The 2025 CASSS Nomination and Election Process

One of the most important duties of a Board of Directors and a membership of a nonprofit organization like CASSS is to build, sustain, and support a competent Board of Directors. CASSS is unique from other nonprofit organizations in many ways, and in some ways, this uniqueness extends into our nominating process. My goal for this article is to provide transparency around our nomination and election process, and hopefully to maintain assurance among our members that our nominating process is thoughtful, effective, and is based on best practices among nonprofit societies like CASSS.

Background on Membership

Before we delve into the details of the CASSS nomination process, it is likely helpful to first review a couple of basics about CASSS membership. One of the first things new CASSS members realize is that CASSS does not charge dues for membership. When you attend a CASSS meeting, you are automatically made a member of CASSS. This membership lasts for three years until you attend another meeting, at which point your membership renews. If you do not attend a CASSS meeting for three years, your membership expires. 

There is, in addition, a more exclusive class of membership we call Associate Directors. Associate Directors are selected from among CASSS members on the basis of “very substantial volunteer services” to CASSS and do not sit on the CASSS Board of Directors. They serve as an important advisory committee, helping the Board of Directors to identify trends, identify the needs of the biopharma community, and evaluate strategies and ideas brought to them occasionally by the Board of Directors. Significantly, they also elect the CASSS Board of Directors. 

More broadly, years ago, it was common among most associations and professional societies that one to three questions were asked when candidates for the Board were considered: 1) who does the President or officers know? 2) Who does the Executive Director or staff know? And/or 3) Whose turn is it?

Now, fortunately, in general among most nonprofit societies, the process has become a bit more open, transparent, and sophisticated. There have been several good research studies done on best practices in nomination and election processes in associations and societies. Data show that the most effective nomination processes are those in which the board composition is carefully crafted and curated, rather than left to chance of who happens to raise their hand and/or self-nominate in any given year.

Given these trends and data, the CASSS nominating process was reorganized a couple of years ago based on the following five questions:

1. What is the strategic direction/strategic plan of CASSS?
2. Given this direction, what skills are needed to achieve the desired work of the Board?
3. Given this direction, what perspectives are needed to facilitate thoughtful and responsible discussions and decisions?
4. To what extent do we have these characteristics and perspectives in the current Board?
5. What candidates can help us to fill out any skills or perspectives that are missing or need to be expanded on this Board of Directors? 

More specifically, here is the nomination and election process and timeline in 2025:

May 2025

• The Board determined who is leaving the Board in 2026, and how many open seats will be available in 2026. Note – two open seats will be available in 2026.
• The Board formed the 2025 CASSS Nominating Committee, consisting of Mark Schenerman (Chair), Christof Finker, Nomalie Jaya and Carmilia Jimenez Ramirez.

June 2025

• Given the strategic goals for 2026 and considering the skillset and diversity of the current Board, the Nominating Committee and Board determined what characteristics will be important to have in new Directors in order to better meet CASSS' strategic goals. 
• Based on this discussion, the Board of Directors agreed that they are particularly interested in candidates who meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • Candidates whose company is based in Europe
  • Regulators with CMC and CASSS experience
  • Candidates from relatively large pharma companies that also have WCBP leadership experience

July 2025

• The call for nominations was distributed to the Associate Directors, specifically stating the desired characteristics in nominees sought by the Board of Directors for candidate for election to the Board of Directors starting in 2026.
• The call for nominations also included a link for all ADs to nominate themselves or another AD for consideration.

August and September 2025

• Those who wish to be considered as candidates for inclusion on the ballot should fill out the form by August 22, 2025.
• The Nominating Committee matches identified gaps with potential candidates that may fill those gaps.

October 2025

• The Nominating Committee recommends potential “Board-endorsed candidates” to the CASSS Board of Directors.

November 2025

• The Board of Directors to discuss and approve who will be “Board-endorsed candidates.”
• The identities of the Board-endorsed candidates are shared with all those ADs who filled out the nomination form.
• Those who were not identified as Board-endorsed candidates have the option to remain on the ballot that is distributed to Associate Directors.

December 2025

• The ballot, including both Board-endorsed candidates and other AD candidates, is distributed via email to all Associate Directors. The ballot is distributed at least three weeks before the deadline to vote. 
• At least one reminder is sent to Associate Directors.

January 2026

• The newly elected Directors are announced in January 2026.

Here are three questions you may have about this process:

The CASSS Board of Directors thought that by shifting the nomination process earlier in the year, it would give both ADs and the nominating committee more time to match the needs of the Board with potential candidates. 

All ADs will be sent a ballot containing both Board-endorsed candidates and additional candidates, and all ADs can and will decide for themselves who to vote for in elections. Studies have shown, however, that in nonprofit organizations, in absence of the knowledge of what characteristics will be needed to better meet the needs of the organization in future years, people will vote for who they know. Because the Board is in a good position to know these characteristics, our Board, following the current best practice in nonprofit organizations, is sharing their knowledge of both characteristics they feel are important and candidates that best meet these needs. 

CASSS has amazing volunteers, and the two candidates who receive the highest vote counts, board-endorsed or not, will be welcomed to the Board and will work hard to achieve our mission. 

Final Remarks

One final, personal note. Often, a transition from volunteer to committee member to Associate Director to Board of Directors is perceived as a ladder, with serving on the Board of Directors representing the “pinnacle” of volunteer service. I would encourage us not to think of serving on the Board as a reward of years of service to CASSS, or a better achievement than, say, serving on a committee. We have an amazing Board of Directors, but we also have amazing committees. The role of serving on the CASSS Board of Directors is a different role than serving on a CASSS committee, but it is not inherently a “better” one. Needs of CASSS and the Board of Directors vary throughout the years. Personal circumstances among potential candidates also vary. It is our job, as a Board of Directors, as a nominating committee, and as a membership, to match the needs of CASSS at this unique time with the unique characteristics of each candidate, to continue the tradition that CASSS has enjoyed for years of an effective, powerful, thoughtful CASSS Board of Directors.

Should you have any questions about this timeline or process, please contact Executive Director Dave Bergeson (dbergeson@casss.org) or Mark Schenerman (mark@cmcbiotech-mas.com), Chair of the CASSS Nominating Committee.