Spring 2023 Letter from the Board President

Greetings WGM family! After a very snowy winter, Spring is finally on the horizon, with a rapid shift into summer. Green grass is reappearing and flowers are in bud. Perhaps you will find inspiration from the season for your next weaving, spinning and dyeing project.

The Guild continues to settle in at our new space at Open Book. Many of you experienced the space in person at our Member Open House in April. If you were unable to attend, you can stop by during open hours to explore. Make sure to allow some time to meet our new neighbors. The entire building is bursting with creativity and beauty.

We continue to make progress on our Strategic Plan initiatives. Late winter, we reviewed our current banking options (under the pillar of Financial Sustainability). We decided to continue our relationship with USBank. Thanks to our account manager, we were able to take advantage of a promotional savings rate to garner interest on our large savings account. They also offer opportunities for investments, which is appealing as we think about the next 5-10 years of WGM at Open Book.

With the help of senior staff and volunteers from our Board, we are in the process of creating and re-implementing a multi-year financial forecast. Designed to help identify where funding is needed, the Forecast provides a road map for our activities. With increased competition for grant funding, we are looking to the forecast to proactively plan.

As we rapidly approach the final quarter of our guild calendar, I am halfway through my 3 year term as President Elect/President/Past President. This has been such a rewarding opportunity! I have enjoyed working closely with our very talented staff members. They care so much about the future of WGM and are extremely creative with strategies for growth and opportunity. In working with our Board and Committee members, I’ve realized just how lucky we are to have people with such a broad range of backgrounds. The guild benefits greatly from their generosity and expertise.

During my Board tenure, we hired a third staff member and moved to a fabulous space that offers more flexibility for our classes and gatherings. I have been able to contribute to our financial processes and learn about grant procedures. Taking an active role in shaping our future is amazing and I look forward to what the second half of my term will bring.

In September, Orton Tofte will transition into the President role, leaving open the opportunity of President Elect for fiscal 2025. If you are interested in this role or know of someone else that would be a good candidate, please contact me, Karin Knudsen (staff), or Amanda Anderson (Past President/Nominating Committee Chair) to get more information. Elections will be held during the upcoming annual member meeting. We look forward to hearing from you!

Lisa Black

President of the Board of Directors

pres_lisa@weaversguildmn.org