CONSTITUTION OF THE COLLECTORS CLUB OF CHICAGO

[Ratified & Adopted the 12th Day of February 2026 & as Thereafter Amended]

DEFINITIONS

Ad hoc: ‘ad hoc’ is a Latin phrase that means “for this” or “for this specific purpose.” For the Collectors Club of Chicago (CCC), it refers to committees formed or used for specific or immediate problems or needs.

Clubhouse: any facility owned, leased, rented, or otherwise utilized by the CCC.

Ex officio: ‘ex officio’ is a Latin phrase that translates as “from the office.” Ex officio members of the BOD and committees have all the same rights, privileges, duties and obligations as any other member.

Mail: any physical object that is sent through the United States Postal Service and delivered to a member’s mailbox or post office box, e.g., letters, notices, bills. For CCC purposes ‘mail’ also includes email and any other form of electronic communication.

Meeting: any properly noticed assembly of members of the CCC, either in person, by electronic means or combination of the two.

Notice: any communication requiring action on the part of the recipient and sent by mail, i.e., attendance at a meeting, call for a vote, paying dues. Notices must include the purpose of the notice; the action required; the date on which the notice was mailed; the date by which the action must be taken/completed; the name or position title of the person sending the notice

ARTICLE I. NAMES AND PURPOSE

Section 1. Name. The name of the organization shall be the Collectors Club of Chicago (hereinafter referred to as the “CCC”). The CCC is and shall continue to be a not-for-profit corporation according to the laws of the State of Illinois.

Section 1.2 Classes of CCC Members. There shall be three classes of membership: Active, Ambassador, and Honorary. “CCC Membership” refers to those members entitled to vote and shall consist of Active and Honorary CCC Members in good standing. Duties of each class shall be defined in the CCC Bylaws.

Section 1.3. CCC Realty. The “CCC Realty” shall be the CCC properties that include, but are not limited to, the CCC Clubhouse (also known as “Cabeen House”).

Section 1.4. CCC Furnishings. The “CCC Furnishings” shall include, but are not limited to, the CCC Library, the CCC Arts and Antique Furniture, and the CCC Technical and Household Equipment, all of which are the aggregate collective property of the CCC.

Section 2. Purpose of the Club. The CCC promotes interest in and knowledge of philately among its members and the public.

2.1 Support to Philately. The CCC supports the documentation, preservation, advancement, and promotion of philately through education, study, and research.

2.2 Philatelic Interactions. The CCC encourages exchange of information with other philatelic organizations, philatelic exhibiting, and other technical and historical aspects of philately.

Section 3. Profits and Earnings. No part of the profit or net earnings of the CCC is to benefit any individual member of the CCC. The CCC shall not campaign or otherwise attempt to influence legislation.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. CCC Members. Potential members of the CCC shall be selected and elected by a majority of the Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the “BOD”), and whose membership shall be ratified by a majority of the CCC Membership.

Section 2. Code of Ethics. By accepting membership in the CCC, all classes of members agree to abide by the policies of the CCC, the American Philatelic Society (APS) Code of Conduct and the APS definition of conduct unbecoming a member, as defined by the versions in effect at the time of the member’s action.

ARTICLE III. DIRECTORS

Section 1. CCC Management and Control. The affairs of the CCC shall be managed and controlled by the BOD in accordance with the CCC Constitution and By-Laws and the laws of the State of Illinois. They shall serve their offices without pay, or without any goods or services in exchange for their managerial services.

Section 2. Board of Directors. The BOD shall consist of seven (7) members, all of whom shall be Active or Ambassador Members in good standing, one of whom shall be the immediate past President.

Section 3. Election of CCC Directors. At each triennial business meeting, the Active and Honorary Members shall elect six (6) members to the BOD, all of whom shall serve without pay. These Directors shall all hold office for three (3) years, or until their successors are elected.

• The Board of Directors shall elect a President and Vice President from among Board members.
• The elected President shall appoint a Treasurer and Secretary, who will serve for three (3) year terms, or until their successors shall have been appointed.

Section 4. Board of Directors Vacancies. The BOD by a majority vote shall have the power to fill all vacancies that may occur in its BOD. The Director chosen to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next triennial business meeting.

Section 5. Powers and Authority. The BOD shall have the power and authority to receive and hold by purchase, grant, gift, deed of trust, all real and personal property for and in the name of the CCC.

Section 6. Extraordinary Expenditures and Commitments. Extraordinary expenditures or commitments by Directors and/or other Officers and/or Ambassadors being over Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00) shall not be valid unless approved by a majority of the CCC Membership present at the next meeting after written notice. This amount shall automatically increase on January 1 by an amount equal to the Consumer Price Index for the preceding year.

Section 7. Official communications. Official communication between the BOD and CCC members shall be by mail.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS AND DUTIES

Section 1. Supreme Authority. The supreme authority of the CCC is vested in the CCC Membership unless delegated to the BOD through approval of the CCC Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. President. The President shall:

• Preside at all meetings of the CCC and of the CCC BOD when present.
• Designate all Appointees, as well as all Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees.
• Appoint a BOD member to serve as an ex-officio a member of each committee.
• Execute, on behalf of the CCC, contracts and other papers upon instructions from the BOD.

Section 3. Vice-President. The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall:

• Perform all the duties of the President and act in the President’s place.
• The Treasurer and Secretary, in order named, shall act in place and stead of the President
  in the case that both the President and the Vice President are absent.

Section 4. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:

• Have charge of the finances of the CCC, subject to the direction of the BOD.
• Have custody of all financial gifts and funds that have been or may be deeded or given to the CCC, other than those which may be placed under the control and administration of the BOD and shall hold the same in such manner as may be determined by the BOD.
• Pay bills only against vouchers, which shall be kept in a file open to the examination of any member of the BOD.
• Keep all such monies received by the Treasurer in such bank or banks as shall be designated for that purpose by the BOD.
• Issue bills for all amounts due the CCC.
• Keep proper accounts in books belonging to the CCC and provided for that purpose.
• Report these accounts to the BOD no less than once yearly, at the triennial business meeting and upon request of the President or BOD.

Section 4.1 Surety Bond. The Treasurer shall furnish a surety bond if directed the BOD, at the expense of the CCC in such sums as the BOD may require.

Section 4.2 Signatures. Any CCC payment check in the amount of more than twenty-thousand dollars ($20,000) must be countersigned by the President or Vice President in accordance with Article IV Section 3.

Section 5. Secretary. The Secretary shall:

• Keep a record of all the meetings of the CCC Membership and of the BOD in the manner specified by the BOD.
• Serve as the corresponding officer of the CCC.
• Give all notices of meetings of the members and of the BOD,
• Keep all other records of the CCC.
• Perform all other duties incident to the office.
• Maintain the official roll of members

Section 6. Meetings Order of Chairing. At any meeting of the BOD, when the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary are all absent, the meeting shall be cancelled due to the lack of a quorum.

ARTICLE V. DUTIES OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Board of Directors Duties. It shall be the duty of the BOD to carry out the purposes, goals and objectives of the CCC as directed in the CCC Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Board of Directors Business Management. The BOD shall have general charge, management and control of the affairs, funds and property of the CCC, and shall have the general power to establish rules, regulations, and policies upon all matters not specifically covered by the CCC Constitution and Bylaws. as it may deem necessary for the proper transaction of business and the orderly conduct of the concerns of the CCC.

Section 3. Board of Directors Meetings. The BOD shall meet for the transaction of business on a quarterly basis, and at any other time the President or any four (4) members of the BOD requests by mail that such meeting be called.

Section 4. Board of Directors Meeting Quorum. Four members of the BOD constitute a quorum for conducting business. Three votes shall constitute a majority if only four BOD members are present.

Section 5. Board of Directors Powers. The Directors hereinafter specified shall have the power and duties herein set forth, and such additional powers and duties as may be delegated to them by the President and/or the BOD.

ARTICLE VI. Recall of Officers and Directors

Any CCC Director or Officer may be recalled and removed from office for cause as defines in Article VII by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3rds) of the Active and Honorary Members in good standing present at any general, triennial business or special meeting of the CCC, provided that notice of the contemplated action shall have been given to all CCC members at least seven (7) days before the prospective action.

ARTICLE VII. SUSPENSION AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. Suspension and Expulsion of Members. ‘Cause’ shall be defined as any action by a member, which in the opinion of the BOD, violates policies of the CCC, violates the American Philatelic Society (APS) Code of Ethics or meets the APS definition of conduct unbecoming a member, which are included in CCC Constitution and Bylaws by reference and as defined by the versions in effect at the time of the member’s action.

Section 2. Membership Suspension. Suspension of a member for cause requires a majority vote of the BOD at a meeting called for that purpose. Such action shall only be taken after a ten (10) days’ notice shall have been mailed to the member, together with an explanation of the reasons for suspension, actions required to lift the suspension, and the date of a meeting at which the member may appear before the BOD to discuss the issues.

Section 3. Membership Expulsion. Expulsion of a member for cause requires a majority vote of the BOD at a meeting called for that purpose. Such action shall only be taken after a ten (10) days’ notice in writing shall have been mailed to the member and to the person preferring the charges, together with an explanation of the reasons for expulsion, actions required to stop the expulsion, and the date of a meeting at which the member may appear before the BOD to discuss the issues. The person raising the charges shall be required to be present. Only one postponement by either party is allowed. In the event of a second no-show by either party, The BOD shall decide whether or not to expel the member. CCC members shall be informed by mail of the expulsion of a member with a general explanation of the basis for the BOD action.

ARTICLE VIII. Meetings

Section 1. Monthly General Meetings. There shall be General Monthly Meetings of the CCC on the second Thursday of the month or on such days as the BOD shall fix.

Section 2. Triennial Business Meetings. The triennial business meeting of the CCC shall be held on the second Thursday in March.

Section 3. Special Meetings. A Special Meeting of the CCC may be called by the CCC BOD, or by written request of at least seven (7) Active and/or Honorary Members addressed to the President, and stating the object or reason for calling such meeting. Written notice shall be mailed to the members entitled to a vote at least fifteen (15) days before holding the meeting.

Section 4. Business and Special Meetings Quorum Requirements. A quorum at Business or Special Meetings of the CCC shall consist of fifteen (15) Active and/or Honorary Members in good standing.

Section 5. Robert’s Rules of Order. The latest edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order” shall govern the proceedings of CCC General, Business, Special and BOD meetings.

ARTICLE IX. Dissolution of the CCC

Section 1. Dissolution of the CCC. Dissolution of the CCC or any part thereof shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois and the CCC Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Dividends and CCC Realty Dissolution. No dividends shall be paid for the benefit of any person or corporation, and no property shall be disposed of for the pecuniary profit of any member. No part of the net earnings of the CCC shall inure to the benefit of any member or individual. In the event of dissolution of the CCC Realty, the resultant assets will revert to the CCC Membership, with no property, real or personal, being distributed to individual members.

Section 3. Cessation of Member’s Interests Upon CCC Realty Dissolution. All rights, title and interest, both legal and equitable, which a member may have in and to the property of the CCC, subject to the foregoing section, shall cease and terminate in the event of any of the following: (a) the expulsion of such Active or Honorary Member, (b) the striking of the Active or Honorary Member’s name from the roll of members, or (c) the death or resignation of such an Active or Honorary Member.

Section 4. CCC Membership Dissolution. In the event of dissolution of the CCC Membership, and after the payment of all debts, liabilities, and obligations, the BOD shall distribute all remaining assets to one or more corporations, funds, foundations, and/or organizations organized and operated exclusively for philatelic charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or within the meaning of a corresponding section or sections in a subsequent Internal Revenue Code. It is specifically understood that no member has any right, title or interest, whether legal or equitable, in any real or personal assets of the CCC.

ARTICLE X. Amendments

The CCC Constitution and Bylaws may be amended at any general, triennial business or special meeting of the CCC, at which the required quorum of fifteen (15) Active and/or Honorary Members shall be present, by a vote of two-thirds (2/3rds) of the members present and voting, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment shall have been mailed to each Member of the CCC at least fifteen (15) days prior to said meeting.