Proposals to the Board of Trustees

Seat Chuck Rambo as the 2026 Elections Chair

Pay ACA show awards invoice of $536.26 (29-Jan-2026).
Rusty submitted an invoice for $536.26 to pay for the Kentucky convention ACA show awards. While the actual invoice has already been paid by the convention chair, the proposal would reimburse the convention account for the awards.

Effective February 1, 2026, new members will pay $45 per year membership, $25 of which will go to Cichlid Room Companion, and $20 of which will go to the ACA. Current members will continue to pay $35, $20 of which goes to the Cichlid Room Companion and $15 of which will go to the ACA.

To allocate $500 to Dave Schumacher to reimburse for his payment for the advertisement in Amazonas magazine to thank fish donors.

Pay ACA show awards invoice (29-Jan-2026)

Nominate Dave Schumacher as new Convention Fish Donation Chair

All funds collected from the Babes auction will be deposited into ACA account and fully distributed to recipients which the BOT determines.

Award of ACA Fellowship to Juan Miguel Artigas Azas

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Webmaster and Newsletter Editor (18-Oct-2025)

Election Chair (01-Oct-2025)

Thank donors (19-Aug-2025)

2026 Convention Bid approval (04-Apr-2025)

ACA Treasurer (19-Feb-2025)

Letter of Engagement Dinsmore (27-Jan-2025)

To fund Ivan Mikolji's request for $3000 for personnel costs

To fund Ivan Mikolji's request for $2000 for equipment

To fund Kevin Torgerson's request for $1500

To fund Karen O'Brien's request for $1500

To fund Anessa Dwyer's request for $1696

ACA Manufacturers Liaison (22-Sep-2024)

2024 ACA Convention to Hill Country Cichlid Club (19-Sep-2024)

Chris Biggs as Videographer

Convention Videographer

Appointment of Peter George as CARES Liaison

To appoint Howard Schmidt to the position of Archives Chair

By-Laws Revision.

To create a Youth Board within the ACA.

Confirm Committee Chairs.

To appoint Alan De Angelo and Daryl Hutchins to the ByLaws Committee for the purpose of rewriting the ACA ByLaws.

To accept the bid by the Madison Area Aquatic Hobbyists, for the 2023 ACA Convention to be held in Madison Wisconsin July 11-16.

Costa Rica stream study.

Request $4000 payable to Zoo Med for BB printing (this is half the cost), for BB numbers 312, 313, 314 and 315.

To approve the appointment of Jan Benes as Convention Liaison.

ACA 2022 Convention (02-Sep-2020). To approve the date change for the 2021 convention in Louisville, changing it from July 27-August 1, 2021 to July 27-31, 2022.

ACA 2021 St. Louis, MO (31-Aug-2020). To approve Missouri Aquarium Society, Inc. to host the 2021 ACA convention. Budget and schedule attached to email of Sunday, August 30, 2020.Proponent: Jan Benes.

To approve appointment of Alan De Angelo to chair an exploratory committee for expansion of ACA's conservation activities.

To appoint an Archives Chairman (03-Jul-2019). To approve the Chair's appointment of Don Danko as Archives Chair.

Participation in 2019 Aquatic Experience (19-Jun-2019). To sponsor the cichlid show at the 2019 Aquatic Experience and set up our booth; to approve spending up to $500 for expenses incurred for cichlid show at Aquatic Experience, including transportation of stands and Wi-Fi service at booth. To sponsor the cichlid show at the 2019 Aquatic Experience and set up our booth; to approve spending up to $500 for expenses incurred for cichlid show at Aquatic Experience, including transportation of stands and Wi-Fi service at booth.

ACA Convention 2020 Bid (17-Apr-2019). To award the 2020 ACA convention to Sacramento Aquarium Society.

Socolof Award (12-Mar-2019). To award Stephan Tanner the Ross Socolof Award so his service to both the ACA and the aquarium hobby.

SHOAL (12-Mar-2019). That the ACA sign up as a strategic partner with Shoal as recommended by Conservation Committee Chair, Dr Paul Loiselle.

To compensate Mike Mull $400 for expenses incurred in association with the 2018 Aquatic Experience cichlid show and manning of the booth (08-Oct-2018). Mike Mull is covering the expense of hauling the stands to the show, as well as manning the booth along with Liz and Scott McLaughlin. Hotel room alone is over $700.

2021 ACA Convention ALREADY VOTED ON AND PASSED (08-Oct-2018). (Entered here to keep the numbering correct.)
To award the 2021 ACA Convention to the club as proposed September 17, 2018. Passed unanimously.

BB on USB drive (26-May-2018). To authorize Daryl Hutchins to spend not to exceed $1200 for 100 32gb USB drives which will be loaded with the entire catalog of BB and then offered for sale.

To form a committee, chaired by Tim Hovanec, to review our website and Facebook presence.

To bestow the Jordan Retrospective Fellow award on Claudia Dickinson 2nd vote.

To contribute $1000.00 for prize money and costs for the Aquatic Experience cichlid show in 2018, the Meadowlands, New Jersey (27-Feb-2018). Aquatic Experience is asking the ACA to contribute $1000.00 to offset the cost of the cichlid show, including prize money at their event at the Meadowlands in October 2018. AE will provide tanks and stands. Scott McLaughlin will arrange for local volunteers to set up the cichlid show and will encourage local hobbyists to enter fish.

To rescind Proposition 17-24, ACA-CRC Agreement Revision pending further discussion and formalization of agreement.

ACA-CRC Agreement Revision.

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To accept the host proposal for the 2019 ACA convention (22-Dec-2017). To accept the proposal made by the New England Cichlid Association to host the 2019 American Cichlid Association convention.

To bestow Claudia Dickinson the Jordan Retrospective Fellow Award (18-Nov-2017). Claudia Dickinson has been an instrumental part of the ACA for many years and has founded the CARES organization. This award would recognize her tireless efforts in support of the cichlid hobby, the ACA and CARES.

To fund Scott McLaughlin $250 for attending OCA on behalf of ACA.

To enroll the ACA as an Associate member of PIJAC (13-Oct-2017). The ACA will become an Associate member of PIJAC with automatic renewal unless the BOT votes to cancel the membership.

To donate 3,000 USD to the Rio Negro Sustainable Fisheries Education Project (04-Oct-2017). The ACA will donate $1,500 to the Rio Negro Sustainable Fisheries Education Project-a video production that will promote the sustainability of the collection of aquarium fishes in the Rio Negro watershed and Project Piaba. The ACA will also attempt to fundraise an additional $3,000 for the project.

To establish the ACA position statement on wild fish collection.

To enroll the ACA as an associate member of PIJAC (21-Sep-2017). To enroll the ACA as an Associate member PIJAC for $100. Membership will renew annually until future BOT votes to discontinue membership.

To appoint Jason Wilson as Publicity Chair (19-Jul-2017).

New Membership/Donation Schedule (07-Jul-2017). Under the JOIN BUTTON > List the annual dues subscription as already present. Then, add a link for Life Membership that goes into the Donation section. Juan Miguel, can possibly add a DONATE BUTTON OR COMBINE JOIN/DONATE SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY DONATE TO ACA CONSERVATION/RESEARCH PROJECTS. This will include several types of donation:Options:Monthly, one-time lump sums or larger incremental sums. (This also includes Life Memberships.) Recurring Monthly Donations: $2/mo $3/mo or $5/mo would be good. One-time donation of $___. Several members have left a gift to the ACA in their wills. You can, too. There will be six (6) LIFE MEMBERSHIP levels of donation. They will also be buildable with easily affordable sums, if you donate at the lowest level, you can give incrementally and become a higher level donor. $1,000 Life Member All donors that give at this level, or above, will receive a Life Membership to the ACA. (All current Life members will start at this level, too.)***
$1,250 Patron
$1,500 Endowment
$1,750 Benefactor
$2,000 Conservation
$2,500 Legacy
You can build incrementally and get to the next level of recognition.
* DONORS SHOULD HAVE A CHOICE TO WHERE THEY DONATE: GENERAL FUND, JORDAN RESEARCH FUND OR LOISELLE CONSERVATION FUND.
** ALL DONORS AT PATRON LEVEL AND ABOVE WILL BE RECOGNIZED ANNUALLY IN A PUBLISHED LIST, EITHER IN THE AN OR BB CONVENTION ISSUE, FOR EXAMPLE.
ALL MEMBERSHIPS AND DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!
The WEBSITE should have all CONSERVATION PROJECTS, past and active, with a short summary, listed under the LOISELLE FUND section and the RESEARCH PROJECTS sponsored, maybe starting at the year 2000 under the JORDAN FUND section. Listing the projects title, university and year. WE NEED TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO SITE VISITORS WHAT WE DO.

Modifications to the Social Media Policy (proposal 17-11) (14-Jun-2017).To rescind Proposal 17-11 and replace it with the following text:
POLICY FOR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, GROUPS, AND SITES

This Policy for Social Media Pages, Groups, and Sites (hereafter, Policy) applies to any page, group, or other site on any social media platform, including (without limitation) Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube that is created or facilitated by or at the direction of the American Cichlid Association (ACA) and/or its Board of Trustees (BOT).

This Policy is supplemental to any use policies of the social media platforms, and the social media platforms are expressly excluded from this Policy. The ACA, through its BOT, shall have control over any content appearing at any social media page, group, or other site subject to this Policy, notwithstanding the use policies of the social media platform and the ability of the social media platform to enforce such policies, including (without limitation) any posts, links, likes, connections, photos, fundraisers, business purposes, sales, and advertising.All social media pages, groups, or other sites subject to this Policy must adhere to all ACA and BOT policies and procedures.

The Chair of the BOT may, at his or her discretion, appoint a Super Administrator (Social Media Liason) to control any particular social media page, group, or other site subject to this Policy. The Super Administrator shall be given all administrative rights to the social media page, group, or other site by its creator, and the Super Administrator may appoint other administrators or a content team to maintain the social media page, group, or other site.

The Super Administrator reports directly to the BOT and ensures that the social media page, group, or other site complies with this Policy and all other ACA and BOT policies and procedures. Any Super Administrator appointed by the Chair of the BOT shall serve a regular term, as defined by BOT procedures, and must comply with all ACA and BOT policies and procedures. Any Super Administrator who fails to comply with any ACA or BOT policy or procedure may, at the BOT's discretion, be terminated or replaced.All social media pages, groups, and other sites subject to this Policy are intended to advance the mission of the ACA and be for the exclusive benefit of the ACA and its membership.

No social media pages, groups, or other sites subject to this Policy shall be used for any personal or financial gain without the express written consent of the BOT, including (without limitation) fundraising; personal or third-party business promotion, sales, or advertising; and/or channeling of funds to non-ACA sources. In particular, all social media pages, groups, and other sites shall be prohibited from any solicitation of funds, or participation in or promotion of any fundraising activity, without the express written consent of the BOT. All social media pages, groups, and other sites subject to this Policy are prohibited from any derogatory posting, and Super Administrators shall remove any posts from other members, users, or third parties which the BOT or the Super Administrator considers to be derogatory or contrary to the ACA and BOT policies and procedures.

Only those social media pages, groups, and other sites that have agreed to and comply with this Policy may use the ACA name and crest.Any ACA member that has created, creates, administrates or otherwise facilitates any social media page, group, or other social media site in which the content relates to the mission of the ACA is prohibited from using in connection with such social media page, group, or other site the ACA name, crest, or any other trademark of the ACA, including (without limitation) the marks AMERICAN CICHLID ASSOCIATION, ACA, or any other colorably similar mark, unless the ACA member agrees to and complies with this Policy with respect to such social media page, group, or other site.

To appoint Bill Merkley as new Social Media Liason.

To allow new administrators on the ACA Facebook group.

Social Media Policy (30-Mar-2017).

To give the Speakers Program an allowance of $600 (02-Mar-2017). To allow the sum of $600 annually to be used by the ACA Speaker Program to augment the Zoo Med donations thus allowing 15 speakers per year. Any unused funds will be returned to the general fund.

To copyright the ACA logo (15-Feb-2017). To fund the registration of our logo with the federal government for trademark protection.

To appoint Tom Koba as ACA CARES Liason (14-Feb-2017). To accept Tom Koba as the new ACA CARES Liason.

To register the ACA Trademark/Name (14-Feb-2017). To allow Tim Hovanec to proceed with the registration of the ACA in the two trademaerk classes #41 and 36 for the sum of $1,272.50.
This is a one-time fee.

To create the position ACA-CARES Liason (10-Feb-2017). The creation of the position ACA CARES Liason to better incorporate CARES into the ACA and increase member participation. Explanation of CARES, its goals and how to participate.

To allow the ACA to pay for articles and photographs submitted to the Editor for publication in BB (09-Feb-2017). To allow the ACA to pay for articles and photographs submitted to the Editor for publication in BB. The reimbursement schedule will be set by the Editor and the BOT and reviewed on an annual basis. Authors should contact the Editor for current rates.

To pay the publisher of BB for services rendered (08-Feb-2017). To pay the Publisher of BB the sum of $350.00 per issue for services rendered.

To officially appoint Juan Miguel Artigas Azas as our Webmaster (19-Jan-2017). To name Juan Miguel Artigas Azas as WebMaster of the ACA web site whose purpose is to keep the present ACA web site functioning properly and updated.

To appoint Peter George as our new Social Media Liason.

To create the position Social Media Liason (04-Jan-2017). To create a new Cadre position, Social Media Liason whose function will be the oversight of all Social Media sites, assuring they function in a cohesive manner, coordinate the Social Media Steering Committee and to keep the BOT informed of any significant events or changes to be made.

To accept Dr Alan de Angelo as chair of the BOT 2017 (14-Dec-2016). With the renewal of four members of the ACA board of trustees for the period 2017-2018, a new chair becomes necessary as current chair Jan Benes and vice-chair Rusty Wessel finish the period with the BOT. Alan de Angelo is proposed to take this position for 2017.

To compensate Daryl Hutchins for scanning back issues 21-204 of BB, rendering them high-quality, searchable pdfs, not to exceed $3000.

To spend $59 per year for cloud storage of Dr Loiselle's library for ACA use.

To renew membership arrangements with Juan Miguel Artigas Azas.

To accept the bid for the 2017 ACA Convention by the chosen host club.

To extend through May 31, 2017, our agreement with Juan Miguel Artigas Azas for administration of ACA membership.

To appoint Peter George as our new Membership Chair.

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To approve Peter George as Membership Chair.

To approve Mary Finnstrom as Archives Chair.

To approve the Minutes from the 2015 BOT meeting.

To take out a full-page ad, half for ACA membership and half for the upcoming convention in the the Aquatic Experience show book.

To split the cost with Zoo Med to print a limited number of each electronic BB with a maximum of $2000.

To award the Guy Jordan Research Fund $1150 to Richard Oldham and $1350 to Layla Al-Shaer.

To fund two people to man the booth at the Aquatic Experience Chicago.

To purchase two show booths not to exceed $2000.

To have a booth at the 2015 Aquatic Experience and to have a booth and Cichlid Show at the 2016 and 2017 Aquatic Experience.

To award an additional $3500 from the Paul V. Loiselle Conservation Fund to Guy Tam Hyok.

To approve Alan De Angelo and Daryl Hutchins as co-chairs of the Election Committee.

To approve the new By-Laws and distribute them to the membership for approval.

To give Mo Devlin $200 for advertising.

BB #283 & BB #284 will be made available free to the public.

To engage Juan Miguel Artigas Azas as Membership Administrator.

Mike Meyer for Secretary.