New Treasurer as of June 1st, 2024

As announced in the 2023 Congress, Clare Million, our current treasurer, has asked to be replaced. Clare has served since 2013, a long period then. We are profoundly grateful for her effort in managing a complex financial structure, with accounts in the US and UK, and moreover, remittances coming from the whole world. I believe that her dedication deserves the President’s medal.

For the new treasurer, I have been oriented to a US member, to ease legal compliances, since ICS legally is a US non-profit organization. With the support of our ICS directors Celeste Richard, Brad King, Forrest Latta, and our VP Florence Crowder, we proposed that position to Jason Dean, who kindly accepted. Jason, an ICS member, lives near New Orleans, Louisiana, and he is very conversant with banking procedures. He is well known to our US directors. In addition, Jason has been serving as Treasurer for the Gulf Coast Camellia Society.

With Clare we agreed on a transition plan that ends on May 31st, with the current US fiscal year. In the following months, we also plan to simplify ICS’s financial structure, by unifying our accounts.

Jason's love for camellias blossomed at the tender age of 12 when he and a neighbor restored his family's Pink Perfection through selective pruning. Over the past decade, Jason has been distinguished with numerous roles within the Camellia community. He served as Treasurer of the Ozone Camellia Club in Slidell, LA, and held the position of American Camellia Society State Director for Mississippi and Louisiana. Presently, he holds the positions of Gulf Coast Camellia Society Treasurer and Regional Director for the Gulf Region of the American Camellia Society. He was recently elected to serve as vice president of the Louisiana Chapter of the Azalea Society of America and presides as President of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Camellia Society. Jason's professional endeavors led him into the Natural and Organic grocery business in greater New Orleans. Yet, beyond his professional duties, he passionately dedicates his time to educating and preserving local Camellia cultivars from the southern United States. He resides in rural Coastal Mississippi.

My heartfelt congratulations to our new officer. Let me extend my thanks to all the US team. A special thank you to Clare Million, who is successfully leading our transition.

Gianmario Motta, 
ICS President