You should regularly be in contact with your assigned committee. Sometimes you may be working on a special initiative for the Society depending on what is needed at the time.

For example: As Director, Jamye Sagan, was CAC Chair. That’s the committee she volunteered to chair. There was a lot of work with that, having monthly CAC meetings and developing that year’s leadership program. Jamye reported a status to the Board on a monthly basis. She attended all Board meetings and listened and read materials to make informed votes on Society business. For example, even though she was not the Treasurer, it was important to understand the financials that were being presented.

Everyone is asked to review the Board meeting minutes for accuracy. While there is no mandate for this, it’s important for Board members to stay engaged in the Society and its members to have a finger on the pulse on what’s going on. There are lots of ways to do that. And, of course, it goes without saying that a big task for a Director is keeping Society's business and Board discussions and decisions confidential.