By-Laws
Global Powerlifting Alliance, Inc.

Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be the

Global Powerlifting Alliance, Inc. (GPA).

Section 1. Regional Boundaries

Article II: Purpose

1. Promote education, training, and development of the sport of powerlifting.
2. Standardize the rules of performance, establish record keeping standards, certify and supervise judges and other officials according to the standards of the GPA.
3. To provide a format for an annual GPA World Powerlifting and Bench Press Championships. Each country who enters the GPA World Championships will be required to have one registered member to attend the annual GPA AGM as spokesperson for his/her country.

Article III: Membership

All nations who promote powerlifting and other events displaying the GPA logo are required to be members of the GPA. 

1. Membership fees for each member nation will be $50.00 per year.

Eligible categories for athletes are:

 a. Open competitor men & women
 b. Junior men & women ranging from age twenty (20) to age twenty-three (23).
 c. Teenage men & women ranging in age from thirteen (13) to fifteen (15) and age sixteen (16) to age
     seventeen (17) and age eighteen (18) to age nineteen (19).
 d. Master men & women in five (5) year increments starting at age 40.
 e. Sub-Master men & women ranging from age thirty-five (35) to age thirty-nine (39)
 f. Police and Firemen and women in all categories listed above

Article IV: Management and Elections

a.  The stock holders of the corporation will appoint the President of the GPA.

Article V: Duties

Section 1. Duties of the Board of Directors shall be:

1. To manage the business of the GPA, functions, programs, and activities.
2. To establish the annual dues for active members and sanction fees for powerlifting meets.
3. To establish policy and take such action as seems desirable and appropriate to promote the objectives of the GPA.
4. To examine, if necessary, the eligibility of applicants for membership and convey its findings to the GPA.
5. Meet at such times and places as required by these by-laws.
6. To appoint such committees as necessary.

Section 2. Duties of the President

The President shall:

a. Supervise and control the affairs of the GPA and the activities of the Officers.
b. Perform all the duties incidental to the office of President and such other duties as may be required by these By-Laws, or which may be prescribed from time
    to time by the Board of Directors. Preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors.

The Vice President shall:

a. In the absence of the President, or in the event of the President's inability to act, the Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President, and when so
    acting shall have all the powers of, and be subject to all the restraints on, the President.

.Section 4. Duties of Secretary

a. The Secretary shall: Certify and keep the original, or a copy of these By-laws as amended or otherwise altered to date.
b. Keep a record of minutes of all meetings of the directors, and if applicable, meetings of committees of directors and of members, recording therein the time and
    place of holding, whether regular or special, how called, how notice thereof was given, the names of those present or represented at the meeting, and the
    proceedings thereof.
c. Exhibit at all reasonable times to any director the By-laws and the minutes of the proceedings of the directors of the Board of Directors.
d. In general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as may be required by these By-laws, or which may be assigned to him/her
    from time to time by the Board of Directors.

Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer has the responsibilities of fulfilling the duties as treasurer, registrant of meetings, membership director, and director of corporate sponsorship
programs.

Subject to the provisions of these By-laws, the Treasurer shall:

a. Have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all funds of the GPA, and deposit all such funds in the name of the GPA in such banks or other depositories   
    as shall be selected by the Board of Directors.
b. Receive, and give receipt for, monies due and payable to the GPA from any source whatsoever.
c. Disburse, or cause to be disbursed, the funds of the GPA as may be directed by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements.
d. Keep and maintain adequate and correct accounts of the GPA's properties and business transactions, including accounts of its assets, liabilities, receipts,
    disbursements, gains, and losses.
e. Prepare and present a financial report at each Board meeting and whenever requested, within forty-eight (48) hours an account of any or all of his/her transaction  
    as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the GPA.
f. Prepare, or cause to be prepared, and certify, or cause to be certified, the financial statements to be included in any required reports.
g. Maintain a current membership directory containing the name and address of each and any member, and their status as a member.
h. Preside as the registrant for the GPA functions and collect all registration fees.
i. Direct and obtain corporate sponsorship funds.
j. In general, perform all duties incidental to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as may be required by these By-laws, or which may be assigned to him/her
   from time to time by the Board of Directors.

The Technical Officer shall

Section 8: Duties of the Executive Committee shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the GPA.

Section 9: Resignation

An Officer or Board Member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Board of Directors or to the President or Secretary of the GPA. An Officer may choose to resign as an Officer, but not as a Board Member. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date of receipt of such notice or at any later date specified therein and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall be necessary to make it effective.

Section 10: Removal

The Executive Committee called by the President shall have the right to evict a disruptive individual at any GPA function.

Any Board Member or Officer can be removed from his or her elected position with cause. Procedures for removal are:
a. Any Board Member can recommend to a member of the Executive Committee for the removal of a Board Member.
b. The Executive Committee can ask a Board Member to resign.
c. If the person refuses to resign, then the Board of Directors by a two-thirds (2/3) vote by secret ballot can remove the Board Member.
d. If one of the members of the Executive Committee is being asked to resign, then a two-thirds (2/3) vote by the Board of Directors can determine removal.

Section 11: Vacancies

Any vacancy caused by death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise of any Officer, except the President, shall be filled by the Board of Directors. In the event of a vacancy in any office other than that of the President, such vacancy may be filled temporarily by appointment of a Board Member by the President until such time as the Board shall fill the vacancy. Should the post of President become vacant for any reason the Vice-President shall assume the post of President and serve the remainder of the term as acting President and shall succeed to the presidency. Vacancies occurring in offices of Officers appointed at the discretion of the Board may or may not be filled as the Board shall determine.

Article VI: Meetings

Section 1. Place of Meetings

Board meetings shall held at the GPA World Championships or such other times as designated by the Board of Directors. Any Board meeting, regular or special, may be held by conference telephone or email, so long as all Board members participating can communicate with each other.

Section 2. Regular and Annual Meetings

a. One meeting each year shall be designated the Annual Meeting. At this meeting, there shall be a business meeting for the GPA membership for reports of
    Officers, for a report on the election of Officers, for the nomination for Board of Directors, and for other items of business.

Section 3. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the President, or any other Officer, and such meetings shall be held by telephone conference or by email.

Section 4. Conduct of Meetings

Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the President of the GPA or, in his absence, by the Vice-President. The Secretary of the GPA shall act as secretary of all meetings of the Board, provided that, in his/her absence the presiding Officer shall appoint another person to act as Secretary of the meeting.

Meetings shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order, as such rules may be revised from time to time, insofar as such rules are not inconsistent with or in conflict with these By-laws.

Section 5. Quorum

A simple majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum; a simple majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Article VII: Amendments

An amendment of these By-laws may be proposed in writing by the Board of Directors or the voting membership of the GPA. An amendment is consummated and ratified when approved by a quorum vote of the Board of Directors.

Article VIII: Procedures

Procedures and other items not specified in this Constitution or in the By-laws or by action of the Board of Directors shall be in accordance with he Robert's Rules of Order.

Article VIIII: Dissolution

Dissolution of the GPA, for any cause, shall follow the same procedure as Constitutional amendments. The selection of the successor organization must be approved by a two-third (2/3) vote of the Board of Directors of the GPA.

These Constitution and By-laws are in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Corporate laws of the state of Georgia, USA