THE RETIRED U.S. ARMY FINANCE ORGANIZATION

BYLAWS
(As Amended 13 October 20168)

ARTICLE I – NAME

The name of this organization shall be: The Retired U.S. Army Finance Organization (RAFINO).

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES

The purposes of this patriotic, non-profit [IRC501c(19)], non-political, veterans' organization are:

1. To foster and preserve good fellowship relations among the soon-to-be or already retired members of the U.S. Army Finance Corps/Financial Management Community, and their surviving spouses, by providing the following for distribution to the members:
   1. A central roster of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of members, and
   2. a periodic newsletter and website containing items of interest to the membership.
2. To organize and conduct periodic reunions of the membership. 

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

1. Types of Membership shall be:
   1. Active.  Such membership requires that the member be in official military service retired or retirement-eligible status in commissioned, non-commissioned, or warrant officer grade and have served in a Financial Management role for a significant part (greater than 50%) of their military career.
      
      Good Standing: a member in "good standing" is an active member who is not delinquent in dues payments. Members in good standing are referred to herein as voting members.
      
      Any active member who is not in good standing must make up any arrears in dues before they can vote in elections or attend reunions.
   2. Associate.  Such membership is available to surviving spouses of deceased Active members. Associate members may attend meetings and reunions, and may vote on matters directly pertaining to reunion and/or cruise planning and scheduling.
   3. Honorary.  Such membership may be granted, upon unanimous vote of the elected officers of the Organization, to a select few persons who have rendered highly singular services to the Organization, and who are deemed by the Organization to be deserving of such recognition.
   4. Active Member Statuses: an active member, as defined above, can be in one of two statuses (see also "Dues" below):
      • Voting Member (in Good Standing): current on dues
      • Delinquent Member: not current on dues
2. Dues.
   1. (**)Annual or one-time, "Lifetime"" dues shall be required of Active members.  The amount of annual dues shall be set from time to time by the membership.  Annual dues are for the calendar year and are payable to the Secretary/Treasurer no later than 31 March of that calendar year. Membership in RAFINO is totally voluntary and members can request to be removed from the rolls at any time. However, any advance payment of dues made by active members shall not be refunded but will be forfeited upon removal from the rolls. After non payment of dues by March 31st active members will lose their voting rights as well as other privileges of being a member in “good standing.” After three consecutive years of nonpayment active members can be involuntarily removed from the rolls. Active members removed either voluntarily or involuntarily from the rolls may be reinstated after paying their back dues from the time they became past due to the current period but in no case will that exceed the equivalent amount of 5 years of dues.
   2. Payment of dues is not required of Associate or Honorary members. Members who have paid a one-time, age-indexed Lifetime membership fee will not be required to make any further dues payments and will remain in good standing for the rest of their lives.
   3. Donations or voluntary overpayments of annual dues shall be accepted.

ARTICLE IV—OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

1. The following shall be the elected and/or appointed officers:
   1. The organization shall have an elected President (alternating every two years between commissioned and non-commissioned officer and being succeeded by Vice President at the end of a two year term)
   2. The organization shall have an elected Vice President (alternating every two years between non-commissioned and commissioned officer and succeeding as President at end of two year term)
   3. (*)The organization shall have an elected Secretary/Treasurer
   4. (*)2^nd Vice President: The President may appoint an additional 2^nd Vice President (for reunions) should conditions require such appointment. The President may appoint an additional, 2^nd Vice-president for Commissioned Officer Membership should conditions require such appointment.
   5. The President may appoint an Assistant Treasurer should conditions require such appointment.
   6. The President may appoint an Assistant Secretary should conditions require such appointment.
   7. The President may appoint an additional Vice-president for Non-Commissioned Officer Membership should conditions require such appointment.
2. (**)Special Staff Officers may be appointed by the President and approved by the Elected Officers as follows:
   1. Data Master
   2. Web Master
   3. Standing Reunion Advisory Group
   4. Cruise Master
3. The heads and members of committees, standing or ad hoc, shall be appointed by the President as required to accomplish the business of the Organization.
4. In the event that any of the elected officers should be unable to complete his or her term of office, the highest remaining officer (in the order of President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer) shall identify and nominate one or more candidates for the vacated office, said nomination to be presented to the voting membership via email for purposes of electing the replacement to fill the remaining term of the office. The candidate (s) for filling a vacated office will maycome from , but are not limited to, the losing candidate(s), if any, in the most recent election for that office. Continuity of the Officer/NCO progression scheme must be maintained.

ARTICLE V—ELECTIONS

1. Elections shall be held on a bi-annual basis in the Fall of each even-numbered year. no later than the Business Meeting scheduled in each Reunion. Elections shall be by vote of the members in good standing via published ballot, delivered by email, or by where necessary, mail, or in person at the Business Meeting.
2. Voting Members: Active members of the Organization (in good standing) only shall have the right to nominate and vote for officers.
3. Nominations.  A nominating committee consisting of a chairperson and two members shall be appointed by the President by correspondence no later than three months before an election. chairperson shall be appointed by the President, no later than three months before an election. The chairperson is then free to select at least 2 other members to serve on the Nominating Committee.
4. The report of the nominating committee, containing the recommended slate of nominees, shall be made to the President, with copy to the Secretary/Treasurer, so as to be received by them no later than one month prior to the first day of the reunion session. In the event no reunion is scheduled for that year, it shall be submitted to them no later than one month prior to the scheduled date of the publication and distribution of the newsletter for that year—normally in the Fall of the year—in which case a mail /E-Mail ballot shall be the method of election for that year.
5. Quorum. For purposes of voting for election of officers, amendment of the Bylaws, or such other actions as the board may determine, the President may call for a meeting of voting members and/or a ballot of all voting members. In either event, no vote will be deemed official unless there is a quorum consisting of at least twelve commissioned/Warrant officers and at least twelve non-commissioned officers. 36 voting members.

ARTICLE VI—TERM AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS

1. Term of Office.  Officers shall be elected/appointed to serve for a period of approximately two years, specifically from the time of their installation until the installation of new officers, normally at the business meeting of a reunion.  The office of Vice President and President shall be held by a commissioned officer during a two year period and, in the following two year period, by a Non-Commissioned Officer, alternating between commissioned and non-commissioned every two years. Each incoming Vice President shall commit to being a member of the board for four years, automatically moving up to the office of President following the completion of his/her term as Vice President. If the election is not held in conjunction with a reunion, installation shall consist of written mail/E-Mail notification of election by the President holding office immediately prior to the election.
2. Duties of Officers.
   1. The President (elected) shall:
      1. Preside at all meetings of the officers or membership;
      2. Appoint committee heads and members as required;
      3. Authorize in advance all contract awards or proposed expenditures from the treasury in the amount of $300.00 or more;
      4. Provide for the bi-annual inspection or audit, as appropriate, of the accounts of the Secretary/Treasurer.
   2. The Vice President (elected) shall perform the duties of the President in his absence, and such other duties as assigned by the President.
   3. (*)The Secretary/Treasurer (elected) shall:
      1.   Maintain the  membership records of the Organization;
      2. (**)Receive and record payments of dues and donations;
      3. Record and report the minutes of all meetings of the officers and the general membership;
      4. Have charge of all funds and physical assets of the Organization;
      5. Maintain on a calendar year basis fiscal year basis (ending on September 30th) auditable records of funds and other assets of the Organization;
      6. Submit an annual calendar year financial report to the membership to be published in the issue of the newsletter on the RAFINO website immediately followingno later than the end of the calendar year;
      7. Submit to the President a financial accounting of funds collected and disbursed, accounts receivable and/or payable, specifically pertaining to a reunion or similar undertaking.
      8. Make necessary Federal and State legal and tax filings, as required by law.
   4. (*)The 2^nd Vice President for Reunions (appointed) shall:
      1. Serve, when so instructed by the President, as the local point of contact for the Chairman of the Host Committee of the upcoming reunion; and
      2. (**)Be responsible for administration and financial transactions of the reunion.
      3. (**)Make an after action report, to include a complete financial accounting, for the reunion.
      4. Perform such other duties as assigned by the President.
   5. The 2nd Vice-Presidents for Membership (appointed) shall:
      1. Advise the board on progress in increasing membership from their respective communities (officer/warrant and non-commissioned officers)
      2. Coordinate on programs/efforts to increase membership in the organization
      3. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.
   6. The Assistant Secretary (appointed) shall:
      1. Assist the Secretary/Treasurer in performance of secretarial functions, as required.
      2. Initiate correspondence with the membership via E-mail and snail mail as appropriate.
      3. Respond to correspondence from members and others.
      4. Serve as Editor of the RAFINO Reporter.
      5. Keep the RAFINO Officers informed of situations that may require their attention.
      6. Coordinate with the Secretary/Treasurer when membership or dues status is concerned.
   7. The Assistant Treasurer(appointed) shall:
      1. Assist the Secretary/Treasurer in the performance of Treasurer functions, as required.
      2. Provide backup overlap in the Secretary/Treasurer position should the elected Secretary/Treasurer be unable to perform the duties of the position.

(**)ARTICLE VII---SPECIAL STAFF

1. Term of Office:  Special Staff Members shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Elected Executive Staff to serve the Purposes of RAFINO without term so long as is mutually agreeable between the parties.
2. Duties of Staff:
   1. Editor of the RAFINO Reporter shall gather material from all sources and cause to be published a periodic Newsletter.  Content of the Newsletter will support the Purposes of these Bylaws.
   2. Data Master will create and maintain a master file of data elements that will support all needs of the Organization for information about the Membership.  Necessary subsidiary data files may be established and kept current.
   3. Web Master will create and maintain a professional web site to support the Purposes of these Bylaws.
   4. Standing Reunion Advisory Committee will assist the 2^nd Vice President and the Reunion Committee in the planning for reunions. This assistance will include providing historical and planning information and procedures.  Institutional knowledge will reside in this Committee.
   5. Other: the President shall appoint other staff members for special terms and purposes as the need arises.
   6. d. Cruise Master will plan and conduct a periodic Cruise for the furthering of  camaraderie among members and guests who wish to participate.

ARTICLE VIII—AUDITS OF TREASURY

1. There shall be an audit or inspection, as appropriate, of the financial and physical asset accounts of the Organization no less often than bi-annually, but in any case, as soon after change of Secretary/Treasurers as is possible.
2. The results of audits or inspections of the financial and physical asset accounts of the Organization shall be published on the website and in the issue of the newsletter immediately following completion of the audit or inspection.

ARTICLE IX—DISSOLUTION OF THE Organization

In the event of dissolution of the Organization, remaining assets after satisfaction of all lawful obligations of the Organization shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3), or amendments there of.

Article X - Amendment of ByLaws

1. For purposes of this article, the term "voting member" means any member entitled to vote in elections of officers of the organization.
2. Any voting member may propose an amendment to these bylaws.
3. Proposed amendments must be approved by a majority vote of the board of officers
4. Upon approval by the board, the proposed amendment(s) will be submitted to the voting members for approval via a mailed or electronically communicated ballot explaining the changes and requesting approval of the changes.
5. Following approval of proposed amendment by a simple majority of members entitled to vote in elections, the amendments will be incorporated into and published as the new bylaws of the organization. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain record copies of proposed amendments, ballots, and ballot voting results.

ByLaws and Amendment History

(*)  The original Bylaws were unanimously approved by the officers of this Organization on the 31^st of August 1987.  The vote was based on mail replies of charter members the great majority of whom approved such formation of this Organization and the necessary steps to make it a non-profit veterans organization.  Amendments (noted in the body of these Bylaws with a symbol (*) preceding the affected or added wording) were approved by the membership in a properly constituted meeting of the membership, a quorum being present, on 4 October 1990.  SIGNED THIS 31^ST DAY OF JANUARY 1991: LOUIS A. CECCHINI, Secretary/Treasurer.

(**)  The Amendments (noted in the body of these Bylaws with a symbol (**) preceding the affected or added wording) were approved by ballot contained in the fall 2000 RAFINO Report by a majority of those members voting.  Signed this 31^st day of December 2000: Dave Mikkelson, Secretary/Treasurer. (see 2000 Bylaws)

(***)The Amendments (noted in the body of these Bylaws with a symbol (***) preceding the affected or added wording) were approved by ballot contained in the fall 2006 RAFINO Report by a majority of those members voting.  Signed this 15^th day of February 2007 by Jerry D Heard, President.

These BylawsThe ByLaws were extensively amended to reflect the result from the board deliberations and membership vote in the first meeting of the merged RAFINO/RAFINCO, 15 OCT 2016. Signed 15 Oct 2016 by Richard R. Robson, interim president.

These bylaws were amended as a result of board deliberations and membership votes at the Business Meeting held on 13 October 2018. Signed 13 October 2018 by President Kevin Troller.