Constitution and Bylaws
of the
Virginia Chef’s Association

The Virginia Chef’s Association Mission Statement

The purpose of The Virginia Chef’s Association, a member of the American Culinary Federation, as a non-profit organization of Culinary professionals, is to encourage and promote an atmosphere of comradery and goodwill through monthly educational seminars, demonstrations, and lectures. This association encourages the development and advancement of the Culinary Arts within our organization and the community. The Virginia Chef’s Association will accept as its responsibility; a commitment to extend and expand its knowledge and experience to all levels of Culinary professionals; who have an interest in the Culinary Arts profession by up holding the American Culinary Federation’s Code of ethics, without bias to anyone based on national origin, race, sex, age, religion, or creed.
                                                                                                                                  

Table of Contents

Chapter One: Title of the Association

Chapter Two: Purposes of the Association

Chapter Three: Membership

Chapter Four: Officers and Duties

Chapter Five: Board of Directors

Chapter Six: Dues

Constitution and Bylaws
Virginia Chef’s Association

Chapter One
Title
The name of the organization shall be VIRGINIA CHEFS ASSOCIATION.

Chapter Two
Purposes
            The purposes of the Association are:
                        1. To bring together members of the profession and to promote among them a spirit of friendship and good fellowship.
                        2. To encourage, strengthen, and develop the advancement of the culinary art in our community and wherever possible in other parts of the State of Virginia.
                        3. To act as a median for interchange of constructive ideas that will promote better understanding and cooperation between various branches of the Industry.
                        4. To pass on our experience and knowledge to all culinarians in the profession, by teaching them “on the job,” the primary stations in a well organized kitchen.

Chapter Three
Membership
Section One
            The members of this Association shall be limited to and consist of those who are elected to membership as hereinafter provided.

Section Two
            MEMBERSHIP–There shall be five classes of membership: Active, Junior, Associate, Honorary, and Life.

Sections Three
            ARTICLE 1
                        ACTIVE MEMBER–shall be limited to men and women of good moral character and standing who can provide satisfactory credentials that they have been and are employed as a chef, pastry chef, sous chef, chef instructor, cook, or baker for a minimum of five (5) years.
            ARTICLE 2
                        JUNIOR MEMBER–shall be limited to those enrolled as an apprentice in any American Culinary Federation (ACF) approved program.
            ARTICLE 3
                        ASSOCIATE MEMBER–any person of good moral standing, associated with a purveyor of foods and/or equipment, pertinent to the operation of food service establishments may become an Associate Member eligible to all social activities. Also, eligible to serve as a member of an advisory committee, if an when appointed by the President. An Associate Member must agree to abide by the Bylaws of the Association and must pledge to report all job vacancies of chefs to the office of the Association, so that qualified culinarians may be placed in the vacancies. Associate Members shall be entitled to all privileges of membership, except voting, holding office, or sharing in any of the Association’s assets. Should an Active Member change from his culinary profession to some other line of endeavor, he or she automatically becomes an Associate Member.
            ARTICLE 4
                        HONORARY MEMBERS–shall be those that the Board of Directors submit and recommend to the general membership of the Association for election to Honorary Membership of the Association pending majority vote. Such Honorary Membership shall be conferred solely as a recognition of the interest shown in the profession and the Association. Honorary Members shall pay no dues, shall have no vote, and shall not be eligible to hold office nor to be entitled to any of the assets of the Association.
            ARTICLE 5
                        LIFE MEMBERS–shall be those members of this association who shall attain the age of seventy (70) and is a member in good standing shall be automatically  granted a due fee lifetime membership. Life membership may also be conferred in hardship cases such as impairment of capacity to earn through permanent illness or disability.

Section Four
                        TRANSFER OF MEMBERS–transfer of members from national chapters within the ACF shall be accepted. Members of all associations associated with the ACF, shall be accepted for membership in the Association, provided they meet the Active Membership requirements of these Bylaws. Such transferred members shall be accepted into this Association without the Initialization Fees, but upon payment of prorated prevailing yearly dues. There shall be a transfer fee of five dollars ($5.00.)

Section 5
            Only Active, Junior, and Life members shall have a voice or a vote in the affairs of the Association. The President may extend to Associate and Honorary Members the privilege of a voice on any subject before the meeting, but they shall not have a vote.

Chapter Four
Officers
Section One
            The officers of the Association shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant-At-Arms. Each officer will be elected from its active membership by the general membership and serve for a period of two (2) years. An officer may succeed himself/herself only once. In the event that an officer served only a partial term due to a vacancy then he or she may seek re-election to a full second term. After a two year period has expired an officer may seek re-election to an office.

Section Two
Duties of Officers
            ARTICLE 1
                        The President shall be chairperson of and preside at meetings of the Board of Directors and the Association, and shall appoint all standing and special committees. He/she shall be ex-officio member of all committees, with the exception of the committees on nominations and elections.
                        The President shall, in case of a tie, cast the deciding vote, and may participate in debate by temporarily assigning the chair to the Vice President. 
                        Upon the death of a Member of the Association, the President shall instruct the Secretary to arrange for a floral or charitable tribute at a cost not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) and shall arrange for a representative of the Association to attend the funeral services. At the next meeting of the Association, the President shall ask the assembly to rise for one minute of silence in respect to the departed member.

            ARTICLE 2
                        The Vice President, in order or rank, shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the President, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President until the next regular election or until a successor is elected and qualifies. The Vice President shall assume all duties of initiating new members before the general meetings of the Association.
            ARTICLE 3
                        The Secretary shall present to the Board of Directors all applications for Membership in this Association and shall keep an accurate classified list of the names and addresses of all members.
                        The Secretary shall keep full records of all proceedings and shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Association.
                        The Secretary shall send out all notices, invitations to meetings, and general correspondents.
            ARTICLE 4
                        The Treasurer shall receive dues and all other funds of this Association and shall deposit such funds in a bank designated by the Active Membership.
                        All documents for financial transactions of the Association which require official signatures on behalf of the Association shall be that of the President, or Treasurer. Each and every bank account of the Association shall provide for the signature of the President, or Treasurer.
                        The Treasurer shall keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements, and shall render a written statement of the condition of the finances of the Association at the regular meetings of the Board of Directors and the Association.
                        The Treasurer shall notify members who are delinquent in the payment of their dues and on the 31st day of January of each year shall submit to the President a list of the names of all those whose annual dues have not yet been paid.
            ARTICLE 5
                        The Sergeant-At-Arms shall maintain decorum at meetings. He or she may order from the meeting anyone whose conduct is disorderly.

Chapter 6
Dues
Section One
            Each Active Member shall pay an Initiation Fee of five dollars ($5.00).
Section Two
            Each Associate Member shall pay a yearly dues of fifty dollars ($50.00).
Section Three
            Active Members shall pay annual dues of fifty dollars ($50.00) a year or pro-rated at four dollars and twenty-five cents ($4.25) per month when joining the association through the following year (12 months).
Section Four
Payment Deadline
            Deadline for payment of dues will be January 1st of each new year with a thirty (30) day grace period.
Section Five
            Members suspended for non-payment  of dues may be reinstated by a majority vote of the Board of Directors upon written application of payment of the current dues and Reinstatement Fee of five dollars ($5.00), which shall not be waived for any delinquent members.