At IHEU’s General Assembly in Washington, two new Vice Presidents were elected to the Executive Committee, which is the Board of Directors of the company. Both Mel Lipman and Ron Solomon come from the United States, which strengthens the American involvement in the EC. The members are:

Sonja Eggerickx
President

As teacher of non-confessional ethics, Sonja founded a local group of Humanist Youth at her school, she became president of the Flemish Humanist Youth Organisation in 1977, and she later activated the women's group in the Humanist Union and became the president of the Teachers’ organisation, a post she held for many years. She was, for more than 20 years, chief editor of the Humanist pedagogical magazine and was involved in the board of the Humanist Union. She was also active in the local branch of the Humanist Union in her hometown and was president of the Humanist community house in Ghent. At that time she was involved in UVV where she was vice-president for many years and now Sonja works in education as an Inspector of Schools in Belgium, specialising in moral education.

As well as full time work, she combines the IHEU Presidency with being President of IHEU member organisation UVV. She was first elected as IHEU Vice President in 2002 and then as President in 2006.

She has a special interest in the youth organisation, IHEYO, and also the women’s network within IHEU.

Jack Jeffery
First Vice President

Jack was first elected as VP in 2004, re-elected in 2007 and then elected as First Vice President at Washington.

Jack is from the UK and has been a member of the British Humanist Association and of the National Secular Society for many years, serving on the BHA Committee. He is a chemist who worked in the water industry for 35 years, and chaired the Royal Institute of Public Health from 2002 to 2006.

Amongst other things, Jack brings financial and management skills to IHEU, as a member of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Roger Lepeix
Treasurer

Roger was first elected as Treasurer in 2004 and re-elected in 2007. He is a member of French Freethinkers Federation and organised the 2005 Congress in Paris, as well as liaising with the AHA in organising the Washington Congress.

As Treasurer, he chairs the Finance and Audit Committee and is also a member of the Grants Committee. He also works with the IHEU delegations to UNESCO and the Council of Europe by being the EC link to those delegations.

Before retirement, Roger was head of a technical department in the shipbuilding industry.

Roar Johnsen
Vice President

Roar works as a consultant in IT Service Management. He is the immediate Past President of IHEU’s biggest member organisation, the Norwegian Humanist Association. He was first involved with IHEU when he organised the Congress in Norway in 1986.

As IHEU Vice President, Roar is leading the work on the revision of the Byelaws. He is also a member of the Grants Committee and serves as a trustee of the International Humanist Trust.

Mel Lipman
Vice President

Mel was elected as Vice President at this GA. He is a retired attorney and teaches college level History and U.S. Constitutional Law, and is a former board member of Nevada Civil Liberties Union. Mel is also a board and executive committee member of The Humanist Institute.

He was elected the President of the AHA in 2002. During his six years as president, the American Humanist Association has initiated many successful new programs, expanded its collaborative work with other Humanist groups, and experienced some of the strongest growth in its history.

Ron Solomon
Vice President

Ron is a retired actuary and has been active in the American Ethical Union since 1985, serving as AEU Secretary, then President, and currently Treasurer.

He has also participated in other Humanist organisations such as the American Humanist Association, the North American Committee for Humanism, which sponsors the Humanist Institute, and is currently treasurer of the Secular Coalition for America.