Behind the Scenes: Flyers Advisors Keep Flyers Running Smoothly

Jerry F

Advisory Board Origin and Role

Blogmaster's Note: This post is updated by Jerry F. from his prior 2011 post.

The NY Flyers Advisory Board was formed in 1995 to provide guidance and support to the newly elected Executive Board, the majority of whom had been Flyers for less than 2 years. Initially, the Advisory Board was composed of four Flyers with proven leadership qualities who were interested in sustaining the Club’s momentum and easing the transition of new Executive Board officers in future years. It was increased to five permanent members early on, and remains at this level today.

The role of the Advisory Board was specifically acknowledged in the 2008 revision to the Flyer bylaws as follows:

"The Club may have an Advisory Board. The Advisory Board’s functions are to provide institutional knowledge of the Club’s activities and to offer strategic and other advice to the Executive Board. The Advisory Board does not have any authority to set Club policy, make decisions about the Club or act on its behalf."

Since its creation, the Advisory Board has provided year-to-year continuity in the planning and execution of Flyer activities, as the elected Executive Board officers change every year. The same issues have often reoccurred over time -- the institutional knowledge of the Advisory Board members and their ability to draw upon precedents established in the past have been instrumental in making decisions that are consistent with these precedents.

Conversely, new issues have cropped up that fall outside the experience of the elected officers. In such cases, the perspective of the Advisory Board has been solicited and reflected in their resolution. Perhaps most importantly, the Advisory Board has witnessed numerous Flyer program successes and failures over the years, and has been able to share the resulting wisdom with the presiding Executive Boards, to the Club’s benefit.

According to former Flyer President Heather M (2005), who was appointed to the Advisory Board in 2011, the members provide the glue that binds our organization together year after year.  While President, Heather often sought their advice, including when forming the Bylaws Committee and in the hiring of two Assistant Coaches, and notes that she now feels honored to serve on the Board.

Advisory Board Member Francine F feels that the Advisors are most helpful when a situation arises that the Executive Board hasn't confronted prior.  In these instances, the Advisory Board gets asked for input and feedback on (a) how the situation was handled in the past (if it has happened in the past), and (b) whether a particular course of action is consonant with Flyer practice.

Advisory Board Continuity

The policy for selecting a new Advisory Board member when someone steps down is to identify a list of potential candidates based on the following:

• Demonstrated past leadership in the Flyers
• Continued active involvement in Flyer activities
• Length of tenure in the Flyers
• Professional or business skills/ experience that might be helpful in providing guidance to the Executive Board
• Prior experience as a board member and/or in another advisory capacity which serves to demonstrate compatibility and good judgment

After the Advisory Board members agree on a successor from this list, the current President is asked to contact that person and extend the invitation to become an Advisory Board member.

In 2010, a change was made to allow the currently elected President to appoint one additional member to the Advisory Board for the duration of his/her term of office.

The composition of the Advisory Board has been quite stable during its 20 year life. Since 1995, there have been just eleven permanent members. The current members are:

Francine A
Ed A
Jerry F 
Heather M

Deb M

-Jerry F