By-Laws

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS of the WESTERN LOSS ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I – NAME
This association shall be known as the “Western Loss Association.”

ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
Its objective shall be to secure greater efficiency in the adjustment of property losses thru education and training.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Eligibility for membership shall be open to all persons affiliated with the property insurance industry, including company staff adjusters, defense attorneys, independent adjusters, appraisers, salvors, contractors, engineers, and other experts providing services to insurance companies, but excluding public adjusters and plaintiff attorneys.

Section 2. Each President, upon taking office, shall immediately appoint a Membership Committee, consisting of a Chairman and two others. It shall be the duty and responsibility of that Membership Committee to screen and consider the qualifications of all applicants for membership, and to make their recommendations to the general membership for action or approval.

ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. There shall also be an Executive Committee, consisting of three other members.
Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings. In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the office of the President. The Secretary’s duties shall be those usual to a recording and corresponding secretary. The Treasurer shall handle all monies, incoming and outgoing, and shall arrange for a yearly audit of the financial books through an outside accounting firm.
Section 3. Eligibility for the positions of Officers shall be limited to employees of chartered insurance companies, Property Loss Research Bureau. The Executive Committee shall consist of the prior 2 years presidents and 1 person elected from the membership at large.
Section 4. The officers and Executive Committee members are to be elected for a term of one year
Section 5. In the event any officer or member of the Executive Committee shall be unable, for any reason, to serve in his elected office, the unexpired term thereof shall be filled by election at the next meeting of the Western Loss Association.
Section 6. Prior to the Annual Meeting, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee, which shall consist of all officers and members of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall present their slate to the membership at the Annual Meeting, at which time a vote of the general membership will be taken, for action or ratification of the officers for the coming year. The first meeting of the Western Loss Association following the summer, shall be considered the Annual Meeting. Terms of the officers and the Executive Committee will run from Annual Meeting to Annual Meeting.
Section 7. No two individuals from the same company, or group of sister companies, shall be serving as an officer, or on the Executive Committee, at any one time.
Section 8. Regarding the succession of officers, the officers will move from Secretary, to Treasurer, to Vice-President, to President, and then after Presidency serve two years on the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V – VOTING RIGHTS
Section 1. Voting rights shall be vested to reflect one vote per chartered insurance company or group of sister companies, and one vote for the Property Loss Research Bureau.
Section 2. The senior member of the aforementioned groups shall be deemed eligible to cast votes as required.
Section 3. The Executive Committee position that is open to any member in good standing will be voted on by all members in good standing. Each person gets one vote.
Section 4. For matters of business each officer including the executive committee members is entitled to one vote.

ARTICLE VI – QUORUM
A minimum attendance of seven voting individuals shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Western Loss Association, and attendance of a quorum is required for any meeting of the Western Loss Association at which any business shall be conducted.

ARTICLE VII – ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1. The following shall be the regular order of business at all meetings of the Western Loss Association

Calling of the roll.
Reading of the minutes.
Presentation of new members.
Reports of Committees.
Treasurer’s Report
Unfinished business.
New business.

Section 2. The regular order of business may be changed by a three-fourths vote of the voting membership present at any meeting.

ARTICLE VIII – MISCELLANEOUS
Section 1. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the deliberations of the Western Loss Association in all cases, where they do not conflict with the standing rules of this Association.
Section 2. Any rule of order may be suspended temporarily by a majority vote of the Association.
Section 3. If one-fifth of the members present question a vote, they may request a roll call.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Western Loss Association by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the voting membership present, provided notice of such proposed amendment, with copy thereof, has been mailed to the entire voting membership of the Western Loss Association, at last-known mail addresses, not less than one month in advance of such meeting, together with a notice of the time and place of the meeting at which such proposed action is to be taken.

Amended and Voted and Approved on __________2002