Society Meeting 2017

 The 2017 ISHBH business meeting took place in Austin, Texas, USA in conjunction with the 2017 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) that ran 12-16 July at Renaissance Austin Hotel. As is a tradition the meeting was held with a shared luncheon at noon this time on the congenial in-house restaurant Knotty Deck and as usual was filled with fascinating conversations between the participants on subjects related to the Society's aims. Six members and two students as guests, who had rightly found the meeting announcement exhilarating, took part in the lunch seminar.

The financial statement for 2016 showing a net profit of $99 was approved by the meeting assembly. The post as Treasurer/Secretary had been vacant for a period and was now filled by the anthropologist and long-time amateur herpetologist, Dr Thomas Håkansson from Lexington, Kentucky. The other officers of the board were re-elected for another two-year period.

A minor update was proposed to the Society's Constitution, which was ratified on June 27, 1999 at the Penn Stater Conference Center, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA, to be ratified at next year's business meeting before it takes effect.

Changes and additions to the Constitution to be ratified on the Business meeting in 2018:

vi. The Executive Committee

Present sentence:
The Executive Committee consists of five members, preferably of an international scope, namely chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary/treasurer, meeting organizer, and editor.

Replace with:
The Executive Committee consists of five up to seven members, preferably of an international scope, namely chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, treasurer, meeting organizer, and editor. One person can fill one or two positions, but with one voting right, as decided by the Executive Committee. The chairperson and the treasurer can sign for the Society, including banks, "either to sign" until revoked.

Add:
x. Altering the Constitution The Society may alter the Constitution by a resolution passed by a simple majority of those members present and voting at two successive Society Business Meetings.

xi. Dissolution
In the event of the dissolution of this Society, any remaining funds and other assets will be donated to Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles Facsimile Reprints program or, if not existing or accepted, any similar program.

From Left to Right: Greg Watkins-Colwell; Guests: Jonathan Bynum and Erin Chapman; Aaron M. Bauer, John Moriarty, Joe Mitchell, Richard Wahlgren, and Luis Ceríaco.