About us
As a rule, the Executive Board and the members of the General Board meet jointly every 1st Tuesday of the month. Here, all current topics, inquiries and plans are discussed.
The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees report on their areas of work.
Club activities for the current fiscal year are coordinated and important Club decisions are voted on.
Board Members 2023/2024 Excecutive Board
President - Laura Melara-Dürbeck (I)
The President presides over all meetings. She appoints the members of the committees from the broad pool of Club members, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, and takes care of the business of the club, subject to the approval of the General Board. She is an ex officio member of all committees with the exceptions of the Election Committee and the Audit Committee.
1st Vice President - Dr. Annkatrin Helberg-Lubinski (D)
If the President is a German member, the First Vice- President is a non-German member and vice versa.
The First Vice President is also Chairperson of the Elisabeth Norgall Prize Committee. The following club members are also members of this Committee: the two Public Relations Chairpersons, a German Club member, a non-German Club member, and a long-standing Club member.
Over the course of several joint meetings, this Committee makes a preliminary selection from the submitted proposals for a possible Norgall Prize winner and then presents this selection to the Executive Committee. The winner is then voted on and elected by the Executive Committee and the members of the Norgall Award Committee. The prize is awarded every year in March.
If the President is permanently unable to attend, the First Vice President stands in her place and assumes the role of Chairpersonship and remaining duties of the President.
2nd Vice President - Yun Kruse (CN)
If the 1st Vice President is a German member, the 2nd Vice President is a non-German member and vice versa.
She is automatically Chairperson of the Admission Committee for new members. According to the By-laws this committee is comprised of the following members: the German and non-German Chairpersons of the standing committee membership, a former German and non-German Chairperson of the standing committee membership and one long-time German and one long-time non-German member. The committee's task is to recommend new members to the General Board for admission according to § 4 (Membership) of the Bylaws.
The 2nd Vice President invites the membership applicants to an information meeting after she discusses the applications with the Committee.
These meetings of potential and current members offer the opportunity to get to know one another, and usually take place two or three times a year. The admission of the new members is then decided on by the General Board based on the recommendations of the Admission Committee. New members receive an admission confirmation, a copy of the Bylaws, a membership list, the current club notes, and an invitation to a regular meeting, at which they are officially inducted into the Club.
Recording Secretary - Astrid Latta (D)
The minute-taker keeps the minutes of the club. These minutes are taken at all Executive and General Committee meetings and likewise at the annual Membership Meeting in September and the annual General Meeting in May where the Executive Committee is elected. The election of the Norgall Prize winner is also recorded in the minutes. The minutes are first presented to the President and the Parliamentarian and then approved by the respective committees at the next meeting. All minutes are kept in the club file, and the President and the Parliamentarian each receive a copy for their own records. At all meetings, attendance lists are prepared and maintained by the Recording Secretary in order to document the quorum of the meeting. She is also responsible for reserving an appropriate room for the meetings of the Executive Board and the General Board.
If the minute-taker cannot be in attendance the Corresponding Secretary assumes her role.
Corresponding Secretary - Susanne Held (D)
The Corresponding Secretary is responsible for the timely preparation and printing of the club notes. She collects the contributions of the various board members and interest group chairpersons, and, after revision, standardizes them into one form. She is also responsible for any official correspondence of the club that is not already the responsibility of other board members.
She assists the President with correspondence, and at the beginning of each club year prepares an information letter addressed to government consulates, important city administrators, and officers of other friendly clubs so as to inform them about any significant changes by the Board.
Treasurer - Inge Paulus (D)
The Treasurer collects dues and administers the club's funds. She presents the club's budget, which includes the expected income and expenses for the current year and the estimated result. The Treasurer also prepares an annual supplementary budget. The treasurer records all incoming and outgoing club funds and pays the Club bills. She issues receipts for donations of over €200 in membership dues. She works with the Deputy Treasurer on the financial arrangements for the annual Christmas Tea and International Friendship Day. After the end of each club year, an audit is performed.
Deputy Treasurer - Rita Werner (B)
The Deputy Treasurer is responsible for the financial matters associated with the regular meetings of the members and the Executive Board. She is also responsible for the financial management of the Christmas Tea and the International Friendship Festival and therefore works closely with the Special Events Team.
Parliamentarian - Sigrid Christ (D)
The Parliamentarian is appointed by the President with the consent of the Executive Board. She is responsible for dealing with all matters relating to the Articles of Association and Bylaws and Rules of Procedure. She is responsible for ensuring that the entire life of the club is carried out internally and externally in accordance with these governing documents. Upon request, she supports the President in all matters that may arise. In order to maintain objectivity, she waives her right to vote as a member of the board. The parliamentarian ensures that the annual documents are timely submitted to the Association Court, and that any increase in contributions or amendments to the governing documents are brought to the attention of the tax office. She is responsible for the timely and proper preparation of the general meeting of the Management Board and the convening of the meeting by the President. She is also responsible for the proper counting of votes during Board elections and meetings, and for the proper execution of same.
All changes to the Executive Committee are published in two languages. The regular term of office for the Parliamentarian is two years, and a re-appointment is possible.
Standing Committees
Membership - Anke Baummann (D) and Claudia Denfeld (D)
Starting with the new club year each July, the Membership Chairpersons create the new membership list based on new members, address changes, and resignations. It is sent to members in printed form end of August.
All address changes during the year are collected by Membership and forwarded to the appropriate committees and chairpersons, e.g. Reservation, Hospitality, Club Notes and the Treasurer, for their information, and published in the Club Notes.
Membership chairpersons are automatically members of the Admission Committee for New Members.
Membership also maintains various information lists: round-year birthdays, long-standing members, and represented nations. Resignations from the club are confirmed by Membership in writing. In addition, Membership answers all incoming inquiries from our homepage www.iwc-frankfurt.de, or forwards them to the responsible committees.
Hospitality - Martina Altherr-Scriba (D) and Annette Totzauer (D)
The hospitality group consists of two chairpersons and a working group. They welcome the members and guests at the monthly meetings, make placements and reservations, look after the participants at the monthly meetings, and are available for any questions and requests.
Further additional tasks during the club years include:
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Long-time member honors in October and February,
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Presence at the Christmas Tea,
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Organization of neighborhood meetings in May/June, and
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Planning for the Joint Board Meeting at the end of the club year.
Program - Gabriele Breuniger (USA/D) and Sabine Böttger (D)
The area of responsibility includes the planning of the monthly membership meetings with
varied lectures from all areas of life. This is done in close consultation with the president, who usually has her own ideas for the program. The planning includes: the search for suitable premises, consultation with the speakers, the organization of the supporting program (technology, music, decoration), selection of the culinary offer and detailed planning of the program.
The Corresponding Secretary and the chairperson of Reservation will receive information on the events for publication in the Club Notes. Hospitality needs to know the wishes of the guests and their tables, as well as information about any upcoming honors, the introduction of new club members and the members of the new Executive Board (April) or the forthcoming general meeting (September or May).
Sub-Committee Reservation - Ute Beckmann (D) and Parvin Naderian (D/IR)
The team consists of 18 members, four of whom always register for the monthly members' meeting by telephone or e-mail. The registrations are needed a few days before the respective meeting because the number of meals has to be communicated to the organizer early and the responsible persons of other teams (e.g. program, hospitality and decoration) want to know in time how many tables have to be set up and decorated and whether special tables have to be set up for certain participants (e.g. seniors, new members, speakers).
In addition name cards must be made. Late registrations and cancellations for important reasons will be accepted by the chair until shortly before the meeting and will try to consider the wishes and avoid costs if members have to cancel at short notice.
On the day of the meeting, four members of the reservation team usually sit near the entrance with alphabetically sorted lists. There the menu price/event price is to be paid. Once all registered participants have arrived, the cash register will vote.
Sub-Committee Decoration -
Alida Lenz (D), Brigitte Romani (I) and Roberta Vanucci-Stribning (I)
Those responsible for the decorations are responsible, in consultation with the program team, for decorating the tables at the monthly members' meeting and, in consultation with the Special Events Team, for decorating the Christmas tea and the International Friendship Festival. For Christmas Tea and International Friendship, there is usually a second team in charge to share the work.
Friendship - Bonnie Marcone (A/GR) and Dr. Kiriaki Metentzidou (D/GR)
At the beginning of each club year, the Friendship Chairpersons are informed by the Membership Chairs about upcoming round-year birthdays, from age 80, 85, 90.... and then from 91 years. On these birthdays, congratulations are given and flowers are presented or another small gift is sent. For weddings and births congratulations and sentiments are given in the same way. Upon information from club members, sick members are called or visited in the hospital or at home (if desired). A bouquet of flowers or other get-well token is presented on behalf of the club. In the event of the death of a club member, condolence is given to the families and, if possible, funerals are attended. An obituary is published in the CN.
To commemorate Elisabeth Norgall, the grave is decorated on her birthday, March 10th, and on the day of her death, August 31st. As a rule, the President and the 1st Vice-President also participate in these visits.
For the distribution of possible surplus club funds, a request is made by Friendship to club members in the February club notes for their suggestions of foreign or German welfare projects worth of the support of the Club. These projects must be the work of recognized non-profit organizations. In March the proposals are processed and at least three foreign and three German projects are presented to the Board in April. The Board selects two from each category which are published in the May CN with a short description in German and English.
These four proposals are then submitted in writing to the members for a vote at the Annual General Meeting.
The chairpersons of Friendship are also chairpersons of the following sub-committees:
Seniorenstift (Senior Citizen’s Home) Hohenwald, Seniorenstift Kronthal, Mosaikschule, MädchenbüroMilena e.V. and Sponsoring Group of Senior Members.
Special Events - Mara Almanza Stanziola and Franziska Redomske (D)
The Special Event Chairpersons and their workgroup are responsible for three projects: presenting the club's ongoing service-fundraising project at a club meeting, designing the Christmas tea, and hosting the International Friendship Feast at the end of the club year, which concludes the fundraising drive. At the beginning of the club year, the new Chairpersons assemble their team. The experienced team, which has existed for many years, usually remains in place, although new members and departures are usually the norm. The treasurer or alternate treasurer are normally invited to the meetings. The working group meets regularly to discuss the planning of the projects. Minutes are taken of these meetings. The venue for the International Friendship Festival is determined. Also, the contracts with hotels and musicians as well as the program organization for the Christmas Tea and the International Friendship Feast belong to the tasks of Special Events. In addition, the group takes care of guest registrations and organizes the buffet for the Christmas Tea. The publicizing of the projects in the Club Notes as well as the writing of the invitations and commemoratives additionally fall within their area of responsibility.
Public Relations - Cornelia Klaus (D) and Almut Kläs (D)
The Chairpersons of Public Relations are responsible for establishing good contacts with the press in order to present the Club well to the outside world and to facilitate adequate reporting on the most important events of the club year. This includes a change of President, the Christmas tea, the Norgall Award Ceremony, and the International Friendship Festival. Press releases and invitations are sent out, press kits are prepared, and the editorial offices are contacted again by telephone shortly before the respective events. The journalists are assisted during the events and press briefings, and are introduced to various people such as the President, guests of honor, award winner, speaker, etc.
The newspaper reports are published in the Club Notes and in the press section of the homepage, provided that the journalists and photographers have given permission to reproduce them. The press area on the homepage is continuously updated. According to article 5.3 of the IWC Constitution, the PR Chairpersons are members of the Elisabeth Norgall Prize Committee and participate in its meetings as voting members.
The PR Chairpersons are also members of the Internet Working Group. Their responsibilities include reading the club's Web site regularly, making suggestions for improvement, and attending meetings of the Internet Group.
Sub-Committee Internet Site - Evelyn Felten (RUS/D) and Susanne Held (D)
On the website of Club, dates, photos and reports about the monthly member meetings, special events and the activities of the interest groups are updated in real time in both German and English. The homepage informs current and prospective customers. It serves as the external representation of the club.
The electronic form of the Club Notes is published monthly in the member area. Access to articles from the last club year is possible via the archive, which is also regularly updated. In addition, the working group has developed a flyer that briefly introduces the club to interested women.
Interest Groups - Marion Eckert (D) and Angelika Schaack (D)
The Interest Groups Chairpersons receive reports on the dates and activities of the individual interest groups. They are the contact persons for the group leaders. They collect information from all interest groups and edit the report for the monthly club notes of the Secretary.
These more than 30 interest groups are at the heart of the club. Members meet in these groups to cultivate different languages; sing together; participate in sporting activities; cook and enjoy international foods; listen to lectures on history, music, garden and wine topics; visit art exhibitions; take part in guided tours within Frankfurt and the surrounding area; and meet to exchange experiences of multicultural customs of members. As a rule, the interest groups are led by one German and one foreign chairperson who take care of the organization of the regular meetings, which usually take place in private settings. At the end of the club year, all leaders of the interest groups are invited to get-together to exchange their experiences and ideas over a small snack.
Club Notes - Martina Brück-Bassmann and Ute Grasse
Those responsible for mailing the Club Notes ensure that the printed copies are sent to the members on time. The Club Notes are ready for collection in Offenbach in the middle of each month. Several times, they are accompanied by enclosures such as invitations, member lists, etc. The digital address file, sorted by postal code, is updated monthly. For members who receive their Club Notes by email, there is a second file so that they can also receive invitations and member lists by post.
NEWS
What moves us.
REPORTS
What is going on.
CLUB NOTES
What was.
ABOUT US
Who we are.
STATUTE
What applies to us.