Houston 24 Expo – FOHBC General Membership Breakfast Meeting

MEMBERSHIP BREAKFAST MEETING

The FOHBC bylaws require that the FOHBC Board of Directors conduct a membership meeting at the annual convention. A decade ago, we had the meeting on the convention’s first day, directly after the FOHBC board meeting and after a quick lunch break. The problem was that only a handful of members would show up, as many had not arrived in town, or they weren’t inclined to start off their bottle trip with a meeting. Chill time and sightseeing were often mentioned.

This year, FOHBC president, Michael Seeliger, was responsible for holding court with assistance from Alice Seeliger, FOHBC secretary. His agenda included calling out and thanking FOHBC board members, a recap of the previous day’s Houston 24 Expo events, what events were coming, an overview of FOHBC finances, projects and initiatives, discussion about the Reno 2025 convention, bylaw changes (read here), and a summary of the previous day’s Board of Directors meeting. The new condensed Board of Directors positions for the 2024–2026 term was discussed (see here). You can read the membership meeting notes or any Federation meeting notes at FOHBC.org.

This years breakfast was at Hotel ZaZa on the 11th floor in the Grapevine room. The food was excellent, the atmosphere lively and the room was full of FOHBC members as over 125 attended. You could find assorted fruit juices, sliced fresh fruits and assorted berries, yogurt dip, fresh scrambled eggs, salsa on the side, applewood bacon slices, sausage links, breakfast potatoes, French toast served with maple syrup, assorted breakfast pastries, butter and preserves, fresh biscuits, fresh coffee, decaffeinated coffee and assorted hot teas. There was no cost for FOHBC members to attend as the FOHBC funded the event for Houston 24.

A special thanks to Gina Pellegrini-Ott for providing pictures of the breakfast event and to Elizabeth, Bella and Addy Meyer and Edie Alucema for sitting at the event arrival table.

Hotel ZaZa was engaged to hold the FOHBC Membership Meeting Breakfast. They provided a great set-up and meal options. Applewood bacon slices and French toast served with maple syrup pictured above.

FOHBC General Membership Breakfast Meeting • Friday 02 August 2024 [7:00 to 8:30 am] Hotel ZaZa Museum District | Grapevine | The FOHBC General Membership Breakfast Meeting will occur on Friday 02 August 2024, from 7:00 to 8:30 am with the membership meeting starting at 7:30 am in the Hotel ZaZa Grapevine room on the 11th floor. Please join us for a buffet breakfast and our annual membership meeting. This event is specifically for current and paid-up FOHBC members only and will be at no cost to FOHBC member and associate member attendees. Donations accepted! We encourage you to come and be part of the FOHBC by participating in this event, our once-a-year General Membership Meeting. Get the latest news on the Federation, the Virtual Museum and our hobby. You will be able to join the FOHBC, or renew membership prior to the breakfast.

The buffet breakfast layout prepared by Hotel ZaZa was impressive as well as the attentive hotel staff.

Fresh coffee, decaffeinated coffee and assorted hot teas along with assorted fruit juices. The windows allowed panoramic views of Houston. You could see the Texas Medical Center (south), the Central Houston Business District (north), and the Rice University area (west).

Buffet serving line using two lanes to keep things moving as the meeting would start promptly at 7:30 am.

Quite a selection of breakfast entree items.

FOHBC president Michael Seeliger led the breakfast meeting.

The Houston 24 team estimated attendance at 125 and as it turned out, the number was accurate as every seat was filled.

Michael Seeliger (FOHBC president) discusses bylaw changes and new FOHBC board positions.

The audience clapping as the FOHBC boards members are called out and asked to stand. Mike McJunkin (center) from Hutchinson, Kansas.

An attentive room of FOHBC members going through the meeting agenda with president Michael Seeliger.

FOHBC president Michael Seeliger keeps the crowd engaged and reminds everyone that the first FOHBC seminar follows the breakfast meeting.

A full house of FOHBC members attend the annual meeting led by FOHBC president, Michael Seeliger.

Relaxing after breakfast waiting for the meeting to start.

FOHBC secretary, Alice Seeliger, discussed FOHBC bylaw changes and recounts her work on FOHBC tax exempt status.

FOHBC secretary Alice Seeliger going through her reports.

Plenty of natural light from the many windows in the Grapevine room. The Texas Medical Center is in the distance—the largest medical center in the world.