Wow, 2009 was a great year financially for the society and for the ASAS Foundation! Overall, the ASAS investment portfolio performed positively with a return of 14%, outperforming our blended benchmarks and giving remarkable returns as approximately 50% of our investment funds were allocated to cash, ensuring a safe market position as the turbulence and downturn of 2008 began to normalize.

The ASAS Foundation enjoyed a banner year for donations, receiving just over $50,000 in donations to a number of funds in 2009. In 2009, the ASAS Foundation reached the goal of raising over $1 million since inception. In addition, 2009 served as the organizational year for a 2010 fundraising drive on several new funds including 1) The Gary Cromwell Appreciation Club; 2) The Gary Allee Appreciation Club; 3) The Darrel Goll Appreciation Club; 4) The Harlan Ritchie Appreciation Club; and 5) The Tim Stahly Memorial and Tribute Fund. With fundraising efforts under way for each of these funds, 2010 is sure to be a record fundraising year for the ASAS Foundation.

The society also had an incredible year financially. In the midst of launching several huge new membership programs, including 1) establishing a scientific liaison (SL) office in Washington, DC, through FASS; 2) hosting the Inaugural ASAS-CAAV Pacific Rim Conference in Beijing, China; 3) tripling our webinar offerings; 4) conducting a series of writing workshops; and 5) launching a new ASAS Web site, ASAS finished 2009 with a $264,000 budget surplus and increased our equity in FASS. At this point, ASAS has more than recouped market losses absorbed in 2008 and increased our net value to well above 2007 numbers (the last highest year). We will publish all of these numbers in full following completion of the 2009 yearly audit!

Both ASAS and the ASAS Foundation are in outstanding fiscal shape.

Funds Summary