It is historically unusual that SACI is forced to cancel an Annual Business Luncheon.  For the second year in a row, SACI was prevented from holding this event at La Griglia Restaurant in Kenilworth, NJ.  The date was scheduled for Thursday, March 25, 2021 but whereas the bulk of our member and sponsoring companies still do not wish to incur the liability and health risk associated with meeting indoors during this ongoing pandemic, we had to cancel once again. We were subsequently informed that restaurants could not accommodate a single group gathering of more than 10 people based on the Governors last executive order issued on February 25, 2021. It was with great sadness that we were unable to meet to usher in SACI’s centennial (1921-2021).

As is our annual practice, at this meeting we would have reviewed the highlights of the past 2020-2021 year and look forward to our programs for 2021-2022.  Instead, we offer our report here.

The treasurer reports that going into the 2021-2022 fiscal year; SACI remains a fiscally healthy organization thanks to the management principles applied by the Board of Directors beginning in 2009.  Membership going into 2021-2022 declined slightly to 55 full members, 2 associate members and 6 emeritus members.  Since we were, for all intents and purposes, shut out of our traditional activities; we were only able to recruit one new member. SACI also has 21 additional sales professionals that are active in the organization who belong to our 50 corporate sponsors.  Nine of these companies also support our organization by providing us goods and services and taking ads in our holiday journal and/or sponsoring our various events.

SACI has been working on the development of a new and more modern website that will carry with it more graphics and will provide a centennial reflection of the history of SACI.  The new site is up and running, but it has not yet been refined and updated.  We will advise the membership when it is up to speed and how it can be utilized. We will also be publishing expanded commemorative issues of the SACI Slants Volume 60 during this year.  Lots of pictures. Lots of memories. Since the Golf Courses are now open and under less restriction, we will kick off this year’s outdoor sports segment of our events with both a spring and a fall golf outing.  Stay tuned for additional information as the state gradually reopens and we can get back to our usual calendar of events.

Membership dues renewal invoices will be sent out early in April as usual.  Due to the pandemic shut down, our limited expenditures for last year have made it possible to offer discounts for this year’s events.  These discounts will be available to dues paying members only. We encourage SACI members to stay with us during these trying times.

SACI is run by a working board of 8 directors selected strictly from those holding full SACI membership status, and a chairman who provides oversight.  We seek interested and dedicated young SACI members who demonstrate leadership skills through active participation and who express a definite desire to keep SACI alive and viable in the modern business environment.  We ask our members and sponsors who recognize such skills in their salespeople, to recommend them to our board for consideration as directors.  All SACI past presidents continue active status as members of a Past Presidents Advisory Council who are more than willing to offer guidance.  If you feel you would like to understand more about the duties of the board, please contact us at: sacimanageronline@gmail.com.

Normally, at the business luncheon, we distribute awards to our members for their years of service and introduce our newest members.  Due to the cancellation of this meeting, it is our hope that the awards and introduction segment can be conducted at our Fall Networking Luncheon.  Specifics on award recipients this year can be found on our website under the tab, “milestones”.  Please access our new website frequently to keep up with what is happening at SACI.  Change your favorites link to: www.sacionline.org. 

Respectfully Submitted to the board by David M. Volosin
  SACI Chairman & Admissions / Membership Chair