Council

The MGS Council is the governing body of the Manitoba Genealogical Society.  The Council is made up of the Executive Board, the Standing Committees, Advisory Committees and representatives from the MGS Branches as identified below.  The Executive Board meets monthly to take care of MGS ongoing business, and the entire Council meets a minimum of three (3) times a year.  MGS members are welcome to attend any meeting that the Executive or Council holds as a guest (observe or speak up), and any member just needs to ask to be included.

 

The Standing Committee Chairs welcome members to work on their committee.  Different committees keep the MGS Resource Library open on Tuesday (Library Committee), Wednesday (Project Committee) and Thursday (Research Committee).  In addition, the Southeast and Winnipeg Branch opens the MGS Resource Library on select Saturdays.  Each Standing Committee Chair welcomes MGS members to volunteer for various tasks within that portfolio.  For example, the Generations Journal has an editor, proofreaders, and journal mailers; Publicity has someone posting on Social Media and so forth.  Each Committee has many tasks and MGS volunteers are welcome to take a committee role to further the aims of our society.  The Manitoba Genealogical Society runs solely on member volunteers.

Visit the Contact Us page to contact our council members and if you are interested in becoming a council member or committee volunteer, please email Volunteer Recruitment.

 

President – Vacant.  The President acts as spokesperson for the Society, directs the affairs of the Society in accordance with the direction of Council and facilitates communication with and between the members of Council, and is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the short and long term plans for the Society.  The President attends all Executive and Council meetings.

 

Past President – Vacant. 

 

 

 

 

Martha McLeod, Secretary. Martha joined MGS in 2022 and took on the Membership Chair position.  This year, Martha has stepped into the Secretary position.  The MGS Secretary position is an appointed voting member of the Executive and Council; sends out notices of Executive and Council meetings at least one week in advance; records and distributes minutes of all Executive and Council meetings; records minutes of the Annual General Meeting and any Special Meetings called by the President; sends e-mail minutes to VP Administration who will print out and place in record book at the MGS office, and to a MGS email address to be placed in subfolder on MGS computer; and carries out other duties, as mutually agreed upon with the President.

 

Jessica Burleson, Member-at-Large 1. Members-at-Large are not assigned specific duties like other Executive members.  Their role is to think about what is best for MGS, to contribute to discussions on issues, to make suggestions for improving the functioning of the Society, and to take a “big picture” view of the Society as a whole.  This is a great entry level position to learn more about the society’s administration.  The Members-at-Large attend all Executive and Council Meetings.

 

Member-at-Large 2 – Vacant.  Members-at-Large are not assigned specific duties like other Executive members.  Their role is to think about what is best for MGS, to contribute to discussions on issues, to make suggestions for improving the functioning of the Society, and to take a “big picture” view of the Society as a whole.  This is a great entry level position to learn more about the society’s administration.  The Members-at-Large attend all Executive and Council Meetings.

 

ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

Vice-President Administration – Vacant.  The purpose of the Administration Department is to coordinate and maintain the resources, holdings, equipment and any materials of the Society held in the Resource Centre and Library to further the mandate of the organization.  The key responsibilities of the department are the acquisitions and maintenance of equipment for the Resource Centre and Library, ensuring the general management and maintenance of the premises, and maintaining a list of key holders and volunteers of the Society.  The Vice-President Administration attends all Executive and Council meetings.

 

Mavis Gray, Library Committee Chair.  Mavis is charter member of MGS and joined in 1976.  She has been a volunteer for many years.  The Library position falls under the Administration department.  The Library Committee coordinates all library acquisitions of the society, develop plans and policies for the future acquisitions of resource materials, ensures that all library resources are available for the use of patrons, and coordinates library committee tasks.  The Library Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

  Membership Services Committee Chair – Martha McLeod.  The purpose of Membership Services, which falls under the Administration department, is to manage and develop the membership base of MGS Inc.  This includes acting as coordinator for all membership requirements of the society. She processes and documents the membership of the organization including coordination of membership with the Branches.  The Membership Services Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

 Office Coordination Committee Chair – Vacant.

 

 

 

 

  Rick Walker, Research Services Committee Chair.    Rick became a member of MGS in 2016 and has been on the Research team since the beginning, stepping up to the Research Services Chair position in 2021.  The Research Services position falls under the Administration department.  The purpose of this position is to receive and process research requests received by the Society from e-mail, online MGS website requests, and MGS Facebook page. Responsibilities include responding to research requests in a timely manner as set out by the research policy, and ensures payment of the required fees, reviewing and updating the research policy as required, and updating the list of resources available annually.  The Research Services Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

Rick Brown, Projects Committee Chair.  Rick is a MGS Life Member and actively leads the projects that MGS undertakes.  The purpose of the Projects Committee is to increase the available resources/data for genealogical research through the development of special projects.  Responsibilities include obtaining Council approval for the initiation of new projects, supervising all projects, developing project proposals for the consideration of Grants committee, providing information to Grants committee to meet grant application criteria, and acting as liaison with other organizations involved in similar projects.  The Projects Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT

  Angela Fiebelkorn, Vice-President Communications:  Angela became a member of MGS in 2017.  Her first volunteer task was indexing for MANI.  She then stepped in as interim Treasurer before stepping into VP Communications.  The purpose of the Communications Department is to co-ordinate the internal and external communications of the society.  The key responsibilities of the department are promotion of the Society through various means like the newsletter  and journal, social media, and through public education about genealogy.  The Vice-President Communications attends all Executive and Council meetings.

 

  Bill Curtis, Community Education Committee Chair.  Bill has been a MGS member since 2000 and is a highly regarded genealogy instructor.  The purpose of the Community Education Committee is to coordinate educational and community activities for the Society.  Responsibilities include responding to community requests for presentations, displays, interviews, or workshops on family history and genealogy, developing presentations or workshops on aspects of genealogy and family history at all levels of expertise, in conjunction with the VP Communications, develops and updates the display materials for the Society, and  reviews and updates research handouts for displays (eg. web resources, school curriculum guides, etc.).  The Community Education Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

  Generations Journal Committee Chair – Sheena Peckham. Sheena is a content manager from Winnipeg currently living in the UK. She has been researching her family history since 2011 with a focus on English records and Volhynian German roots.  The purpose of the Journal Committee is to ensure the regular publication of the Society’s journal Generations.  Responsibilities include collecting, organizing, soliciting, editing and writing material related to aspects of genealogy for Generations; for the general editorial policy of the journal; publishing specific content requisites for each journal; transmitting the journal to our email list; and securing and confirming advertising according to the policy set by the Society.  The Generations Journal Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

Publicity Committee Chair – Vacant.  The purpose of the Publicity Committee is to provide publicity for the Society generally, and for specific MGS and Branch events.  Responsibilities include coordinating publicity initiatives for the Society with the VP Communications, developing various forms of publicity for the Society and Branch events, managing all social media platforms in order to inform and promote MGS and its activities, exploring new opportunities for publicity for registered charities and heritage organizations, and establishing MGS branding for all promotional materials for the Society (brochures, post cards, posters, business cards, etc.).  The Publicity Committee Chair attends all Council meetings.

 

FINANCE DEPARTMENT

Daryl Dumanski, Vice-President Finance.  Daryl has been a member of MGS since 1984 and has volunteered in one capacity or another for the majority of those years—holding almost every position over the years.  The purpose of the Finance Department is to maintain the financial health and stability of the Society.  The key responsibilities of the department are the preparation and distribution of annual budget; the coordination and any assistance required with grant applications and fundraising activities; and to act as finance committee for the Society.

 

Gloria Gill McNabb, CPA CMA, Treasurer.  Gloria has been a member of MGS since 2018 and has been an active volunteer at MGS and the Southeast and Winnipeg Branch from the beginning.   The MGS Treasurer position is an appointed voting member of the Executive and Council; records and maintains the financial records of the Society; records the branch membership payments to the Society; is a signing officer of the Society; is assisted by the Vice President Finance in the preparation of the annual budget; confirms Department budgets and expenses; and prepares the financial records and year end statements for the annual financial review.

 

Fundraising Committee Chair – Kathryn Blair-Colbert.  The purpose of the Fundraising Committee is to increase revenue for the Society through a variety of fundraising means available to registered charities.  They key responsibilities of the department are to be cognizant of fundraising guidelines and regulations that apply to a registered charity (e.g. Canada Revenue Agency); proposes and develops small and larger capital fundraising initiatives or events for the consideration of the Executive; obtains Executive approval for the initiation of new fundraising activities; plans and carries out approved fundraising projects with the help of volunteers; liaises with licensing bodies, as needed (e.g. raffles); works with the Communications Department for effective advertising of fundraising projects; prepares a final report of the procedures used for each fundraising project including tasks completed, number of clients contacted, protocol used, etc.; prepares a final financial report for each fundraising project, including expenses, income, profit, etc.; and maintains a master list of fundraising projects that MGS has undertaken over the last 10 years, including profit realized.

 

Kathryn Blair-Colbert, Grants & Applications Chair. The Grants and Applications Committee is to coordinate and facilitate applications for grant funding for MGS programs.  In particular, the committee maintains a master list of grants that MGS has applied for and received over the last 10 years; maintains a list of possible granting agencies with funding criteria, application guidelines, deadlines, etc.; searches for availability of new and innovative grants; works with the MGS Executive, Departments and Branches to determine immediate and long-term grant requirements; proposes granting agencies to apply to: obtains Executive approval for the initiation of a grant proposal; coordinates and supervises grant writing with other volunteers; liaises with granting agencies as required, e.g. Manitoba Sport, Culture and Heritage, Winnipeg Foundation, Heritage Grants; and oversees the receipt, expenditures, accounting and final report of grants received by the Society.

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Aleta Foreman, Vice-President, Information Technology.  Aleta has been a member of MGS since 2011 and since her retirement she has served on the MGS Council.  The purpose of the the Information Technology Department is to coordinate the acquisition, utilization and maintenance of the necessary computer equipment in the Resource Centre and Library required to manage data effectively.  The key responsibilities of the department are to evaluate the equipment needs of the Resource Centre and Library and the media required for effective usage of resources; to recommend systems requirements and development for the Society; to ensure the general operating maintenance of the equipment; and to coordinate the needs of equipment usage with all departments and the Branches as needed.

 

Computer and Network Operations Chair – Adetoun Bankole.  Adetoun is a graduate of Computer Engineering. She joined MGS in January 2023 as a Volunteer to fill the Computer and Network Operations Chair position. The purpose of the Computer and Network Operations Committee is to ensure that the computer and network needs of the MGS Library/Resource Centre and Branches are met, for both patrons and volunteers.  This includes upkeep and upgrades of hardware and operating Systems for the Resource Library Centre computers; ensuring users can fully use all resources through both back-end connections and providing orientation and training for MGS members; and regularly backs up all computer data both onsite and off site.

 

  Manitoba Name Index (MANI) Management and Operations Chair – Vacant.  The purpose of the MANI Management and Operations Committee is to oversee the development and use of the MANI (Manitoba Names Index) database.  In particular, the committee is responsible to ensures that the MANI database is operating efficiently and effectively; to update and expand the MANI database and functions as necessary; to manages input of new records; to oversee the membership database, working in conjunction with the Membership Chair; to prepare and manage e-commerce capability; to oversee programming of new functions; to trouble-shoot; and train Resource Centre volunteers so they can assist patrons.

 

BRANCH REPRESENTATIVES ON THE MGS COUNCIL

 

Virginia Fox, Dauphin Branch of MGS Representative.  Virginia Fox is the President of the Dauphin Branch of MGS.  Virginia has been a MGS member since 2014 and leads the Dauphin branch in their various genealogical projects.  All MGS members can add one (1) or more branch memberships to their MGS Membership package for access to all branch meetings and activities.

 

Bob Allebone, Southeast and Winnipeg Branch of MGS Representative. Bob Allebone is the President of the Southeast & Winnipeg Branch of MGS. Bob has been a MGS member since 2019 and is active on both the MGS and Branch level. The Southeast and Winnipeg Branch has one or two speakers each month presenting on a variety of genealogical topics. Membership in the Southeast and Winnipeg Branch of MGS will give you free access to all the activities of the branch.

 

George MacKay, South West Branch of MGS Representative.  George has been a member of MGS since 2013, and is co-president of the branch with Laura Crookshanks.  The South West Branch of the Manitoba Genealogical Society, located in Brandon, Manitoba, exists to encourage the pursuit of genealogical research in southwestern Manitoba and beyond.

ADVISORY COMMITTEES

Awards Chair – Jessica Burleson.  The Awards Committee meets annually to ensure promotion goes out to the membership asking for nominations for the MGS Awards.  They then take the nominations, based on the criteria, and choose recipients for the awards.  They then arrange to have the certificates printed (in-house) and signed to be ready to be presented at the Annual General Meeting.

Constitution & By-laws Chair – Bob Allebone.  The Constitution & By-laws Committee meets annually to review the MGS Constitution and By-laws and makes suggestions for updates.  Article 14 of the MGS Constitution gives the full guidelines of what is required.

 

 

Financial Review – Gloria McNabb, Daryl Dumanski, and Vernon DePape.  The MGS Constitution, in Article 10, outlines the financial requirements for the society which includes the annual formation of the financial review committee.  This committee “shall include the treasurer and two other members” whose purpose is to review the books annually for accuracy and adherence to standard accounting practices.

Nominations & Elections Chair – Angela Fiebelkorn.  The Nominations and Elections Committee follows Article 7 of the MGS Constitution to ensure that nominations are solicited and presented for all Council positions at the Annual General Meeting.  This is an annual task.

 

 

Seminar Chair: Vacant.  The Seminar Committee is responsible for MGS seminars/webinars during each year.  This includes booking presenters, working with the Communications department to promote the events, working with the Information Technology department for the online presentation of the events, and reporting the results of the event once is it completed.  For seminars that also take place physically, they will be responsible to organize the event at the MGS Resource Centre or beyond.

Volunteer Recruitment: Daryl Dumanski.  The Volunteer Recruitment Committee works with the various Council members to identify vacancies and to solicit interest in the positions.  Promotion is done in various media to fill these positions.  Applicants are screened, interviewed, and selected to fill vacant positions.

 

EXECUTIVE – Brief Job Descriptions

STANDING COMMITTEE – Brief Job Descriptions