NORTH AMERICAN LINEN ASSOCIATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DIRECTOR POSITION 2025

We are accepting applications for NALA board positions to take effect January 1, 2025. If you are a flax fiber enthusiast, a regenerative agriculture advocate, an interested farmer, or a sustainable material manufacturer – we would love to have your passion, knowledge, and perspective on our team. We expect all applicants to be members of NALA and encourage applications from all segments of the supply chain in order to create a diverse, dynamic, engaged board that will advance the mission of NALA.

The North American Linen Association is a Nonprofit Industry Trade Association founded and funded by individuals and businesses that operate in the developing flax-to-linen industry in North America.

MISSION: The North American Linen Association was founded in September 2022 to promote commercial fiber flax agriculture, bast fiber processing infrastructure, and textile manufacturing in North America to advance sustainability and resilience in the organic agriculture, bast fiber, textile, and fashion industries.

VISION: NALA brings together interest groups from all stages of the supply chain to share in infrastructure development, networking, best practices, and marketing campaigns to advance the North American fiber flax-to-linen industry.

VALUES: Growth, Stewardship, Reciprocity, Resilience

Board Makeup and Resposibilities

The NALA board of directors shall manage the affairs of the corporation. The Board shall have a fiduciary duty to oversee the NALA and:

1. Adopt the NALA budget and regularly review actual financial performance against budget;
2. Adopt appropriate policies, procedures, rules and regulations;
3. Retain any necessary legal and other professional services;
4. Select, supervise, and remove the Executive Director of the NALA

In addition to the above responsibilities, we also expect Directors of NALA to:

• Actively participate in guiding the strategy, goals and operational planning of NALA;
• Prepare for, attend and actively participate in board meetings;
• Share expertise in working groups or committees;

• Be an advocate and ambassador for the organization to enhance its public image;
• Leverage connections to support membership and fundraising goals;
• Respect the experiences of all who bring their voices and lived experiences into the board room and organization
• Follow the organization’s bylaws, policies, and board resolutions

Time Commitment

The NALA board of directors is represented by individuals across North America, spanning several time zones from Pacific to Atlantic. Time commitments vary depending on board position.

A Director should expect to give 2-3 hours/month to prepare for, participate in and contribute to the monthly board of directors meeting.

If a Director also holds a position on the Executive Committee or Finance Committee of the board, they should expect to spend an additional 2-3 hours/month.

Board Members are elected to 2 year terms, with one-third of the board up for reelection every year to maintain continuity.

Timeline

The application deadline is November 8, 2024.

To submit your application, please send an email with the following information to NALA board president, Annette Herboth, at: annette@northamericanlinen.org and to hello@northamericanlinen.org.

Please include the following information:

• name and contact information
• CV or Resume
• previous board positions held
• skills, knowledge, and experience you can bring to the board
• why you are interested in being on NALA’s board

If you are nominating someone to the NALA board, please email Annette with as much of the above information as you have, along with the nominee’s contact information and whether you have confirmed they are interested.

• November 18th – Applicants contacted with a status update
• December 17th – Leading candidates make a brief introduction to the board of directors. Board votes and successful applicants are notified.
• January 1, 2025 – Newly elected board members begin their positions. On-boarding session to be scheduled in January.

Compensation

The NALA is a 501c6 Non-Profit Industry Trade Organization. As such, all board positions are unpaid volunteer positions with a maximum annual honorarium of $500.