How to Nominate a Board Candidate

Any member in good standing can nominate someone, including themselves, for a Member-at-Large seat on the Board of Directors. This process comes from Project Groundswell, the member nomination framework the board approved at its January 6, 2026 meeting, when it also set up a Governance Committee to run it.

Nominations are advice to the board, not a vote. The board keeps full authority over who is appointed and may also find candidates in other ways.

To be confirmed: whether the Board Skills Matrix and evaluation criteria have been published and nominations are open. Under the framework, both must be published before the first nomination is accepted. Until this page links to them, ask the Secretary (secretary@waukeshamakers.com) before submitting.

Who can nominate

You can nominate if you are a member in good standing:

• your dues are current,
• you are not suspended or expelled, and
• you have been a member for at least 90 days in a row.

Each member may submit up to two nominations per calendar year. Self-nominations count toward the two. Nominating the same person twice is not accepted.

Who can be nominated

A nominee must:

• be a member in good standing,
• be at least 18,
• not currently be on the board (unless being considered for reappointment),
• have been a member for at least 90 days in a row (or at least 60 days if they have skills the Board Skills Matrix lists as a high priority), and
• agree in writing to the nomination after reading the Nominee Expectations Packet.

Before you nominate

1. Read the Board Skills Matrix: the skills and backgrounds the board needs right now. A strong nomination matches a real need.
2. Talk to the person you want to nominate and make sure they want to serve.
3. Make sure they receive and read the Nominee Expectations Packet. It covers a director's legal duties, the time commitment, the meeting schedule, the evaluation process and confidentiality.

How to submit

Send the nomination in writing (email or online form) to the Board Secretary at secretary@waukeshamakers.com. Include:

• your name and membership number,
• the nominee's name and membership number,
• the nominee's written consent (email, signed letter or form),
• the nominee's confirmation that they received and read the Expectations Packet, and
• a short statement, 300 words or fewer, on how the nominee's skills and experience match the board's current needs.

Nominations are accepted all year.

What happens next

1. Receipt. The Secretary checks that the nomination is complete against a published checklist and acknowledges it within 7 business days. The Secretary's role is administrative only.
2. Review. The Governance Committee reviews complete nominations against the published evaluation criteria and holds screening interviews with qualified nominees, normally within 60 days.
3. Candidate pool. Vetted candidates stay in a pool. When a seat is opening, the committee recommends candidates to the full board.
4. Decision. The full board interviews recommended candidates and votes on appointments.

Several members nominating the same person is treated as a good sign of member confidence. Skills fit remains the main consideration.

What to expect

• Nominee names are kept confidential unless the person is appointed. Nominator names are not shared unless the nominator chooses.
• The board does not give individual reasons for not selecting someone, and there is no appeal. It does apply its published criteria consistently.
• A board member with a personal, family or business relationship to a nominee discloses it and steps out of that nominee's evaluation.
• Each year the board reports, in general terms, how many nominations came in, how many nominees were interviewed and appointed, and how appointments matched the Skills Matrix.

Related pages

• Joining the Board
• Board Seats, Designations and Succession
• Organization Structure and Current Board