November 2025 Board Notes

Date:

11/11/2025

Attendance:

Board Attended: Christina Kramer, Hope Kronen, Jeannette Wallen, Kevin Ehrler, Lori Fischer-Fairbanks and Nick Nelson
Board Absent: Bruce Levine
Observers: Alli Cassel, J.C. Horvath, Jerry Keohen, Makaila Kozitza, Thuan Vo, Michelle Ko, Bobby Brace, and Jacob Warner

Notes:

Anime Twin Cities Board Meeting Minutes

November 11th, 2025
7:00 PM

Board Present – Christina Kramer, Hope Kronen, Jeannette Wallen, Kevin Ehrler, Lori Fischer-Fairbanks and Nick Nelson

Board Absent – Bruce Levine

Public – Alli Cassel, J.C. Horvath, Jerry Keohen, Makaila Kozitza, Thuan Vo, Michelle Ko, Bobby Brace, and Jacob Warner

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Agenda

  • Recap off cycle board actions and votes
     
    • Amended Anime Detour Budget
      • J.C. found a discrepancy in the Anime Detour budget, and they needed an increase of $15,900 so we voted to approve that amendment of the budget by email so we need to ratify that vote at this meeting.
        • Motion to ratify the Anime Detour budget amendment of an additional $15,900.
        • Hope Seconded
        • All in Favor (All of the present Board)
        • Motion Passes
           
  • Planned Discussions from scheduled visiting parties/ATC Partners
     
    • Nori Kon
      • Three members of Nori Kon would like to partner with us.
      • Thuan presented with her business partners Michelle and Bobby
      • Nori Kon is an Anime Gaming Convention following the lead of Anime Detour, it is a holiday themed anime convention which will take place in December of 2026.
      • They are in the process of signing the Double Tree for December 19 and 20 in 2026.
      • The event will begin as a 2-day gathering and may expand to 3 days if attendance increases.
      • Originally, they wanted it to be Halloween but there were no slots left so instead they went with a Christmas and Holiday themed convention.
      • They would love to do an Ambassador Table, Staff Exchange, and Equipment and Asset Rentals.
      • They went to NebKon and learned from Bruce, they did a lot of networking there and would like to do the same with Anime Detour.
      • Minnesota Junbi is the parent company
      • Thuan Vo is the owner and founder of Junbi. Michelle and Bobby are partners.
      • We will send them the equipment list after the meeting.
      • Nori Kon is establishing an official website and email soon.
         

Coordinator Updates
 

  • Finance – Jeannette Wallen
     
    • Dollar amounts:
        • Business Checking: 224,361.71
        • Education Fund: 3,098.55
        • Business Market Rate Savings (Community Fund): 14,508.12

           
  • Anime Detour – J.C. Horvath
     
    • I want to thank the board for the updated budget, appreciate the understanding and the approval of the new budget.

 

    • The next staff meeting is in two weeks, on Saturday November 22nd at the Hyatt Regency by the convention center, there is also a tour of the Sheraton, email the chair team if you are interested in getting on that.

       
  • Charities – Jacob Warner
     
    • Mondale Gala
      • JASM Gala this weekend, we will have two people going.

 

  • Communications – Makaila Kozitza
    • We did share a note about the keynote speaker (Kimmy Tanaka) at the Mondale Gala
    • We will post about MCAD and their art school
    • We have another signup for the 2026 Takuzo Ishida memorial scholarship so you will see that very shortly.
       
  • Special Events – Alli Cassel
     
    • Twin Cities Con
      • Finished last weekend, had great responses, people were stopping by the table and engaging.
      • We haven’t checked how many people registered, but we know at least some people did and we had a lot of good buzz with the advance guest announcements.
         
    • Colossal Con North
      • Next weekend, several of us will be there for the last road show of the cycle.
         
    • Hoping to get more events kicked off after Detour. We are wrapping up this little round of events this month.
       

15 Minute Break (If the preceding topics take little time, the board may vote to skip this)

Motion to Skip
All in Favor (All of the present Board)
Motion Passes

 

Current Month Board Topics

  • Asecurecart Service
    • We have been able to process on our site purchases for only a membership to ATC, that is $15, and it was processed through Asecurecart Service.
    • They will not be in business anymore in December, so we need an alternative to that.
    • Do we all agree that the $15 by itself is something we want people to buy (Board agreed it was worth it).
    • Christina – We could add a ticket to Eventeny that is private, to allow people to complete that purchase.
    • Hope - That would be a good bridge band aid, while looking for something different potentially.
    • Christina – They offered Foxycart, but we already paid $20 for Asecurecart monthly to just exist and never really process transactions, and we already pay for Eventeny so why not use Eventeny.
    • Hope – Just wanted to make sure we are open to other better options if available.
    • Christina – I will get that setup next month, then we won’t have to worry about it for awhile
    • We will be working on transitioning the ATC website after the holidays, and maybe we can look at a shopping cart built into WordPress since we already pay for that too.
       

Open Session (up to 30 minutes)

  • Any members of the community can bring new business to discuss with the board
    • Nothing
       
  • Jeanette - The JASM Mondale gala is also doing a silent auction, we will post that on social media soon to share with people.

     

Open Board Projects/Future Meeting discussions
 

  • Policy Updates – Still need to finish the general policies
     
    • Board Training – It will be worked on when we are less busy

 

7:28 pm motion to adjourn the meeting
Hope seconded
All in Favor (all Board Members)
Meeting Adjourned

Please contact atcboard@animetwincities.org or atc_secretary@animetwincities.org if you would like to be added to the agenda for discussion items.