Governance
Patrons Council.
Senior advisors, goodwill ambassadors, and guardians of institutional integrity. Our Patrons provide fundraising leadership, support dispute resolution, and serve as Electoral Officers during elections.
Article XI — The Patrons Council
Elders, carrying the institution from above the fray.
The Patrons Council exists so that INC-USA is never governed by officers alone. Patrons are elders and accomplished diaspora figures invited to serve as senior advisors — a body with moral authority but without day-to-day operational power. They advise. They open doors. They mediate. They hold the organization to the standards its bylaws promise.
A Working Principle
“Every institution needs someone whose only role is to protect its soul. For INC-USA, that is the Patrons Council.”
Article 11.2 — Duties
What Patrons do.
Six active duties, all drawn from Article 11.2 of the Constitution. Patrons serve without compensation.
Goodwill Ambassadors
Represent INC-USA to the broader diaspora, community partners, and traditional authorities. Carry the institution's voice where an officer's title would be premature or political.
Fundraising Leadership
Lead major-gift cultivation, endowment development, and donor stewardship. Open doors the Executive Committee could not open alone.
Electoral Officers
Serve as Electoral Officers during INC-USA elections — certifying credentials, supervising the open-ballot process, and confirming results.
Dispute Resolution
Convene as a mediation panel when Regions or officers request impartial resolution. Act as the final informal step before any formal governance action.
Guardians of Integrity
Non-voting members of the Board table — attend meetings, raise concerns, and apply moral suasion when the institution drifts from its charter.
Institutional Memory
Preserve organizational history, context behind prior decisions, and the oral traditions that no bylaw can fully capture.
Terms & Structure
Four years. Auto-renewing.
Patron terms are intentionally long. The Council's value lies in continuity — wisdom accumulated across election cycles and officer rotations.
- Initial Term
- 4 years, by invitation of the Board with Region concurrence
- Renewal
- Automatic for a second 4-year term unless declined by the Patron or challenged
- Voting Status
- Non-voting on Board matters; full voice in deliberation
- Attendance
- Standing invitation to all Board and Convention sessions
- Emeritus Status
- Patron Emeritus recognition available for those who step down in good standing
- Removal
- Two-thirds vote of Directors in office, for cause only
Patron Emeritus Recognition
Patrons who step down in good standing — whether through age, relocation, or their own request — may be recognized as Patron Emeritus. The designation honors lifetime service and preserves the relationship with the institution without ongoing duties.
Current Patrons
Founding Patrons — roster forming.
The founding Patrons of INC-USA will be named at the 2026 Convention, alongside the ratification of the Constitution. Their names and biographies will be published here and in the Convention program.
Founding Patrons
Roster to be confirmed at the 2026 Convention. Nominations are received by the Executive Committee with Regional concurrence, and ratified by a two-thirds vote of Directors in office.
Nominations currently channeled through Regional Presidents.
Honor a Patron
Nominate or contact.
Regional Presidents may submit Patron nominations to the Secretariat. Members and friends of INC-USA may also reach out to extend greetings or inquire about current Patrons.