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I P RThe A S IPRAS M A N A Board G E M Eof N T Directors O F F I C E informs R E P O R T
Our finances
IPRAS until 2006 was financed almost exclusively by the
membership dues from the national societies. This resulted in a
very small amount of working capital to fund the missions of the
largest international society of Plastic Surgeons. Only one world
congress to 2006 had resulted in a contribution to the sponsoring
organization IPRAS: in 1999 after the world congress in San
Francisco the American Society of Plastic Surgery ASPS donated
55 000 US-Dollar to IPRAS. This is a very unsatisfactory outcome
for any organization sponsoring large educational meetings, and
instructed us that IPRAS had to gain control of the finances for
their most important events: International Congresses.
But we had visions and dreams: a communication
forum with the individual members, more
educational support for developing countries, more
IPRAS representation in national congresses, more
assistance in founding new national societies, more
support for our young generation....
After multiple brainstorming session of the members
of the newly elected Board of Directors in 2007 we
realized that the only solution was to establish a
cooperation with a congress organization which
would allow IPRAS financial control of its future, and guarantee
a profit from the congresses.
After two years of unsuccessful negotiations with various congress
organizers we initiated an international bidding process. From
5 companies, which turned in a proposal, we selected the three
finalists whose bids seemed to be affordable and invited them to
Seattle for interviews.
Zita congress was the only company willing to work with us under
the outlined conditions: a guaranteed income of 300.000 Euro from
the international congresses, to be paid in advance of the congress,
with consistent revenue, on a biannual basis. There was also the
potential for splitting the revenue in excess of specific financial
targets between ZITA, IPRAS, and the local hosting Society. This
arrangement afforded IPRAS the working capital for projects, as
well as not requiring the Society to secure significant loan debt in
order to finance future congresses. In effect, ZITA took the risk
for future Congresses, instead of IPRAS. This arrangement has
allowed IPRAS to sponsor excellent Congresses, and to develop
programs that support plastic surgeons and patients throughout
the world.
ZITA Congress financial elements and annual balance sheets
are officially audited and published in at least 2 financial
newspapers every year and from 2012 are obligatory uploaded
on the ZITA Congress official website.
The annual financial reports and budget have to be approved
by the Executive Committee each year, and are reviewed
periodically. The finances of our confederation are audited
by official bodies. The tax accounts are prepared by an
accounting firm in the United States, and annual filings are
made by IPRAS to the American Internal Revenue Service.
After the Santiago World Congress, we sent the congress
income-expenses balance sheet to 104 national societies.
Whoever read it carefully saw, that ZITA provided services in
the range of 200.000 €, which exclusively burdened Zita’s profit
without affecting the finances of IPRAS, e.g. the
additional costs of the simultaneous translations
into Spanish and Portuguese, the extensive
decoration with large banners about the history
of IPRAS, the rich buffets during the business
lunches instead of lunch boxes, the covering of all
Board of Directors travel expenses and the mobile
telephone applications providing attendees with
the congress program.
Zita also financially supported the non-profitable
regional congresses which have been organized since 2010
under the auspices of IPRAS. In five of these congresses ZITA
closed with deficits that ranged from 15.000 € to 35.000 €. These
financial losses have been confirmed by the auditors. IPRAS,
according to the contract with Zita, did not have to share these
losses nor did the national societies or sections.
For ZITA’s management and all its services to IPRAS, which
includes the management of the IPRAS Journal and the creation
and continuous updating of the social media, ZITA is remunerated
with approximately the amount of 85.000 € annually.
This means that the cooperation with Zita Congress enabled
us to keep the annual dues for the national societies as low as they
were 50 years ago, - 6 US-$ per member for developing countries,
12 US-$ per member for developed countries.
Besides the moderate travel budgets for Board of Directors
members , which is similar to the reimbursement of most scientific
societies such as the ASPS in America, the Directors have spent
and continue to spend huge amounts of money from their own
pockets for participation in congresses and conferences, as do all
EXCO and Committee members.
Since its partnership with ZITA, IPRAS, for the first time in its
history, can rely on an income that enables the confederation to
finance and achieve its humanitarian and educational goals.
Marita Eisenmann-Klein
President
Nelson Piccolo
General Secretary
Norbert Pallua
Parliamentarian
Bruce Cunningham
Treasurer
Ahmed Noreldin
Deputy General
Secretary
Andreas Yiacoumettis
Deputy General
Secretary
Brian Kinney
Deputy General
Secretary
Issue 13 www.ipras.org IPRAS Journal 11