Time for RDIA board elections is approaching. Every year we as members elect four directors to 3-year terms within five member categories. This board of twelve directors is responsible for governing our trade association.

Any member in this year’s open categories is welcome to run for the board. Last year, following the guidelines in our bylaws, we welcomed both self-nominations and nominations of others. None of those nominated by others agreed to run. Though you are welcome to nominate another member, please be sure that they are willing to run. Because a 3-year board term is quite a commitment of time and energy, we anticipate that most nominations will be self-nominations.

Please consider running for the RDIA board. This has been a growth experience for all of us, both personally and for our individual businesses. We take very seriously our mandate to govern the organization according to the vision, mission, and values we created this year. Professionalism, analysis, cooperative culture, diversity, and transparency guide us. If these values guide you, too, we invite you to make this commitment to our industry to share your experience and skills for the good of all of our businesses.

This year, the following seats are open.

• Retailer - Expires 2010, then 2010 – 2013
• Manufacturer - Exp 2010, then 2010 – 2013
• Diaper Service – Exp 2010, then 2010 – 2013
• Diaper Info Service - Exp 2010, then 2010 – 2013

Nomination forms will be mailed to members in these four categories at the end of April, due back at the RDIA business office by June 14th. Ballots will be mailed and due in July, with the new board to be announced in early August. Current board members invite you to join them for a Q&A conference call on April 28th at 2pm Eastern Time to answer your questions about serving on the board. All members will be sent an invitation to this call soon.

Members, login to the RDIA website for more details about board elections, including a link to the RDIA bylaws and the election procedures that govern this process. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact members of the Nominating Committee or any of the current board members. All member contacts are available in the RDIA member directory.

2010 Nominating Committee
Lori Taylor of Fuzbaby and Firefly Diapers (small manufacturer), Chair
Leah Carter of Better for Babies (manufacturer)
Cari Wolverton, formerly of Papaya Patch (retailer)

The Real Diaper Industry Association board held their annual board meeting Saturday, September 12 and elected new officers to lead the association during this exciting time of growth for the cloth diaper industry.

• Chairperson, Leah Carter – Better for Babies (Manufacturer)
• Vice Chairperson, Shayla Boyd-Gill – Alyahs Alternatives (Retailer)
• Secretary, Lori Taylor – Fuzbaby (Small Manufacturer)
• Treasurer, Dennis Frederick – All Together Diaper (Manufacturer)

Cloth diaper business meeting start tomorrow, Monday, September 14 with members-only meetings of Manufacturers, Diaper Services, and Retailers. Breakout sessions will continue through the late morning and afternoon on “Tapping into Your Local Community” (Shayla Boyd-Gill, Vice Chairperson), “Regulations / CPSIA” (Leah Carter, Chairperson), “Brick and Mortar Strategies” (Molly Ging of The Little Seedling), a business panel (Dennis Frederick, Treasurer; Diana Alatalo of Babies Bottoms and More, Annual Meeting Chair; Shannon Doan of Wildflower Diapers, outgoing board member; Linda Byerline of Happy Heinys; and Judy Aagard of Tiny Tots Diaper Service & Baby Boutique, board member), and “SEO / Social Media” (Lori Taylor, Secretary).

See the full meeting schedule and visit our meeting sponsors. If you will be at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas, please visit the exhibiting RDIA members’ booths.

If you can’t be at the RDIA meetings in Las Vegas this year, follow along on Twitter. @RealDiaperIA and others will be live tweeting using #rdia09 during the meetings. Frequent updates will also be posted here on the RDIA blog.