Page 3 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2015Q4

President’s Message

his is my third year as president to report to our
clubs and individual members about the status of our
Torganization, Bonsai Clubs International (BCI), and
the progress we have made in the last twelve months. We
continue to make significant progress on several important
fronts due to the efforts of our board members, the
dedication of our editor, Joe Grande, and business manager,
Carole Roske, and many volunteers. One of our many
accomplishments achieved this year was raising the visibility
and awareness of BCI worldwide. This was done through a
multi-pronged effort using social media, publications and
increased presence at meetings in different countries.
Our new BCI web site launched this year, resulted in a
sharp increase in the number of visitors that are spending Today, September 10, 2015, the BCI bank balance is
more time exploring the site, rich in new content with more $130,262. This has been achieved, in part, by having board-
to be added every month. Likewise, the increased popularity
of our BCI Facebook page has been extraordinary. Earlier approved operating budgets for each of these years and
this year, I asked former board member, Rosemarie Voelker, specific efforts to increase income.
to take a leading role in posting photographs on our website.
Many of her excellent photographs are now attracting from with the largest number of bonsai hobbyists in the world.
8,000 to 22,000 views each as compared to just several Thanks to great internal leadership, BCI-China has grown
hundred views in the previous years. to approximately 380 members in just two years and BCI is
Our flagship publication, Bonsai & Stone Appreciation becoming much better known in China.
Magazine, continues to grow in stature and importance When I became President of BCI three years ago, our
in the world wide bonsai community. We are successfully financial situation was precarious. Thanks to the help of
completing our first full year in expanding our magazine many board members and others, we have reversed that
to 72 pages per issue instead of 64 pages as in previous situation and now BCI is in a strong financial position.
years. This is due to our improved financial situation, to This is the result of broadening our sources of income—
the efforts of our editor and editorial committee, and to conventions, auctions, and book sales. In April, 2011, BCI
many authors who contribute articles and news events. This had a bank balance of just $23,543. That bank balanced
year, we welcomed three new authors to our contributing increased to $37,759 by the end of 2012, and by August
writers. I am grateful to the many positive comments I have 13, 2014, that balance had increased to $85,000. Today,
received from our members concerning the improvements September 10, 2015, the BCI bank balance is $130,262.
in our publication. One long-standing member even made This has been achieved, in part, by having board-approved
a notable contribution to BCI in recognition of the efforts of operating budgets for each of these years and specific efforts
our editor, Joe Grande. to increase income.
We are in the process producing our second book, Bonsai We still have important challenges ahead. BCI must
and Viewing Stones from BCI Members’ Collections 2015, provide better services and products to our clubs and
resulting from our biennial photographic contest. Earlier individual members. Our improved conventions, magazines,
this year, we had a member’s contest and 207 photographs of and web site are important; but we must look at developing
trees and 86 photos of stones were received. A panel of three new educational materials, more online information and
judges was selected for each category, one from Europe, one more creative ways of disseminating quality information to
from Asia and one from North America. They rated the our members. Our improved financial situation gives us the
entries and the highest scoring entries will be published in opportunity to invest in these areas to benefit our members.
our new book. Our new book will have photo representing By providing better member services, we can also focus
trees and stones from nineteen countries. This book on another challenge facing BCI. In the last three years, we
containing photos of 120 trees and about 60 stones will be have stopped the decline in membership and have begun
available in early 2016. This gives us another opportunity to the process of building our membership base. That progress
recognize internationally the artistic efforts of our members. must continue as we seek ways to retain existing members
I, along with several of our board members, participated while adding new ones. We are truly an international
in major bonsai events in various regions of the world. We organization and our membership should reflect the global
have disseminated our magazine, presented BCI Medals of demographics of the world’s bonsai and stone appreciation
Excellence, and promoted BCI. As a result, we are seeing enthusiasts.
growth in our organization in countries like the Philippines,
Malaysia, and Vietnam. In 2013, Helen Su and Glenis Bebb Tom Elias, President
and I signed an agreement with the Chinese Society of Bonsai Clubs International
Landscape Architecture to establish a BCI-China program.
Prior to this, we were very poorly represented in the country

October/November/December 2015 | BCI | 1