Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The meeting of the Executive Committee was called to order by President Dan Sonenshine at 7:35 p.m. on November 16, 2002 at the Bimini Boatyard Restaurant.  Members present were Carl Childers (President-Elect), James Keirans (Secretary/Treasurer, Archivist), Harold Harlen (Newsletter Editor), and Board Members Norm Fashing, Angela James and Sandra Allan.  Also in attendance was H. Joel Hutcheson.  Absent were Board Members Barry O’Connor, Ron Ochoa, and Lynell Tanigoshi.

 Thus far we have received no feedback on the student competition and travel award.  President Sonenshine requested that we put together a committee to judge the student papers tomorrow morning.  Joel Hutcheson, Angela James and Dan Sonenshine volunteered to be judges.

 The next topic for discussion was a topic for next year’s Formal Symposium.  President Sonenshine has been thinking of topics and came up with three for discussion.  (1) New and emerging tick and mite-borne diseases.  This would include plant mite rhabdoviruses, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, and Borellia species, as well as honey bee Varroa, and viruses in wheat and corn in the midwest.  (2) Mechanisms and transmission of blood feeding and plant feeding mites and ticks.  How the arthropod recognizes the pathogens.  (3) zoogeography of mites and ticks.  The executive committee selected (1).

 Subscriptions to Systematic and Applied Acarology was discussed, but because we do not have the structure to collect subscription dues for the journal and send a single check for all subscriptions, the matter was tabled.

 The informal conference deadline will be very early next year because the Entomological Society meeting will be in Cincinnati in October.

 With no other business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

 The Annual Business Meeting was called to order by President Sonenshine at 4:10 p. m., November 17, 2002.

 President Sonenshine welcomed the assembled members of the ASA and thanked the speakers and moderators for an excellent program.

 Jim Keirans gave the Secretary/Treasurer’s report.  Dan Sonenshine presented him with a plaque for his three years as Secretary/Treasurer.

 Harold Harlan gave the newsletter report, and Dan Sonenshine presented him with a plaque for his great success as editor.

 President Sonenshine brought to the floor for a vote on the three topics for the Formal Conference next year in Cincinnati.  The topics were (1) New and emerging tick and mite-borne diseases. (2) Mechanisms and transmission of blood feeding and plant feeding mites and ticks. (3) zoogeography of mites and ticks.  By a show of hands topic (1) was selected as the topic for the Formal Conference next year.  Carl Childers volunteered to be chairman for the mite portion of the Conference and Doug Norris volunteered to be chairman for the tick portion of the Conference.

 Ballots for President, Secretary/Treasurer and Executive Committee were distributed to the membership.  Candidates for President were Sandra Allan, Angela James and Jay Yoder.  Norm Fashing was unopposed for Secretary/Treasurer, and Robert Husband, David James, Douglas Norris and Paul Pratt were candidates for Executive Committee.  Lance Durden and Jim Keirans tabulated the ballots.  It proved to be a very close race with Angela James elected President-Elect, Norm Fashing elected Secretary/Treasurer, and David James and Doug Norris elected as new Executive Committee members.

 No necrology for 2002 was reported during the past year.

 The student paper winner and the travel award winner proved to be the same person - Jennilee Robinson, and a check was presented to her for $150.00 by the Secretary/Treasurer.

 As a final act as outgoing President, Dan Sonenshine presented a plaque to Past President Lance Durden  Dan then turned over the gavel to incoming President Carl Childers. Carl then presented a plaque to Past President Dan Sonenshine.  Carl said that the final Executive Committee meeting will be tomorrow noon at the Mariott Hotel, and that there will be an ASA mixer from 6-8 p.m. in Room 4 of the Mariott.

 The Annual Business Meeting was adjourned by President Childers at 4:40 p.m.

Minutes respectively submitted,
James Keirans, Secretary/Treasurer

Marriot President’s Room, Marriot Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  The meeting of the Executive Committee was called to order by President Carl Childers at 12:00 P.M. on November 18, 2002.  Other members present were Dan Sonenshine (past-President), Norm Fashing (Secretary/Treasurer, Board Member), Jim Keirans (Archivist), Harold Harlan (Newsletter Editor), and Board Members Sandy Allen, Lynell Tanigoshi, David James, and Douglas Norris.  Also present were Lance Durden (2002 past-President) and Barry OConnor (past Board Member). Absent were Angela James (President-elect) and Ron Ochoa (Board Member).

For the past three years annual dues reminders were included as part of newsletter labels rather than sending invoices to members. This method of reminding members to pay annual dues has not been efficient.  It was decided that newsletter mailing labels would still include membership status, but that the Secretary/Treasurer would also resume the invoice method.

 Plaques for student awards were not available at the ASA business meeting this year, but will be mailed to the recipient in the near future.  Lance Durden will contact Bill Wrenn and have plaques made. After several years as chair of the Student Awards Committee, Ellen Dotson is stepping down and Sandra Allen will take over.  Special appreciation goes to Ellen for her excellent service to the ASA.  Discussion ensued concerning student awards.  It was decided that two travel awards could be given each year if there were a sufficient number of applicants.  Since the prestige of the Outstanding Student Paper Award would be diluted with multiple awards, only one will be given each year.

Carl requested input concerning the practicability of an ASA booth at the 2004 International Congress of Entomology in Brisbane, Australia.  A booth could attract new members, make others aware of the existence of ASA, and also foster interactions with acarologists from around the world.  If ASA and the Acarology Laboratory at Ohio State share the cost of a booth, it would be $600 for each.  Carl will discuss cost-sharing with Ohio State and report back to the Executive Committee.

Carl also requested input concerning the feasibility of holding an ASA meeting every four years that is independent of the ESA meeting.  The meeting could be held midway between meetings of the International Congress of Acarology.  ASA members would benefit by having a smaller group, fewer symposia, and more interactions with acarologists.  The possibility of holding a joint meeting with the Latin American Acarological Society, the Cuban Entomological Society, or the Entomological Society of Mexico was discuss.  It was suggested that the American Arachnological Society also be considered.  There was some concern over possible conflicts with other meetings such as the EURRAC symposium, the International Congress of Entomology, and the Tick Borne Disease symposium, but it was pointed out that conflicts could be avoided with careful planning. Some thought it might be possible to organize such a meeting for the year 2004.  Carl will contact officers of the above mentioned societies and report back to the Executive Committee.

It was decided to place images of the various ASA officers on our web page.  Norm Fashing took digital photographs of the various Executive Committee members in attendance.

President Childers adjourned the final Executive Committee Meeting at 1:00 P.M.

Minutes respectfully submitted,
Norm Fashing, Secretary/Treasurer