Huntsville Young Professionals, Inc. promotes an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in the Greater Huntsville area of Alabama. Our efforts focus on connecting people to each other and engaging the community through civic, recreational, charitable and professional developmental opportunities.

Last updated on January 31, 2026

Approved on February 12, 2025

Mission Statement

Huntsville Young Professionals, Inc. promotes an environment that attracts and retains young professionals in the Greater Huntsville area of Alabama. Our efforts focus on connecting people to each other and engaging the community through civic, recreational, charitable, and professional developmental opportunities.

ARTICLE 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1. Definition of Bylaws: These Bylaws along with our Articles of Incorporation constitute the code of rules adopted by Huntsville Young Professionals, Inc. (herein referred to as HYP) for the regulation and management of its affairs.

1.2. Purposes: The purpose of HYP is to promote an environment that attracts and retains Young Professionals (herein referred to as YPs) in the Greater Huntsville area of Alabama. HYP defines a YP as an individual between the ages of 21 and 40. HYP engages the community through civic, recreational, charitable, and professional developmental opportunities. HYP does not have any political or religious affiliations.

1.3. Structure: HYP is structured as a 501(c)(4)*, not-for-profit, organization governed by the Board of Directors (herein referred to as BoD). The BoD will be composed of local YPs. The BoD will solicit input from other YPs to plan and execute events that support the mission of HYP.

ARTICLE 2 - PARTICIPATION IN HYP

2.1. Participants: Participants are individuals who attend HYP events. Participation in HYP events is not restricted by the BoD unless otherwise specified.

2.2. Agents: Agents are external individuals/organizations that may be appointed to perform specific duties to assist with the operations of HYP.

2.3. Actions and Views: The actions and views of the participants and agents do not represent those of the BoD or HYP.

2.4. Liability: Participants accept personal liability and risk for any injuries, damages, or losses for attending or participating in HYP events. HYP is not responsible or liable for any injuries, damages, or losses caused by participants.

ARTICLE 3 - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

3.1. Purpose: The BoD will manage the business, property, and affairs of HYP.

3.2. Qualification requirements of BoD Members: Each BoD member is a YP who resides in the greater Huntsville area who has been voted and confirmed by majority vote by the BoD. Further information regarding nominations and elections of BoD members is addressed in Articles 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4.

3.3. HYP Fiscal Year: The HYP fiscal year begins on May 1st and ends the following April 30th.

3.4. Term of Board Position: Each BoD member will hold their position for at least a two HYP Calendar Year term unless (i) the BoD member requests to leave the position early or (ii) is removed from the BoD (Article 3.6). Regardless of when a BoD member joins, a two-year term is completed at the end of two HYP fiscal years (i.e. if a BoD member joins October 1st, 2018, the end of their first term would be April 30th, 2020). There are no term limits for being a member of the BoD. If a BoD member ages out of the YP definition during their term, they may complete their full board term. If the aged-out BoD member wishes to serve another term on the BoD, the President shall call a vote.

3.5 All BoD members are required to proactively host an event once every four months. If a BoD member has not hosted an event in this period, then they may be appointed to host an event by the Vice President. 

3.6. New Recruits: New Recruits are applicants who are invited by an Executive Officer to participate on the BoD as non-BoD members (herein referred to as New Recruits). New Recruits will be placed on probation for up to 90 calendar days during which the removal of a New Recruit may occur. See section 3.7 for probation definition. If a vote on a new recruit is not called within 90 calendar days, the recruit automatically becomes a full BoD member.

3.6.1. New Member Orientation: New Recruits will be invited to a New Member Orientation before the first Board meeting.

3.7. Attendance Requirements: BoD members must meet the attendance requirements listed below (3.6.1 - 3.6.4). Special situations, (inclement weather, pandemics, family emergencies, work assignments, etc.), regarding attendance will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Officers. Special situations should be communicated to the Executive Board as soon as possible.

3.7.1. Event Attendance: Event attendance is participating in an event for greater than two-thirds (⅔) of the total event time. If a BoD member fails to attend an event for any two months during the HYP fiscal year (Article 3.3), they will be placed on probation for up to 45 calendar days. Board meetings, special topic meetings, and team building exercises do not count for event credit. The President can waive event attendance required for the following month at the monthly board meeting. (i.e. December’s attendance can be waived at the November board meeting.) Special situations (inclement weather, pandemics, family emergencies, work assignments, etc.) regarding event attendance will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Officers.

3.7.2 BoD Meeting Attendance: BoD meeting attendance is participating in a BoD meeting for greater than two-thirds (⅔) of the total meeting time. Each BoD member is afforded two Unexcused absences and two Excused absences, equivalent to four total absences during the fiscal year. “Excused Absences” are determined according to the President’s discretion. If a BoD member fails to meet this attendance requirement, they will be placed on probation for up to 45 calendar days (Article 3.3). Special topic meetings and team building exercises do not count for meeting credit. (Article 6.2)

Four total Absences during the fiscal year are allowed, with two being Excused absences, and two being Unexcused. “Excused Absences” are determined according to the Executive Officer’s discretion.

3.7.3. Retreat Attendance: Attendance at the annual BoD retreat is mandatory for the full duration of the retreat. BoD members who do not attend the retreat will be placed on probation for up to 45 calendar days.

3.7.4. Annual Planning Meeting Attendance: Attendance at the annual planning meeting is mandatory for the full duration of the meeting. BoD members who do not attend the annual planning meeting will be placed on probation for up to 45 calendar days.

3.7.5. Annual Fundraiser Attendance: Annual fundraiser attendance is participating in the annual fundraiser for greater than two-thirds (⅔) of the total event time. The total event time includes setup, the event, and breakdown. BoD members who do not attend the annual fundraiser will be placed on probation for up to 45 calendar days.

3.7.6. The Executive Officers may deem other events as mandatory. The event must be communicated to the BoD members as mandatory a minimum of 45 calendar days before the event.

3.8. Probation: During probation, the BoD member is considered a non-voting BoD member. During a probationary period (Article 3.6 and 3.7), a vote by the BoD will be held, which will result in the removal or reinstatement of the individual on probation. During probation, a New Recruit is considered a non-BoD member.

3.8.1. The Executive Officers may vote to place a BoD member on probation for any reason.

3.8.2. Probationary status must be communicated from the Executive Officers to the BoD member within 45 calendar days of the probationary offense.

3.9. Removal of BoD Members and New Recruits: At any time, any BoD member or New Recruit (Article 3.6), regardless of status, may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of voting BoD members.

3.10 Power to Amend Bylaws: The BoD shall have the power to make and/or amend any bylaws. Proposed changes to the bylaws shall be distributed to all BoD members at least 24 hours in advance to voting on changes. Approval of changes to the bylaws requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. An annual review of the bylaws at the Annual Planning Meeting (Article 3.7.4) shall be conducted.

ARTICLE 4 - EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

4.1. President: The President will be considered the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HYP and will preside over BoD meetings, unless unable to perform their duties. In the event that the President cannot preside over a BoD meeting, the power is delegated to the Vice President. The President will manage the business of HYP and oversee all orders and resolutions of the BoD. The President will have the duties of supervision and management as needed. The President is a non-voting board member unless in the event of a tied vote.

4.2. Vice President: The Vice President will understand the responsibilities of the President. The Vice President will ensure the external facing components of HYP (e.g. website, email, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) are up to date. The Vice President will monitor the health of the board, including major fundraising activities. In the event of a vacancy in the President’s seat, the Vice President will be the acting President until a new President is elected (Article 4.8). The Vice President may be assigned special projects or other duties as necessary.

4.2.1 Missions & Engagement Committee: This committee supports the Vice President in planning and upholding the event calendar to support the mission of HYP.

4.3. Executive Financial Officer: The Executive Financial Officer will be responsible for the oversight and maintenance of HYP’s finances and property. The Executive Financial Officer will track inventory, create and distribute invoices, process and log reimbursements, and provide a financial report at every monthly BoD meeting outlining expenses and revenue in the previous month. The Executive Financial Officer will organize and attend at least one annual storage locker inventory day each fiscal year. The Executive Financial Officer may be assigned special projects or other duties as necessary.

4.3.1 Finance & Fundraising Committee: This committee works alongside the Executive Finance Officer to help manage the organization’s finances and identify new fundraising opportunities. Other duties may be assigned as necessary by the Executive Financial Officer.

4.4. Executive Coordinator: The Executive Coordinator will create the BoD meeting agendas. The Executive Coordinator will provide the agenda to the President for review at least three (3) days before the meeting. The Executive Coordinator will record BoD meeting minutes. The Executive Coordinator will provide minutes to the BoD within three (3) days of the previous BoD meeting. The Executive Coordinator will direct BoD members to track their attendance and provide BoD member status. The Executive Coordinator may be assigned special projects or other duties as necessary.

4.5. Executive Marketing Coordinator: The Marketing Coordinator will develop and execute the visual communications of HYP as directed by the BoD. The duties of the Marketing Coordinator include but are not limited to creating graphics, presentations, and branding, updating the website, and sending out the newsletter. The Marketing Coordinator will work closely with the Social Media Coordinator. The Marketing Coordinator may be assigned special projects or other duties as necessary.

4.6. Executive Social Media Coordinator: The Social Media Coordinator will develop and manage the social media presence of HYP on various platforms as directed by the BoD. The duties of the Social Media Coordinator include but are not limited to posting events, creating reminder posts for events, posting regularly to maintain social media traffic, and fielding communications with Participants online. The Social Media Coordinator will work closely with the Marketing Coordinator. The Social Media Coordinator may be assigned special projects or other duties as necessary.

4.6.1  Marketing & Communications Committee: This committee assists the Executive Marketing Coordinator and Social Media Coordinator by managing all social media platforms and content creation for HYP, assigned by the Executive Marketing or Executive Social Media Coordinator.  Other duties may be assigned as necessary by the Executive Marketing or Social Media Coordinators.

4.7. Absences of Executive Officers: In the event of an executive officer’s absence at meetings and events, the President may delegate the duties of that position to any existing BoD member.

4.8. Removal of an Executive Officer (herein referred to as EO) from their Position: EOs are subject to continual evaluation by the other EOs. An Executive Officer (EO) may be removed from their Executive Officer (EO) position if it is a unanimous decision by the remaining EOs. The other EOs will approach the EO in question with their concerns prior to their removal decision.

4.9. Executive Officers on Probation: If an EO is on probation (Article 3.7), the BoD will vote on the removal of the officer from their position as well as the removal of the BoD member from the BoD with two separate votes.

4.10. Power to Appoint other Officers and Agents: The President will have the power to appoint other EOs and agents as deemed necessary for the transaction of the business of HYP or to fill the vacancy of an EO position. Within 90 calendar days, the appointee will be voted on by BoD to fill the EO vacancy for the remainder of the calendar year.

ARTICLE 5 - NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND APPOINTMENTS

5.1. Nomination of New Recruits: The BoD members will provide nominations for New Recruits within 45 calendar days of the application deadline. The consent of any applicant must be obtained before their name is placed in nomination. The applicant must contractually agree that the bylaws have been read and understood.

5.2. Selection of New Recruits: A final list of applicants will be prepared by the EOs and presented at the March BoD meeting. Selected applicants will be interviewed by BoD members between the March and April BoD meetings.

5.3. Election of New Recruits: Voting on the nominations will occur at the April BoD meeting to determine which applicants to invite as New Recruits. The New Recruits will be notified within three (3) days of their selection and invited to attend the May BoD meeting. New Recruits must respond before April 30th.

5.4. Disqualification of Applicants: Any applicant who has a criminal history or pending charges can be disqualified from nomination to the board on a case-by-case basis as determined by the Executive Board. Any applicant, new recruit, or BoD member who misrepresents their personal, professional, or criminal history may be disqualified from nomination to the board or removed from the board by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of voting BoD members.

5.5. Nomination of Executive Officers: Prior to the March BoD meeting, the EOs will request nominations from the BoD members to fill all EO positions. Once nominated, the BoD member will accept or decline the nomination. A BoD member may be nominated for multiple positions but may not hold more than one EO position at a time. An EO nominee cannot be on probation (Article 3.8). An EO Nominee must have at least one year of experience as an HYP Board member before being nominated for an Executive Board position unless appointed (Article 4.10).

5.6. Election of Executive Officers: A final list of EO nominees (Article 4) will be prepared by the President and presented by the March BoD meeting. Each voting BoD member is entitled to one vote to elect an EO nominee to each position. Elections will be held in the following order: President, Vice President, Executive Financial Officer, Executive Coordinator, Executive Marketing Coordinator and then, Executive Social Media Coordinator. In the event no EO nominee receives an absolute majority, a run-off vote** will be held. In the event of a tie, the President will cast the deciding vote. A nominee does get a vote on their own election and can vote for themselves.

5.6.1 The Presidential nominee must have had at least one year of experience on the Executive Board. 

5.7. Appointing BoD Members Out of Term: The President reserves the right to appoint BoD members out of term as the President deems necessary. The appointment will be voted on by the BoD and approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the BoD. The appointed individual will be on probation for up to 45 calendar days and will complete the HYP fiscal year.

5.8. Out of Cycle Recruitment: The President reserves the right to call a vote to hold an out-of-cycle recruitment process following the cadence referenced in Sections 5.1 – 5.3. The decision to hold an out-of-cycle recruitment process will be voted on by the BoD and approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the BoD.

5.9. Appointing Agents: The President has the power to appoint other agents as deemed necessary for the transaction of the business of HYP.

ARTICLE 6 - BOARD MEETINGS

6.1. BoD Meetings: BoD meetings will take place on the second Wednesday of the month unless a change is approved by an absolute majority vote of the BoD and individuals on probation. A quorum is required to call any vote in a BoD meeting (Article 7.2).

6.2. Special Topic Meetings: Special topic meetings may be requested by the President. The President shall give notice of at least three (3) days prior to the date for the holding of any special topic meeting. This notice shall include the place and purposes of the meeting and shall be distributed to each BoD member. Business not mentioned in the notice shall not be transacted at the meeting. Special topic meetings and team building exercises do not count for meeting credit (Article 3.7.2).

ARTICLE 7 - QUORUM / VOTES OF THE BOD

7.1. Absolute Majority: An absolute majority is defined as greater than 50%.

7.2. Quorum: A quorum is defined as the presence of voting BoD members representing an absolute majority of the voting BoD.

7.3. Abstentions: Abstentions may not be used unless a legitimate conflict of interest exists. BoD members who abstain from voting will not count as voting BoD members and will not count towards meeting quorum.

7.4. Votes of the BoD:

7.4.1 Notification of voting including the topic, time, and location will be provided by the Executive Officers to the BoD and New Recruits at least 24 hours prior to the call to vote.

7.4.2 For votes done outside of scheduled BoD meetings, (including those done electronically via email or other measure acceptable to the President), a vote of an absolute majority of the voting BoD is required, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws.

7.4.3 For electronic votes, a required response time will be provided, not to be less than 48 hours from the call to vote. If an absolute majority of the voting BoD is not met by the required response time, a revote will occur.

7.5. Vetoes by the President: The President may choose to veto the outcome of a vote for (i) an immediate discussion and revote at the current BoD meeting or (ii) a new vote to be performed within 45 calendar days of the original voting date. Vetoes cannot occur for elections of Executive Officers. Only one veto per vote may occur. Any change to the language of a vetoed vote creates a new vote and can be vetoed again.

DEFINITIONS AND COMMENTS

- * Article 1.3 - Currently in the process of trying to convert to 501(c)(3) status

- “Days” refers to working days (typical M-F schedule) unless otherwise specified (i.e. specifically calls-out “calendar days”)

- ** Article 5.6 – Runoff election is a voting system used to elect a single winner, whereby only two candidates from the first round continue to the second round, where one candidate will win