PURPOSE

The purpose of the CQ Committee is set forth in ARTICLE V, Section 6, Paragraph B 2(d) of the Optimist International Bylaws. It provides that: "The Candidate Qualifications Committee shall seek and receive the names and qualifications of prospective candidates for elective office in Optimist International. It may consider prospective candidates on its own motion. This Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each elective office." In addition to these Policies the Candidate Qualifications Committee must comply with other Policies such as “Background” checks of potential nominees.

COMPOSITION

ARTICLE V, Section 6, Paragraph C 2(c) of the Optimist International Bylaws, states: "The Candidate Qualifications Committee shall consist of three appointed members who shall be appointed to terms of three years each, and the four most immediate and available Past Presidents (beginning one year after having served on the International Board of Directors). Each year the President shall appoint one member to a three-year term, but no appointed member shall be eligible to serve consecutive full terms. Any vacancy to one of these appointments shall be reappointed by the International President that made the original appointment. No member of the Board of Directors shall be eligible to serve on this committee."

CHAIR

ARTICLE V, Section 6 Paragraph C1 of the Bylaws states: Except as otherwise stated in these Bylaws, the authority to appoint members and designate the chairman of each committee shall be vested in the President. Any vacancy shall be filled following the procedure set forth in ARTICLE V, Section 6, Paragraph C 2(c) of the Bylaws: Any

vacancy to one of these appointments shall be reappointed by the International President that made the original appointment for the remainder of that member’s term.

MEETINGS

The Committee shall meet at the discretion of the Chair and shall be subject to the Board of Directors approved budget for the current operating year. Any meeting scheduled which will cause the budget to be exceeded must be pre-approved by the Board of Directors. The Chair of the International Candidate Qualifications Committee will report to the International Board of Directors.

RESPONSIBILITY OF CHAIR

1. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair to notify the Committee Members of all meetings. The Chair, working with Staff, shall arrange for hotel accommodations for the Committee. The Chair shall submit a written agenda to all members well in advance of a meeting, thus allowing the members an opportunity to contribute ideas to the development of that agenda prior to the meeting.

   
   

2. The Chair shall review with the Committee members at each meeting copies of all correspondence which he/she receives. The Chair shall forward, or cause to be forwarded, as soon as possible after receipt, all correspondence, favorable or unfavorable, regarding a potential candidate for any Optimist International elective office.

   
   

3. The Chair shall receive all correspondence relating to self-nominations to the International Board of Directors. This information will be shared only with the Candidate Qualifications Committee and will remain confidential. A final list of candidates for the Board of Directors will be included in the committee’s report to the Board of Directors.

   
   

4. The Chair shall mail a list of the most recent rotating committee members, showing the appointments for the next three years, to each member of the Committee prior to the first meeting of the administrative year.

5. Prior to the close of the last meeting of the Committee each administrative year, the Chairshall appoint the present first year "at large" member of the Committee as the Recording Secretary to serve the following year.

   
   

6. The Chair shall report all nominees, in the following order, 1) President-Elect 2) Vice Presidents- Elect 3) Directors-At-Large, first, to the Board of Directors and the Executive Director, assembled at the pleasure of the President of Optimist International then, an announcement no later than March 1 prior to the election.

   
   

7. The Chair, prior to the first meeting of the administrative year, shall:

   
   

   1. Obtain from the Executive Director of Optimist International copies of all reports containing information of either a complementary or derogatory

      nature pertaining to Optimist leaders, past or present, at the Governor's level or above, and shall share such information with the Committee members.

      
      

   2. Place such reports in the files of those persons to whom they pertain, and if no file exists, ensure that a file shall be opened and report placed therein.

      
      

8. The Executive Assistant to the Executive Director shall be designated Administrative Assistant to the Candidate Qualifications Committee. Said Assistant shall be responsible to the Chair and Recording Secretary of the Committee for:

   
   

   1. Computer input. All material, at the time of typing or entry in the computer, shall be dated by page.

   2. Biographical information

   3. Committee Minutes, with additions or corrections.

   4. Presidential, Vice Presidential, and Director-At-Large Master Lists, with additions or deletions, and other secretarial items assigned by the Chairman or Recording Secretary.

   5. All information relating to CQ uses shall be held electronically confidential with a password and easily reached by computer held in files and in control of the Chair and CQ Recording Secretary.

      
      

9. Prior to the first and second meetings of the Committee, the Chair shall consult with the President and/or the Executive Director of Optimist International concerning any items on the agenda of the Board of Directors of Optimist International for which input from the Candidate Qualifications Committee might be helpful or desired.

   
   

10. All communication from any Optimist regarding candidates for office in Optimist International shall be addressed to the Committee Chair in written form.

11. Immediately following the Optimist International Convention, the Candidate Qualifications Committee Chair Designate shall write to the current Optimist International Committee Chairs (enclosing the Committee Member Evaluation Form [Appendix B]) requesting information concerning the performance of the members serving on said committee during the current year. The Candidate Qualifications Committee Chair is to request a response within thirty days.

    
    

12. Two copies of the "Confidential Evaluation of Optimist International Representatives" in Appendix A shall be included in the packets received ty the Optimist International Representatives. One copy each shall be given to the Governor and the Governor-Elect at their District conventions, with instructions to return this completed form to the Candidate Qualifications Committee Chair immediately following the District Convention in the self-addressed, confidential envelope. The Candidate Qualifications Committee Chair will follow up with an email to the Governor and Governor-Elect.

RESPONSIBILITY OF RECORDING SECRETARY

1. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for:

   
   

   1. Preparing the written Minutes of each meeting and transmitting same to the members within 45 days thereafter.

      
      

   2. Creating and updating the permanent records and files of all recommended nominees in cooperation with the Executive Director of Optimist International.

      
      

   3. Preparing revised copies of Operational Guidelines, reflecting all amendments adopted by the Committee, and sending revised copy to all the Committee members within 45 days thereafter.

      
      

   4. Indoctrinating the incoming Recording Secretary with respect to all permanent records and files maintained by the Committee prior to the close of the last meeting of the administrative year.

      
      

2. The following requirements shall govern the preparation and maintenance of Minutes for the Committee:

   
   

   1. All Minutes of this Committee shall be maintained in the permanent files for reference.

      
      

   2. All actions and principal conclusions of the Committee shall be disclosed in the Minutes.

      
      

   3. Names of all nominees who are added to the lists of candidates shall be recorded in groups, even though each candidate is considered individually. All additions and deletions will be grouped in the Minutes.

   4. All lists of individuals contained within the Minutes shall be recorded by year served as Governor, in alphabetical order within the year and followed by the District designation.

RECORD STORAGE

The permanent files and records of the Committee shall be housed, under lock, within the Optimist International office. The Chair, working with the Executive Director of Optimist International, shall designate a store room for these records and ensure that strict conditions of security are enforced. No person, other than a member of the Committee and the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director, shall be authorized to have access to this locked storage files. A separate keyed file cabinet shall contain the files and records. Keys to this locked file cabinet shall be only in the possession of the Chair, the Recording Secretary of the Committee, and the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. They keys shall be transferred to the senior returning member and

the Recording Secretary-Designate at the last meeting of the administrative year.

BIOGRAPHICAL FILES

1. The Committee shall maintain a biographical file for each potential candidate. Mere discussion of potential nominees shall not be cause for creating a file for the member discussed. Creation of these files shall be as follows:

   
   

   1. The Committee, at its first meeting each year, shall review the list of Immediate Past Governors and submit a list of selected names to the Executive Director with instructions to create a biographical file on each named individual.

      
      

   2. The Executive Director of Optimist International, upon special request from the Committee, shall create a file on any Optimist member.

      
      

   3. The CQ Committee may create a file on its own.

      
      

   4. All personal files shall be forwarded to the Committee’s Chair for placement in permanent files of the Committee.

      
      

   5. A file will be established for all nominees recommended by:

      
      

      1. A majority vote of the Committee, or

      2. Letters of recommendation, reviews and reports that are not acted upon favorably by the Committee will be retained in a master file until such time as the Committee opts to establish a file.

      3. The Committee shall review each candidate’s file and content annually, and place files into “library status” for those candidates no longer under consideration by the Committee.

         
         

2. Information in these files shall include:

   1. A form listing biographical data, including:

      1. Name of the Optimist, and the name of the Optimist's spouse.

      2. A picture of the Optimist.

      3. Date of birth.

      4. Mailing and email addresses.

      5. Telephone numbers (home, cell, and work).

      6. Vocation.

      7. Education.

      8. Year joined Optimism.

      9. Name of current Optimist club.

      10. Name of District.

      11. Year served as Club President, and awards.

      12. Year served as Lt. Governor, and awards.

      13. Year served as Governor, and awards.

      14. Percent Membership Gain/Loss as Governor.

      15. Year served on Optimist International Committee, and name of Committee.

      16. Health status which could adversely affect the ability to serve if appointed (if known)

          
          

   2. Letters received by the Committee which formally endorse or transmit other pertinent information about a potential candidate.

      
      

   3. Letters received by the International Office pertaining to conduct, behavior or performance of any current or past Lt. Governor, Governor, or International Vice President or any member to be placed into nomination for elective office for Optimist International.

      
      

   4. Recommendations must be received in the International Office no later than two weeks before the Candidate Qualifications Committee meets in the Fall.

      
      

3. Occasionally, derogatory reports are received by the Candidate Qualifications Committee which tend to indicate that a particular member should not be considered for office in Optimist International. If the Committee deems such derogatory information to be reliable and of such a nature as to render the subject person unsuitable for International Office, a memorandum shall be placed in the file created for such person, outlining the reasons for such conclusion. The date of entry of memorandum and the vote of the Committee making such recommendation shall be noted in the memorandum, and signed by the Chairman. Such files will be documented with non-hearsay information to substantiate the reasons. Written documents shall be considered as non-hearsay information, although they contain information originally obtained from some source other than the writer.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF COMMITTEE

Matters discussed by the Committee and materials maintained for review shall be held in strict confidence by all members. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair to remind the Committee members of their pledge of confidentiality at each meeting.

GUIDELINE FOR MEETINGS

1. The Committee shall nominate at least one qualified candidate for the office of President-Elect of Optimist International. The Committee shall also nominate at least one candidate for the office of Vice President-Elect for each Region of Optimist International as established by the Optimist International Board of Directors. Finally, the Committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each open position for Director-At-Large. The Committee shall complete the selection process prior to the adjournment of the second meeting held in January or February.

   1. Prior to the first ballot for any office, the Committee will have the opportunity to review the list of potential candidates for the respective offices.

      
      

   2. The Committee may add to the list of potential candidates for a particular office and may eliminate the names of those that the majority of the members of the Committee deem to be no longer viable or available as candidates for an office.

      
      

2. Recommended Procedure for President-Elect Nominee

   
   

   1. To the extent possible, the Committee will attempt to reach a consensus regarding the top finalist for the office of President-Elect.

      
      

   2. At the first meeting, the Committee members will determine their first choice by secret ballot. If no person has a majority, the person with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated and another ballot taken. This balloting process will be repeated until the first choice is selected.

      
      

   3. Once the first choice is selected, the Committee members will determine their second choice by secret ballot, using the same process.

      
      

   4. Once the second choice is selected, the Committee members will determine their third choice by secret ballot, using the same process.

      
      

   5. Based on the balloting at the first meeting, up to three “finalists” for the position of President-Elect will be identified. The names of the finalists are to be kept confidential by the Committee members.

      
      

   6. Each of the finalists may be invited to an interview with the committee.. If the Committee decides to an conduct an interview, the Chair will invite each finalist to either an in-person interview or an interview conducted electronical (e.g. Zoom). The Chair will give the finalists the interview dates, other pertinent information, and instruct the finalist(s) to work with professional staff to make travel arrangements if in-person interviews are to be held.

      
      

   7. At the second meeting, the Committee members will determine their first choice for the position of President-Elect Nominee by secret ballot using the procedure set forth above. After this person is selected, the Committee members will determine their second choice.

      
      

   8. The person selected as the first choice will be the Committee's nominee for the office of President-Elect so long as he or she accepts the nomination. However, if that person does not accept the nomination, the person selected as the second choice will be asked to serve as the President-Elect Nominee. If the second choice does not accept the nomination, the third choice may be asked to serve as the President-Elect

      Nominee.

      
      

3. Recommendation Procedure for Vice President-Elect Nominees

   
   

   1. The Committee shall nominate at least one for the position of Vice President-Elect for each Region established by the International Board of Directors.

   2. In its discretion, the Committee may nominate a candidate whose membership is in a club outside the region for which they are nominated.

      
      

   3. At the Committee's first meeting, the members will select a tentative slate of Vice President-Elect nominees. Although the Committee members may decide to interview or otherwise make contact with the potential nominees, no funds are budgeted for in-person interviews.

   4. At the second meeting, the Committee will select the Vice President- Elect Nominee for each Region by secret ballot.

   5. There shall be a separate ballot for each Region and the Committee will use the same voting procedure for balloting as used for selecting the President-Elect Nominee except for Section 11.2(f).

   6. If the nominee selected as the first choice in a particular Region does not accept the nomination, the nominee selected as the second choice for that Region will be asked to serve as the Vice President-Elect Nominee. If neither accepts the nomination, the nominee selected as third
      
      ( Jul 2008, Mar 2010, Mar 2011, Mar 2012, Sep 2012, Feb 2013, Mar 2014, Apr 2015, Apr 2016, Nov 2018, Jun 2023 )