Membership Lists

[awl2005]

What is the name of your state? IN

We are a non-profit organization with members. Our Board President gave out the membership list (name, address, phone numbers) to a non-Board member. This person is now calling our members to complain about the recent resignation of our Executive Director and how it was the current Board's fault that she resigned. (She has actually told some members that she was fired when this is not the case.)

Some members are agitated by what she is saying, some just ignore her because they now what she is like, and some are highly concerned that their information was given out to this person and they are being contacted by her.

Our concern is that we, the Board, could be held liable for somehting the Board President did, if someone files a lawsuit for releaseing this information. How concerned should we be?
1) Is it illegal to release this information to this non-Board member?
2) If so, what type of lawsuit are we looking at?
3) How can we stop this person from using this information for their own purposes?

Thanks.

 

[seniorjudge]

Was anyone damaged?

 

[awl2005]

Damaged?

Damaged in what way, physicall, mentally, emotionally? Morally, ethically, issues?

Members were upset emotionally that their information might be sold or given away. A lot of our members are senior citizens and widows. They did not like being contacted by this member out of the blue. They believed that their personal information would only be used for Organization business (such as newsletters, notice of meeting, etc.).

 

[divgradcurl]

Damaged in what way, physicall, mentally, emotionally? Morally, ethically, issues?

Members were upset emotionally that their information might be sold or given away. A lot of our members are senior citizens and widows. They did not like being contacted by this member out of the blue. They believed that their personal information would only be used for Organization business (such as newsletters, notice of meeting, etc.).

They may "believe" that the personal info was only for organization business, but was there anything in writing that says that? Is there any evidence that the board mamber who released the info acted outside of the scope of his or her authority?

Further, names, addresses and phone numbers are NOT private information. If that's all that was given out, then there probably isn't much to worry about.