Mission:
To ensure the continued existence of major symphony orchestras in North America through volunteerism.
NEW!
PANEL OF ADVISORS
One of the best things about AMSOV membership is the opportunity to exchange ideas.
The biennial conference is a great place to do that. And between conferences, the "Volunteer Activities" tab on our website lists the signature projects of our member organizations so we have resources to draw on when launching or revitalizing similar projects within our own volunteer group.
Now, AMSOV has gone a step further, creating a panel of advisors with advanced knowledge in their fields. These advisors have volunteered to provide FREE consultation to AMSOV member organizations.
We've only just begun to build our advisory panel but we're off to a great start with the three individuals listed below who are truly experts in what they do. Our panel of advisors is immediately open for business! If the skills they offer are something you're needing, contact AMSOV President Don Dagenais, president@amsov.org, and he'll connect you.
WANT TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE PANEL?
If you specialize in a field and would be willing to provide consulting services to your fellow AMSOV members, contact Don Dagenais, president@amsov.org.
Don Dagenais
Specialty: Legal Issues
Don is a retired lawyer who specialized for over 40 years in representing non-profit organizations (usually on a pro bono basis) and handling commercial real estate transactions for a major law firm. He has been on the board of a number of non-profit and volunteer auxiliary organizations, often serving as president. These include symphony orchestras, chamber music ensembles, opera companies, theater companies and dance companies. He has served on the boards of the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Lyric Opera, Summerfest Chamber Music, Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Opera in the Ozarks and many other groups. He is the current president of AMSOV.
Don will be happy to advise you in the areas of non-profit incorporation, qualifying for federal and local income tax exemptions, bylaws, organizational structure, contract review and other legal issues. Keep in mind that because he is a retired lawyer with an inactive law license, he cannot actually represent an organization or offer binding legal advice but he can supply important legal information which may assist you and your own attorney, if needed.
Melanie Fenske
Specialty: Symphony Balls and Similar Fundraising Events
Melanie has served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, and performing arts groups and their auxiliaries. She has been the chair for several important fundraising balls, including those for her local art gallery, conservatory or music, ballet company and symphony orchestra. She has been the president of the Friends of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and is the president-elect of the Kansas City Symphony League, which hosts the annual Symphony Ball. Melanie chaired the symphony balls during the pandemic years of 2020 (the "non-Ball") and 2021 which, combined, raised over $1 million.
Melanie is happy to advise you on organizational structure, planning, recruitment of volunteers and other aspects of hosting a successful symphony ball or similar fundraising gathering.
Mike Minor
Specialty: Websites, Internet Payment Systems, Volunteer Management Systems and Other Technical Issues
Mike spent most of his career in the technical field with Verizon, an international telephone and communications company. He has been active in many performing arts organizations, most particularly the Kansas City Symphony where he has served on the board and as president of two of its auxiliary organizations. Mike was on the board of AMSOV for eight years, served as chair of the 2013 AMSOV Conference and was AMSOV president from 2013-2015. He has created websites, managed payment systems and worked with other internet-based projects for over 10 years.
Mike is happy to advise you on creating and maintaining websites, establishing internet payment systems, setting up private access areas of websites, utilizing online volunteer management systems and a host of other technical issues.