7.03 National Officer Candidate Selection

Pennsylvania has built a strong state chapter and participation on the local, regional, and state levels is outstanding. To complete the total cycle of leadership development, serious consideration also must be given to encourage students with strong leadership potential to run for national office. Pennsylvania FBLA members are encouraged to run for national office, but they must meet the following criteria:

1. Hold or have held a local, region, or state level for at least 4 months prior to submitting the national officer application.
2. Maintain a “3.0” GPA on a business 4.0 scale.
3. Submit a letter of the posted online application to the Executive Director/State Chairman outlining reasons and qualifications for seeking office by the December 15 application deadline.  one month prior to the first day of the SLC. This application must include the signature of the chapter adviser, the parent/guardian, the principal, and the chief school administrator.
4. Staff a campaign booth at the SLC.
5. Deliver a campaign speech at the SLC.
6. Solicit support for the national campaign by outlining platform and campaign strategy to those chapters planning to attend the NLC. (Example: Type a list of all things needed to run a campaign, different projects that could be assigned to cooperating chapters, etc.)
7. Comply with the December 15 application deadline for all PA FBLA members who wish to run for national office, which is the same as the state officer application deadline.  The deadline for PA FBLA members who wish to run for national office will be January 15—the same as the state officer candidate application deadline. National officer candidates will complete a similar online application as state officer candidates.
8. Candidates for national office will be required to complete all components of the state officer election process, which includes in-person interviews by the Officer Candidate Screening Committee.
9. Approved national officer candidates will be required to attend the May/June July state officer leadership training program if they have not previously served as a state officer.

If one candidate runs for national office, the candidate must be endorsed by a majority of the voting delegates at the SLC to move forward with the National FBLA application. If more than two candidates run, the candidate who receives the greatest number of votes at the SLC will be Pennsylvania’s candidate.

If a vacancy occurs on the national slate of national officer candidates after the Pennsylvania State Leadership Conference, the Executive Director/State Chairman and the State Officer Adviser, based on recommendations from the State Officer Screening Committee, may grant permission for a current state officer or a former state officer to declare his or her candidacy for national office.

All voting delegates from Pennsylvania to the NLC will be encouraged to vote for the successful candidate, and each school represented at the NLC may be asked to assist with the campaign.