Ann Paterson

Treasurer Candidate

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Statement

My vision is to see Sigma Xi managing its funds as wisely as possible to support its members and the community at large while working to grow the membership and financial resources. My philosophy is that a treasurer should always be ethical, conscientious, and transparent, providing confidence that resources are being managed wisely. The leadership, members, donors, and the community need to have confidence that funds are being managed responsibly and in a manner consistent with donor specifications and society principles.

I have served in a variety of leadership and financial roles since receiving my first external grant award from Sigma Xi in 1997, and list the most relevant roles here. In addition to these roles, I have been a department chair and budget manager since 2005 and have been involved in university strategic planning.

I have been honored to serve on the Sigma Xi Finance Committee since 2019, making me familiar with the intricacies of Sigma Xi finances. I served on the Finance Committee of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR) from 2019-2023 and became the Chair in 2023. I have served on the SSAR Long Range Planning Committee (LRPC) for SSAR since 2010 and became the Chair in 2024. The LRPC is involved with discussing issues such as membership and strategic planning. I have also been on the Governing Board of Herpetological Conservation and Biology (HCB) since 2010, and am the backup member on the financial accounts to provide assistance and oversight to the primary member.

I was the treasurer of the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles from 2013-2016 and the acting treasurer from 2017-2019, overseeing a significant shift in financial management. After considerable research, including meetings with our investment firm and consultations with other nonprofits and our accountant, I moved our investments to a new financial manager so that we could provide better transparency to donors and other stakeholders about how restricted funds in particular were being used. This new arrangement also improved record-keeping and our ability to separately manage each fund according to the wishes of the donors and board members. I was also able to arrange for some specialized investment management to meet the particular needs of the society, based on recommendations from the board. I developed proposals for changing to a new membership management company, leading to a transition to the current SSAR membership manager. I also handled large donations and coordinated with donors. During my time as treasurer, I worked hard to develop improved oversight and backup plans so that it was easier for others to have access to essential documents and information, increasing our preparedness in case of unexpected events.

I received my first external grant award from Sigma Xi in 1997 and joined the society afterwards. I have served as a reviewer for the Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) since 2014. I have served on the Sigma Xi Finance Committee since 2019.

Ann Paterson

Background Information

Statement

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