DFI By-Laws

BY-LAWS OF DEEP FOUNDATIONS INSTITUTE
As Amended Through January 2007

Note:   The By-Laws are printed in the DFI Membership Roster, for ease of reference of the membership.

ARTICLE I - NAME AND LOCATION

These are the By-Laws of the DEEP FOUNDATIONS INSTITUTE, also known as the "Institute" or "DFI". The Institute is incorporated in the State of New Jersey as a non-profit educational activity. The permanent mailing address of the Institute shall be 326 Lafayette Avenue Hawthorne, New Jersey 07506. The principal mailing address of the Institute for business matters and communications shall be the address of the headquarters listed above.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The Institute is organized to serve as a primary means through which members of the Institute may participate in the improvement of the planning, design and construction aspects of deep foundations and deep excavations. The basic mission of the Institute includes but is not limited to the following:

  1. To affiliate contractors, engineers, owners, material suppliers, equipment manufacturers and other persons concerned with the planning, design and construction of deep foundations and protection of deep excavations.
  2. To improve and extend knowledge of new ideas and practices of geotechnical and geoenvironmental design, construction and installation.
  3. To encourage and participate in the practical application of research related to deep foundations and deep excavations.
  4. To gather, catalog and disseminate information to effect the most economical design and construction for support of structures on deep strata and for protection of deep excavations.
  5. To improve understanding by the public and by government bodies of the deep foundation industry.
  6. To establish contacts with other groups working on related goals in the United States and abroad.
  7. To participate in or conduct such other activities as will best promote these foregoing purposes.

ARTICLE III - FISCAL YEAR

The fiscal year of the Institute shall begin on January 1 of each year. Newly elected officers and committee members shall take office at the start of each fiscal year. All standing committees shall organize and commence functioning as soon as practicable after that date but not later than February 1 of each year.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Individual Membership. Individual membership shall be open to all persons having an interest in consonance with the purposes of the Institute.

Section 2. Corporate Membership. Corporate membership shall be open to those organizations of any legal structure having an interest in consonance with the purpose of the Institute. For each corporate membership, two voting delegates shall be named, subject to change by corporate direction at any time.

Section 3. Associate Membership. Associate membership shall be open to specifically invited individuals named from time to time by a two-thirds vote of the Board of Trustees to represent authorities, institutions or organizations which have a particular, current relevancy to the welfare of the Institute. Associate membership shall be non-voting, guest members free from having to pay dues.

Section 4. Application. Each applicant for membership shall utilize the application form provided by the Institute. The application will not be acted upon until all information required by the Institute has been submitted and verified.

Section 5. Term. Individual and corporate members shall remain members in good standing so long as yearly dues have been paid and no action for termination of membership has been concluded. Associate members shall remain members in good standing so long as they hold the responsibility for the authority, institution or organization they represent which they held upon acceptance to membership and so long as the authority, institution or organization shall be considered by the Board of Trustees to be of current relevancy to the welfare of the Institute.

Section 6. Certificate. A certificate or plaque of membership will be made available to each member, whether an individual member, associate member or corporate representative.

Section 7. Voting Rights. Each individual member and corporate delegate shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 8. Removal.  Report of conduct of members prejudicial to interests of the Institute shall be investigated by the Board of Trustees. The members shall be notified and shall have a right to be heard during these investigations. For what they consider sufficient cause the Board may, by two-thirds vote of those present, request a member to resign, or if necessary, expel the member. The Board may, by two-thirds vote of those present, request the recall of a designated representative of a corporate member.

ARTICLE V - INSTITUTE MEETINGS

Section 1. Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting of the Institute shall be held within 4 months preceding the start of each new fiscal year, at a time and place designated by the Board of Trustees.

Section 2. Other Scheduled Meetings. The Board of Trustees may call meetings of the Institute, from time to time, and arrange and conduct seminars for the members relating to deep foundations or deep excavations.

Section 3. Special Meetings. A special Meeting of the Institute shall be called upon written request to the Board of Trustees and signed either by 50 members in good standing or 10 percent of the membership in good standing if that be less. The purpose(s) of such meeting must be included in such request. A Special Meeting shall then be called by the Board of Trustees not more than 90 calendar days after receipt of such request, at a reasonably central location giving consideration to those members requesting such meeting. Only business stated in the call for the meeting may be considered.

Section 4. Quorum. A quorum for any meeting shall consist of 20 percent of the total membership of the Institute, either present or represented by proxy duly submitted before the start of the meeting.

Section 5. Notice of Meetings. Notice of all meetings shall be in writing and shall be mailed not less than 30 calendar days in advance of the date of the meeting to the address of record of each member as maintained by DFI Headquarters. Notice of any meeting other than an Annual Meeting shall state either that it is being issued by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or at the request of members calling for such meeting, and shall also state the purpose(s) for which such meeting has been called.

ARTICLE VI - BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Section 1. Board of Trustees. Management of the Institute shall be vested in a Board of Trustees, each member of which shall be an individual member of the Institute in good standing or a voting delegate of a corporate member in good standing.

Section 2. Size. Trustees shall be elected by mail ballot prior to each Annual Meeting as provided in Article XII hereof. The Board of Trustees shall consist of 18 members, with six Trustees subject to re-election or replacement each successive year. Consideration will be given to maintaining a balance on the Board of Trustees among members having principal interests in contracting, material and equipment, and engineering.

Section 3. Authority. The Board of Trustees shall have authority to prescribe and direct all activities of the Institute; to set fees and collect dues; to disburse Institute funds obtained from whatever sources, to establish the time and place of meetings; to hire and direct any required paid staff; to appoint, charge and dissolve committees; and to conduct any and all business of the Institute. The Board of Trustees may at its discretion either fill a vacancy in its membership to serve until the next Annual Meeting or leave such vacancy open until such meeting.

Section 4. Quorum. A Majority of all members of the Board of Trustees at the time of each meeting shall constitute a quorum for that meeting.

Section 5. Meetings. At least one meeting of the Board of Trustees shall be scheduled during each fiscal year. Additional meetings of the Board of Trustees may be called upon written request to the President by three Trustees, with such call and reason therefore sent to each Trustee. Such meeting shall be held within 30 calendar days of the receipt of such request.

Section 6. Continuity of Interest. Any Trustee whose business or changed interest makes it impractical for him to contribute fully to assure continuing progress of the objectives of the Institute should consider resigning from office to permit adding a more active person. If such voluntary action is not taken, the Board may inquire into the conditions, and at their discretion a replacement may be named by the concurrence of two-thirds vote of those present.

Section 7. Compensation. No salary shall be paid to any Trustee for his services as Trustee.

ARTICLE VII - OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Institute shall be President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.

Section 2.  All officers shall be members of the Board of Trustees. They shall be elected each year from within the newly constituted Board of Trustees by vote of the Trustees at a specially called meeting [of the Trustees] immediately prior to the Annual Meeting of the Institute. They shall hold office for a term of one year and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified, about the January 1 start of the DFI fiscal year. A person shall not be eligible to serve as President for more than two successive years. A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect. The Board of Trustees may fill any vacancy for the unexpired term by a majority vote. The Board may, at its discretion, appoint Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers.

Section 3.  In addition to the duties of the respective officers, specified in these By-Laws, each of them shall perform such further duties as may be assigned to them by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE VIII - PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

Section 1. The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall preside at meetings of the Institute, the Board of Trustees, and the Executive Committee. If neither the President nor the Vice-President is present, the Secretary, or in his absence the Treasurer, shall preside at all meetings. In the absence of all officers, those present at any meeting may elect a presiding officer.

Section 2.  The President or Vice-President shall, with the Secretary or Treasurer, sign all written contracts of the Institute in excess of $25,000, or assign such authority to the Executive Director, per contract, via written proxy as prescribed in Article XIII. The President or Vice-President shall sign the annual 990 tax form to be submitted to the IRS as part of his fiduciary responsibility to the organization and to indicate that there has been review of the form by a leader of the organization. In the event of the death, disability, or absence of the President, the Vice-President shall possess and exercise all of the powers of the President.

ARTICLE IX - SECRETARY

Section 1.   The Secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Institute, of the Board of Trustees, and of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall monitor the records of the Institute, and record official minutes of the meetings of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Committee, following which, said minutes will be kept by The Executive Director. The Secretary shall be the monitor of the use of the seal of the Institute, which shall be kept at Headquarters. The seal shall be kept by the Executive Director and used only with written permission of the Secretary per instance.

Section 2.  Assistant Secretaries, if they are appointed. shall perform the duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary.

ARTICLE X - TREASURER

Section 1.   The Treasurer shall review receipt of all dues, charges, and other monies; he shall regularly review the accounts of the Institute; and report thereon at each regular meeting of the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee. The accounts shall be audited at least once a year, as determined by the Board of Trustees.

Section 2.  Assistant Treasurers, if they are appointed, shall assist the Treasurer in performing his duties and shall perform the duties of the Treasurer in the absence of the Treasurer.

ARTICLE XI - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1.  The Executive Committee shall consist of all the elected officers of the Institute and the most recent past President.

Section 2.  To the extent authorized by the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee shall transact all business of the Institute between meetings of the Board of Trustees.

Section 3.  The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President or upon request of any two members to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall call a meeting within ten days after such request on five days written notice to the members of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XII - NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Section 1.  There shall be a Nominating Committee of at least three members in good standing, appointed by the President not less than four months preceding each Annual Meeting.

Section 2.  The Nominating Committee shall nominate a slate of candidates for election to the Board of Trustees not later than three months prior to the next Annual Meeting. The number of candidates so nominated shall be equal to the number of Trustees whose terms will expire at such Annual Meeting plus any vacancy which also exists at such Meeting. Additional spaces shall be provided for write-in names. No member of the Nominating Committee shall be eligible for nomination to this slate of candidates.

Section 3.  The Nominating Committee shall ensure that all candidates will stand for election and, if elected, will serve as a Trustee. DFI Headquarters shall report the slate of candidates by a mail Ballot for Election of Trustees to be sent to each member at his latest mailing address not less than forty calendar days prior to the next following Annual Meeting, with instructions included to return all ballots at least ten calendar days prior to the Annual Meeting. The ballot announcing the nominees shall be limited to the name and pertinent qualifications of each nominee for office. Any ballot not received by DFI Headquarters or other designated official of the Institute within said period shall not be counted.

Section 4.  Members in good standing of the institute may be added as candidates to the slate developed by the Nominating Committee by filing a notice of nomination with the Secretary not less than sixty calendar days before the next following Annual Meeting, Such notice of nomination must be signed either by at least fifty members in good standing or ten percent of the membership of the Institute in good standing if that be less. DFI Headquarters shall include the names of all candidates so nominated in the Ballot for Election of Trustees.

Section 5.  A double envelope shall be included, so arranged that each voter may be identified but his ballot kept secret. All ballots returned at least ten calendar days prior to the Annual Meeting, will be counted by DFI Headquarters. Each nominee and the Board of Trustees shall be notified of the results by the Executive Director.

Section 6.  The nominees receiving the six highest plurality of votes cast from among those voting, shall be deemed elected to the Board of Trustees for the full three year term. If required to fill a vacancy, such additional nominee(s) receiving the next highest votes shall be deemed elected to fill such unexpired term(s). In case of tie vote as to the last place to be filled, a new ballot shall be cast from among those members in good standing present at the meeting or duly represented by proxy to determine the successful nominee from among those tied.

ARTICLE XIII - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & DFI HEADQUARTERS

Section 1.  The Executive Director shall serve as chief executive representing all the members, Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees. The Executive Director shall be responsible for the effective administration and execution of all Institute programs and policies including the authority for signing of contracts of less than $25,000 within the scope and budgets of these programs and policies, and shall be responsible to the Executive Committee. The Executive Director shall assist the Membership, Committees and Board of Trustees to plan, organize, and coordinate all Institute programs and activities, and in cooperation with the officers and Board of Trustees, assist in the formation of goals, objectives and policies.

Section 2.  The Executive Director shall be responsible for the maintenance and management of DFI Headquarters for the support of the foregoing authorities, responsibilities and mandates.

Section 3.  The Executive Director shall manage the accounts of the Institute, and shall be bonded at the expense of the Institute.

ARTICLE XIV - COMMITTEES

Section 1.  Authority.  The Board of Trustees is empowered to establish standing and special committees of whatever size appropriate to promote, approve and supervise desirable activities of the Institute. Such committees will operate within guidelines established by the Board of Trustees.

Section 2.  Membership on Standing Committee.  All committees shall have members with diversified interests - i.e., engineering, contracting, supply and the like. Each member of the Institute will be given fair consideration upon his request to serve on a committee. Corporate members will receive special consideration for representation on a committee pertinent to their interests. The Chairman of each committee shall be appointed by the president of the Institute, subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Section 3.  Membership on Special Committees.  Members of special committees shall be selected to serve for the duration of the particular project or subject. Membership on special committees shall not necessarily be limited to membership in the Institute, Corporate members may suggest persons with special expertise in a committee's sphere of activity, as an addition to their regular representation in the Institute. All such persons shall have full voting rights within their committee.

Section 4.  Subcommittees.  A committee may form subcommittees as are necessary to fulfill its purpose, and may request persons with needed knowledge to serve on such subcommittees without necessity for membership in the Institute.

Section 5.  Control of Committees.  Any standing or special committee may be reorganized or dissolved by a vote of two-thirds of the Board of Trustees. Any committee member may be removed by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE XV - AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  These By-Laws may be amended by letter ballot or email ballot by a vote of at least three-fourths of the members voting.