As part of our onslaught towards 501(c)(3) status here in the States we have learned we need an official secretary. Two gentlemen have graciously thrown their hats in the ring. If you are a member (click here if unsure), please vote at bottom. Voting ends Thursday, midnight EST.

Mike Carroll:

Experience As with most compulsive volunteers, I have been affiliated with a number of non-profits over the span of my adult life. This has occasionally included duties as a governing board member. However, some of those affiliations have included financial and organizational management teams I found less than ideal. Those periods prompted me to me to dive into the minutia of 501(c)(3) corporate organization and their financial reporting requirements.

The basic mechanics of successful 501(c)(3)s are many of the same items expected of a successful DIVO: a good report tickler, attention to detail, and the fore-handedness to gather the required data in a timely manner. It’s not rocket science. Schedule the required meetings, publish the results, and assemble the annual IRS-990 for the May filing deadline or request the optional six month extension.

Qualifications Traditionally, the position was primarily a administrative function associated with record keeping and record certification to include the duties of a notary. In the 21st Century it has evolved to include ethics and compliance/due diligence duties.

As a retired CDR and former industrial safety officer I’m well acquainted with both record keeping, program compliance, and ethics. I’m willing to move forward with acquiring a notary seal, if required.

Goals CIMSEC’s future requires a transition from the realm of the founders’ enthusiasm (and responsibility) to the admittedly bureaucratic structures of management boards and committees. While publishing new ideas lies at its core, CIMSEC’s architecture will need to broaden to provide a foundational infrastructure.

As a 501(c)(3), CIMSEC becomes a corporate entity. Corporate entities are not clubs, They are enduring organizations committed to long span goals. I would like to provide the service necessary for that future.

Conclusion: CIMSEC is a remarkable place. As a Stavridis (and Galrahn) fanboy, it focuses on something missing from my JO experience, “Read, Think, Write, Publish.” The fleet and force of the future will need leaders who have already thought about where they are before they arrive.

I’m not an accountant or a lawyer or a master strategist. I’m a guy who believes in recruiting the smartest people in the room to solve our problems. This was a place where I could step up.

Dennis Harbin:

I am a qualified surface warfare officer and am currently enrolled at Penn State Law in the Navy’s Law Education Program. My relevant background includes leadership and project management experience as a division officer in USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG-96) and as Operations Officer with PC CREW KILO deployed in USS FIREBOLT (PC-10). As a law student in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, I have begun developing skills necessary for complex administrative problem-solving and regulatory compliance.

I see the role of Secretary as two-fold. First, it is the duty of every organization’s secretary to ensure that the Board complies with specific formality and regulatory requirements, in this case under 501(c)(3) and our own by-laws. My very minimal legal background should be useful in this role. Second, it is the duty of every officer to ensure that the mission of the organization is fulfilled, but also continues to expand and grow.

Even though I’m new to CIMSEC, I’ve been enthusiastic from the beginning about what this group does and how it serves our various professions and institutions through the discussion of ideas. CIMSEC has great potential and I want to do what I can to ensure its efficient administration and its effectiveness as an indispensable forum on maritime and security affairs.

Thanks to both for stepping up to help out!