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From the President, March 2000
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As president of a CSI chapter you unknowingly get your name placed on numerous mailing lists. I now receive newsletters from many chapters in the North Central Region and I have a chance to read about the struggles and achievements of fellow members across a broad stretch of the country. The story is much the same: Chapters struggle to hold and increase membership in a competitive time-sharing market. Committees plead constantly for new members to participate, even at the most insignificant level (like, show up for a meeting once in a while!) There are common threads of educational and networking opportunities for members; some chapters seem to proactively solicit new topics for programs, while others appear to follow the tried and true “Have we offered one on roofing lately?” format. We don’t seem to be out of line with the rest of our peers in these areas. One of the packets I receive has membership information, and I noticed this month that our chapter membership number is down to 486. 486! It took a while to sink in…that’s under 500! Now, in the past, we’ve fluctuated a few above and below that magic number, but we’ve stayed pretty constant until now. I’m not concerned that the Portland Chapter has their sights set on the “Largest Chapter” designation, and I’m not faulting our Membership Committee for their efforts, because they’re doing a great job at both working to keep and gain members. We may be seeing the effect of our change in Chapter dues structure, and, if so, then we can evaluate and respond correctly. However, if we’re experiencing a decrease in membership for other reasons, we need to be aware and take appropriate action. In the long run, it doesn’t matter if we have 486, 500, or 1,000 members, as long as they are participating in the activities of the Chapter. But we still need to get the word out. One of the best ways is to be aware of what our Chapter has to offer, and so, I’d like to list some of the Committee activities that are currently underway: Membership Committee has developed a “SWAT” team, in conjunction with Certification Committee, to visit a targeted group of local A/E firms to discuss the benefits of CSI membership. Members talk about networking opportunities, educational and certification classes, our meetings and programs, and the resources Institute has to offer. Invitations to monthly meetings follow for individuals. Certification Committee is continuing its program of certification workshops, with emphasis on expanding participation in the CCPR program for Industry members. Certification members contribute to the “SWAT” team visits by bringing the message of value-added certification to employers and employees alike. And certified individuals are highlighted in specifics’ articles. Education Committee is working hard to expand the MOP/GC classes, while continuing to provide speakers and resources to area schools, technical colleges, and universities. Their Industry and Specifier Roundtables are a constant source of up to date information and discussion on pertinent topics for all members. The outreach program to students for student chapters at local colleges and universities is beginning to take shape and just needs more member participation to make it happen this next year. Program Committee has set out this year to explore new ways to meet the changing needs of membership for our monthly meeting format by offering lunch time meetings, special tours, and expanded afternoon seminars. Next year’s programming is currently underway, and it looks to be even more exciting and “eventful!” There are great opportunities to get involved with individual programs, the Product Fair, or in the overall planning process. Awards Committee has undertaken the task of redefining the Chapter’s award program, striving to bring our awards process to a higher level of community awareness and excellence. They are researching what it will take to make our awards more visible to the construction community, as we expand our reach to new organizations and individuals. Communications Committee is working very hard this year to redefine their role in line with the changes to our newsletter and roster publication and possible administrative services. They have an opportunity to set the framework for how we present ourselves to the rest of the construction community by our visual, verbal, and personal outreach. All of these committees have laudable goals for this year and next. What they don’t have are enough members to make the tasks really enjoyable…because we all know more helpers make the task easier! I know the test of a good piece of writing is to be able to lay out the important points and then pull it all together in a succinct conclusion. Well, I’m not certain this is a “good” piece of writing, but I hope what you get out of it is this: We have a great and vibrant chapter, with many dedicated members; but we’re not growing at the rate we hope, and we’re even slipping a little. We have a lot of good ideas, and the potential to do many good things; but we need some more help at all levels. Our task is not to rest on our past laurels, but to move forward with enthusiasm, and try to bring some ‘new blood’ into the fold to help and share. If you know of a member who has dropped out, give them a call; let them know we miss them. If you cross paths with someone you think can benefit from CSI, don’t be shy! Talk to them about the benefits. And if you have any interest in one or more of these committees, or have additional ideas you’d like to talk about, give a Committee Chair or member a call; attend a committee meeting to see what it’s all about. I look forward to seeing you all over the next few months as we enjoy the camaraderie, education, and interaction of this year's Product Fair! Rebecca Foss, President |
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