The DPA just had its "mid-year" meeting in Houston, TX and included in that meeting was the DPA Treasurer's report. For those curious, the DPA does not have a separate checking account from AAPG (so rest assured, I won't and can't cut a check for an Aruba vacation); the DPA's monies are commingled within the "parent's" financials. On a regular basis, the DPA treasurer looks, specifically, at those funds, income and expenses that are specific to DPA. My concern coming into my term as DPA Treasurer was that this process would be a little like "making sausage". I have always liked a good sausage, but have always felt that if I ever saw the process, I might be a little turned off from grilling my next kielbasa. AAPG's and DPA's accounting is a process and keeping track of each expense and assigning it to the correct division, section, region, committee, etc. is no small task. I have found that the AAPG accounting process is a little less messy than I envision the sausage making process to be.

One thing discussed at the midyear meeting was that the DPA needs to consider finding more sponsorship of its events, lunches, short courses, etc. at ACE, ICE, section and region meetings. Often these events are right around breakeven (or losing money) and with sponsorships, we could go a long way to running these events closer or better than breakeven. Please consider sponsoring a DPA event at an upcoming meeting.