About the Southern California Roundup Chapter of PSA

The Photographic Society of America (PSA) is a worldwide organization for anyone with an interest in photography. Founded in 1934, the Society is for casual shutterbugs, serious amateurs, and professional photographers. PSA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, offers members a wide variety of photography-related services and activities.

Individual Chapters of PSA were organized under the Society's Bylaws in 1955. Since 1955, forty Chapters have received a PSA charter, and, over the years, the number of active Chapters has varied. In 1968, there were only seven active chapters: Chicago, Connecticut, Cosmopolitan (NYC), Hawaii, Pittsburgh, Tri-State (Ohio), and Western Michigan. In 1993, there were 18 active Chapters. The Chicago Chapter received its charter in 1955 and is the oldest active PSA Chapter. The Arizona Chapter received its charter in 2017 and is the newest PSA Chapter.​

All Chapters adhere to the PSA Chapter By-Laws (updated September 2016) which contain information regarding purposes; membership; meetings; election of Officers; Executive Committee; Committees; websites, newsletters, & social media; fiscal regulations; and authority. Chapters also follow the

PSA Chapter Financial System Outline (updated January 2016).

There are no Chapters outside the USA because of the legalities of establishing branches of PSA outside the USA.

The Southern California Roundup Chapter of PSA (known as the SoCal Chapter or the "Roundup") is a local branch of the Society that was organized under the Society's Bylaws in 1955. The Southern California Roundup Chapter received its PSA charter in 1991 at the PSA Annual Conference held in San Antonio, Texas. The Southern California Roundup Chapter received a certificate recognizing its 25-Year Charter Anniversary (1991-2016) at the 2016 annual PSA Conference in San Antonio, TX.

The Southern California Roundup Chapter of PSA offers services and activities for the benefit of area members that promote the mission of PSA and serve and support area members by developing a strong sense of community, including:

• Holding an annual two-day to three-day educational and inspirational Photography Event in various locations around Southern California based on the PSA membership growth and photo opportunities available in that location at that time. These events are free or at a greatly reduced rate for all PSA members,
• Sharing the photography activities and accomplishments (e.g., publication of photographs, holding of a gallery show, leading a photography workshop or tour, providing photography service to a community group, receiving a photography award, providing image evaluation service) of area members via the Chapter Facebook page to demonstrate the variety of photography interests of PSA members,
• Maintaining a comprehensive Chapter website as a viable reference for area members,
• Posting news Items regarding PSA and area members’ PSA positions and activities on the website homepage,
• Encouraging area PSA members to create an individual PSA Member Gallery or ROPA Gallery on the PSA website that will be linked to the Chapter website as a way for area members to get to know other area members,
• Identifying and requesting Blogs regarding photo adventures from area PSA members and posting them on the Chapter website to share,
• Entering the PSA Chapter's Showcase and posting the results on the Chapter website, and
• Provide outreach to all Southwest Area PSA members to help them feel a part of the Southern California Roundup Chapter and take advantage of the Roundup Chapter services and activities.

Chapter officers are selected in odd-numbered years. The terms of the officers begin at 12:01 AM of the day following the closing day of each PSA Conference held in an odd-numbered year. There are no restrictions to the number of two-year terms that a Chapter officer may serve. An office that is vacant for any reason can be filled by appointment by the Chapter Chair, with the approval of the Chapter's Executive Committee. The Chapter Executive Committee is governed by the PSA Chapter Executive Committee Master Operations Manual (MOM)

The Chapter business is administered by the Chapter Executive Committee which is comprised of the elected officers, e.g., the Chapter Chair, Vice-Chairs, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Executive Committee meets a minimum of one time each fiscal year, during the Chapter Annual Event.

A Chapter can establish Special Committees and the Southern California Chapter has established an Event Committee. Approximately a year before the Chapter's semi-annual Event, members are asked to be responsible for specific tasks that need to be accomplished for a successful event.  Some members continue in the same role for multiple years.

The Chapter's Service Award was created in 2017 by Chair, Joanne Stolte, FPSA, MPSA.  The Chapter's Service Award is presented each year at the Chapter's Annual Photo Event to a deserving member who demonstrates tireless energy, time, dedication, and exceptional service to the Chapter. The Chapter Service Award, in extraordinary cases, may be awarded to a non-member who has been an "angel" to the Chapter, providing goods and services of significant value that contributed to the success of a Chapter Event. The individual's contribution is specified on the plaque. It is the Chapter's highest award. In 2020 an Exceptional Service Award was presented.

 The Southern California Chapter is located in the PSA Southwest Membership Area that includes: California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Hawaii. The SoCal Chapter announcement emails are sent to all individual members in California. Within the Southwest Membership area, the Yerba Buena Chapter meets in San Leandro and serves the greater San Francisco Bay area; the Gold Rush Chapter meets in Sacramento serving central California; and the Arizona Chapter serves those in Arizona.  The Southwest Membership Area has a PSA Area Membership Director (AMD) and each state has a PSA State Membership Director (SMD), except California which has a Northern California and a Southern California Membership Director.