About Imre

Hi, I’m Imre Gmelig Meijling and I have been an active member of the Drupal community since 2006. I am chair of the board of the Dutch Drupal Association, co-organizer of Drupaljam, the International Splash Awards and a member of the DrupalCon Amsterdam and Barcelona Advisory Committee. I am also advocating Drupal to organisations at LimoenGroen, a Drupal agency in Amsterdam. See also my recent candidate chat on Youtube.

Personal note on DA membership change

Inclusive over exclusive, would be one of my life's mantra's. However, one cannot exist without the other. Sometimes you/an organisation/everyone take(s) a decision and when it's done, only then come to realize: "Maybe this is not such a good idea." Or, "It needs some adjustments". That's life. We tell our clients to do it like this, we do this ourselves when we test out our creations. Instead of polarize and rebel, which won't be beneficial to the project and subsequently to us all, let's talk about this. There is opportunity to voice this inside and towards the board, always, as Ryan Szarama's (ex-At-Large Director) in his post explains (recommended read, also Tiffany Farris' thoughts and reflections on Drupal Association Governance). "You can be a contributor to the project and a leader in the community without believing in or respecting the D.A.". That's fine. I am convinced any board that cares for that which is serves, will be sensitive to *any* thoughts, concerns and suggestions. Let's make sure we engage in dialogue cross gaps. *That* is the task for our our new At-Large Director IMO. 

What does building community mean to you?

Bringing like minded people together, working from their passions and strengths on a common cause or goal. When people’s passions are aligned, communities can move mountains.

What does advocating for Drupal mean to you?

It means my work and life since 2006. It means letting potential drupal users, developers, editors and organisations alike know about a powerful alternative, built by people’s aligned passion and based on an open ecosystem (as opposed to proprietary).

What is your favorite Drupal moment or memory?

There are many :-) ...The one where a large multinational organisation chose to adopt Drupal based on the sales team’s effort including my advocacy to my team, the client’s upper management, editors and webmasters, all of them at one point captivated by the power of Drupal. Dries telling about Drupal on mainstream business media in 2019, the International Splash Awards and chatting Drupal in the hotel lobby at midnight at DrupalCon Munich are some other great memories.

Board Skills & Strengths (indicate those that apply to your experience)

Marketing/Public Relations, Strategic Planning, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Organizational Management, Open Source Industry Knowledge, Fundraising (includes sponsorships, charitable giving, grant writing), Community Building/Understanding of Community Needs

What best describes your personal style? (select all that describe you)

Coordinator, Motivator, Inspirer, Helper, Supporter

Do you have experience as a board member? If yes, what organization(s)?

Dutch Drupal Association (7 years)

Region Represented

Europe

Comments

e0ipso’s picture

e0ipso
Primary language Catalan
Location Can Picafort
commented

Excuse me if I make no sense in my questions. I am no lawyer either, and the U.S. is not my home country. My questions are framed around legal figures, however I only intend to get a sense of what your values are as a potential director are.

The Drupal Association (DrupalCon Inc.) currently declares itself as a 501(c)(3) (as per 2018's tax filing). According to the IRS website:

A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator's family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization.

(emphasis of my own)

I sense a lot of effort in promoting business using Drupal in what the Drupal association does (my perception might be wrong). From my limited understanding, this is typical from 501(c)(6) organizations (Business leagues, Chambers of commerce, Boards of trade, ...). For context, the Linux Foundation declares itself as 501(c)(6) (as per 2018's tax filing).

My questions are:

  1. Do you feel the current Drupal Association is living to the 501(c)(3) spirit? (I am not asking about the legality, but the spirit).
  2. Should a voting arise: do you lean towards promoting the project itself and stay as a 501(c)(3)? or do you think that promoting business with Drupal is the best course of action and, therefore, the Drupal Association should become a 501(c)(6)?

My questions are geared towards: how will you position yourself in the balance between promoting the common good vs. fostering healthy business using Drupal? But I would love to get specific answers to the two questions above.

imre gmelig meijling’s picture

imre gmelig meijling commented

Hey Mateu, thanks for taking the time to get into this and posing your question. It’s a good question at that. I understand what your’e saying and I have always believed this is exactly the dichotomy that we as Drupal community need to embrace and accept in order to sustain and survive. In The Netherlands, at one point we had both legal entities, Germany still does, I believe. Which isn't necessarily a good thing. 

My answer to your question is: Yes, I think the Drupal Association is living to the 501(c)(3) spirit: The Drupal project and its community is the heart and soul of Drupal and the Drupal Association’s mission and activities. Choosing one over the other would not be beneficial to our sustainability and growth and to our common goals. But any such entity needs a healthy income-expenditures balance, where ‘business focussed campaigns’ or other ways to sustain income are needed. As with all of us, sometimes, an association needs to reflect upon campaigns and decisions and try new ways. 

I do believe promoting the project itself and promoting the business will go together. The Splash Awards is a testimony to that, where clients and community both take the stage, showcasing the wonderful work we’re both (community and business) are proud of. I strongly and passionately believe both are necessary in order for Drupal to sustain and grow. A healthy Drupal business is vital for our common good. Maintaining the project and its community is and will be the foundation of it all. To that end I will do everything I can to keep it that way, wherever I am. I would love to find ways to promote Drupal business in ways that stay true to 501(c)(3) and that we can all be proud of!