It is a pleasure to provide a Treasurer’s report annually to ARPAS members. The organization continues to be on a solid financial foundation under very diligent executive leadership. With two months left to go in the 2011 calendar year our year-to-date revenues stand at $222,856 (does not include a $15,342 unrealized loss in our equity investments) versus year-to-date expenses of $188,238. While these are just snapshots in time, we have every reason to believe that our expenses at the end of 2011 will be below our revenues, which will provide for a positive net change in our assets. (We can also be hopeful that the asset value of our invested equities will improve, but who knows!)

This newsletter will contain a membership report, but I would also like to make a point about the importance of membership from a financial status of the organization point of view. ARPAS operates on an annual budget of approximately $270,000. For 2011, we planned for $124,000 in regular member dues, or about 46 percent of our budgeted revenue. This is why it is so important to the organization that you renew your dues for 2012! Likewise, revenue from corporate sponsorship is budgeted at $21,000 which is nearly 8 percent of our revenue budget. 
Together membership dues and corporate sponsorship comprise well over half of our budgeted revenue. While I have annually reported that ARPAS is on a good financial foundation, it is important to recognize that our membership and corporate sponsorship has been on a gradual downward slide over the last three years; combined revenue to date from these two sources is down $8600 compared with the same time in 2010. Please take the time to renew your membership and encourage other ARPAS members to do likewise!

To close on a positive note, the Professional Animal Scientist journal continues to prosper financially. The PAS serves an extremely important mission of our organization and it is comforting to recognize that the journal is able to generate revenue with at least the same pace that it incurs expenses. We are very fortunate as an organization to have this sustainable activity as an important thrust to our mission.