Newsletters

Announcing the Annual TOGA Membership Meeting at VIMS

 

~ Sue Borra, TOGA President and Karen Hudson, Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Specialist, Marine Advisory Program, VIMS

 

Mark your calendar to attend the TOGA Annual Meeting to be held Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) Gloucester Point Campus, Watermen’s Hall Auditorium. You can register at https://forms.office.com/r/J45UyriTbE

 

We encourage everyone to participate in-person, but a virtual option will be available. Your membership dues can be paid at the meeting. Non-TOGA members are also encouraged to attend to learn more about TOGA.

 

This is an extremely important event as TOGA members will be voting on the Slate of Candidates for the TOGA Board and the Revised TOGA Bylaws. In addition, we will have updates from key agency representatives and VIMS and a presentation by Dr. Roger Mann from VIMS.

 

Please bring a potluck dish to share and enjoy meeting with your fellow oyster gardeners from the tidewater area.

 

 

TOGA Annual Meeting Schedule

Saturday, January 27, 2024. 1:00-5:00 pm

Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Campus, Waterman’s Hall Auditorium

 

1:00 –1:30 pm   Check-in

Meet with agency representatives from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and the Virginia Department of Health and informal Q&A with experienced Master Oyster Gardeners.

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1:30 pm    Welcome and Introductions

Sue Borra, President TOGA, Karen Hudson, VIMS

 

1:35 – 2 pm    Agency Updates for Gardeners

• Savannah Longest, Shellfish Aquaculture Specialist, Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Shellfish Management Division

• Adam Wood, Growing Area Manager, Virginia Department of Health, Shellfish Safety

 

2:00 – 2:45 pm   TOGA Business Meeting

• Treasurer’s Report - Brian Ingram, Treasurer

• 2023 TOGA Highlights - Sue Borra, President

• 2024 TOGA Goals -Sue Borra and TOGA Board members

• Election of Officers – Carl Zulick, Secretary

• Vote on TOGA Bylaws Changes – Sue Borra

• Madison Boyd Award 2023 – Carl Zulick

• Other TOGA Business (TBD)

 

2:45 – 3:00 pm   TOGA Fellowship Endowment at VIMS Update-

Susan Maples, Director of Development, VIMS

 

3:00 – 4:00 pm   Education Session

• Featured Speaker: Dr. Roger Mann, Professor, Virginia Institute of Marine Science

• Topic: Virginia’s Oyster Productivity Over the Past 25 Years

 

4:00 – 5:00 pm   Social Hour

Potluck- oyster dishes and snacks

 

REGISTER TODAY: If you plan to attend the meeting, please pre-register online: https://forms.office.com/r/J45UyriTbE  

 

If you plan to participate virtually, a link will be sent to the email address you entered on your registration form.

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ITEMS FOR MEMBERSHIP VOTE DURING THE TOGA BUSINESS MEETING:

 

TOGA members will vote on the following items of TOGA business: The TOGA Bylaws revision and the slate of TOGA Board of Directors Members and Officers for 2024.

 

TOGA Bylaws Revised

 

Since TOGA’s establishment, 25 years ago, the Bylaws have gone through a variety of updates.    This year the TOGA Board conducted a thorough review and revision of the Bylaws to bring them up to date to meet current needs and also had the revised version examined by outside counsel.  Below are the revised TOGA Bylaws for your review and approval. 

 

The key changes to these Bylaws include: 

updating the membership criteria and voting status; 

updating the election process;

updating the Standing Committees;

adding a new section on Notices and Use of Technology to conduct business; and

updating the Nondiscrimination Section.

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Review the 2023 Bylaws

 

Review the proposed Bylaws for 2024

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2024 TOGA Board of Directors Nominees and Slate of TOGA Board of Directors and Officers

~Carl Zulick, Nominating Committee Chair

 

In November 2023, the TOGA Nominating Committee recommended to the Board of Directors a slate of candidates for the 2024 Board of Directors. Following the ByLaws of the Board, TOGA can have up to 20 Board Members. In 2023, the Board had 14 members after Vice President Mark Besore regrettably resigned due to health concerns. All other Board members remain on the slate for 2024. Three new candidates were identified after a call to all TOGA members and the public. The three nominees were presented to the Board by the Nominating Committee Chair and subsequently unanimously approved. The 2024 slate of the Board of Directors and Officers will be brought to a membership vote at the TOGA Annual Meeting in January. The new Board and Officer must be confirmed by vote from a majority of members attending in person, virtually, or by mail/email. Below, the slate of candidates is listed and a brief introduction to the new candidates is presented for member review:

 

 

Slate of TOGA Board of Directors and Officers for 2024

Officers:

Sue Borra                       President

Carlton McFaden             Vice President

Carl Zulick                      Secretary

Brian Ingram                  Treasurer

Doug Schaefer                Past President

 

Directors:

Stephanie Antonijuan

Lou Castagnola

Kent Eanes

Ken Hammond

Russell Mait

Galen Salgado

Richard Siciliano

David Singletary

Terry Lewis, President Emeritus

Mike Sanders, President Emeritus

Vic Spain, President Emeritus

Brian Wood, President Emeritus

 

Meet the New TOGA Board Nominees

 

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Annual Meeting Featured Speaker:

Roger Mann to speak on Virginia’s oyster productivity over the past 25 years

 

Dr. Roger Mann is a professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science where he served as Director for Research and Advisory Services for nine years. He has also held scientific positions at Woods Hole before arriving in Virginia in 1984. Dr. Mann oversees VIMS’ Molluscan Ecology Laboratory where he conducts population assessments, physiological and ecological studies of bivalve molluscs and other molluscan species, as well as ecological restoration of oyster reef communities. 

 

Dr. Mann is the Site Director for the Science Center for Marine Fisheries (SCEMFIS), an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center of the National Science Foundation, where he uses his expertise along with industry members to develop research projects that provide information to maintain sustainable fisheries.

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