AAEA
ASIAN AMERICAN ENGINEERS & ARCHITECTS

 


Constitution

Article I. Name, Location, Objective

 The Name of this organization shall be the Asian American Engineers and Architects.

 The geographical boundaries of AAEA shall be for the cultivation of friendly relations among members of the Association through acquaintance by means of meetings at regular periods, and the promotion of the general welfare of the Members for the purpose of enabling better service to the public.  More specifically, the purposes of the organization shall be to:

1.        Promote the distribution of technical and professional information for continual improvement and competence of our membership.

2.              Provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas, information and knowledge among association members and appropriate governmental agencies.

3.                Insure that the voice of the Members is heard in the community affairs of the Houston geographical area, particularly in connection with the formulation of public policies related to the development, use and protection of the environment of mankind.

4.              Achieve standards and professional practice which will provide the profession with the high caliber and ability required for the solution of the problems with which the profession deals.

Article II.  Membership

Section 1.   Corporate Membership: Will be by firm and will be limited to those Asian decent owners and principles practicing in the field directly relating to Engineering and Architecture as approved by the Membership Committee. Corporate Members are voting members and can serve as officers and members of the Board.

Associate Membership: Non Asian Decent individuals who practice a field directly related to Engineering and Architecture as approved by the Membership Committee. Associate Members are non-voting members and can not serve as officers and members of the Board.

Individual Membership: Asian Decent individuals (non business owners) who practice a field directly related to Engineering and Architecture as approved by the Membership Committee. Individual members are non-voting members and can not serve as officers and members of the Board.

Government Membership: Asian Decent individuals who practice a field directly related to Engineering and Architecture as approved by the Membership Committee. Government members are voting members and can serve as officers and members of the Board.

Section 2.   Corporate Member firms may have a maximum of two (2) representatives; however each firm shall be entitled to only one vote.

 

Article III. Fees and Dues

Section 1.   Entrance fees, annual dues and special assessments shall be provided in the By-Laws.

 

Article IV. Officers

Section 1.   The elected officers shall be President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, and two Directors.  Only Members of the Association shall be able to hold office.  One officer of the Association shall be permitted from each firm in any one year.

Section 2.   The elected officers and the immediate Past President shall constitute a Board of Directors and shall be voting Members.  A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

Section 3.   All of the officers shall be nominated by a nominating committee as provided for in the By-Laws, and shall be elected by a vote of the Members.

Section 4.   The term of office of the President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer shall be one year and the Directors shall be two years with staggering terms.  The terms of the Officers shall begin at the close of the annual meeting of AAEA following their election and shall continue for a period of one year or until a successor is duly elected or appointed.

Section 5.   A vacancy in the office of the President shall be filled by the Vice-President, who will hold both offices until the next regular election.  Other vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired terms by appointment of the Board of Directors. 

 Section 6.   Officers shall serve without compensation.

 

Article V. Administration

Section 1.   The Board of Directors is hereby vested with the authority necessary for the general administration and management of the affairs and property of AAEA subject to the Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 2.   The Board of Directors shall provide By-Laws which shall prescribe regulations for the administration of AAEA and for the exercise of the corporate powers vested in it.

Section 3.   The By-Laws may be amended in conformity with this Constitution at any properly constituted meeting of the Board of Directors, with a two-thirds vote of all Members, provided that a written notice of such proposed amendment shall have been given at a previous meeting of the Board, and provided further that the Secretary shall have mailed a copy of such a proposed amendment to each member of the Board of Directors and all Members of AAEA at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting at which action thereon is to be taken.  The Secretary must notify the membership in writing within thirty (30) days of the approval of any such amendment.

Section 4.   Upon the receipt of a petition for a change in the By-Laws which has been signed by ten (10) percent of the Members of AAEA, the Board of Directors shall act promptly on the petition, by submission to a letter ballot referendum to the Members.

Section 5.   All By-Laws or amendments thereto shall be in effect immediately upon approval of the Board or upon the determination of a favorable vote of a majority of the Members voting when submitted to a referendum vote.  After any unfavorable referendum vote on a specific item, a waiting period of at least six (6) months must elapse before any further recommendation or reconsideration regarding that item may be made by the Board.

 

Article VI.  Meetings

Section 1.   The regular meeting date of AAEA shall be monthly and shall be established by the Board of Directors.  The annual meeting of the Association shall be in December.

 

Article VIII.  Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by the following procedures:

(a)                            Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Board of Directors by petition, which shall be signed by at least 10% of AAEA or proposed amendments may be initiated by the Board of Directors, at any properly constituted meeting of the Board of Directors, and the Secretary shall have filed a copy of such proposed amendment to each member of the Board of Directors at least thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting at which action thereon to be taken.

(b)                           The proposed amendment together with printed ballots, shall be sent to all Members of AAEA eligible to vote, at least one month in advance of time specified by the Board of Directors for the counting of ballots.

 (c)                            The proposed amendment must receive an affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the number of Members voting, provided that a minimum of one-third of the Members shall have voted.  If less that one-third of the members vote, than the election shall be deemed to be unfavorable.

 

Article IX.  Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 1.         No part of the assets of AAEA shall inure to the benefit of any private individual.
Section 2.         Upon the dissolution of AAEA the assets remaining after the payment of the debts of AAEA shall be distributed equally to the Member firms.