(logo)      Membership Development Committee (MDC) Report


Spring 1998 Region 3 EXCOM Meeting in Orlando 
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RETREAT 
Bill Harrison, Marvin Neiditz and Joey Duvall represented Region 3 at
the annual Membership Development Retreat February 20 - 22, 1998 in
Baltimore. This national/international IEEE Membership Development
meeting provided an excellent opportunity for us to interact with other
members, discuss common issues and develop projects to help solve some
of our common membership development problems. We agreed, on behalf of
Region 3, to undertake two major MD efforts: 1) Conduct a Membership
Development Training Session at SoutheastCon 98 and 2) Work with local
Sections and a national MD Working Group to develop a pilot Corporate
Relations Program. These projects are described below. 
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AT SOUTHEASTCON 
We expect a good attendance at the MD Training Session on Friday, April
24th, beginning at 1:00 P.M. Marvin Neiditz, Region 3 MD Vice Chair,
organized the Membership Development Training Program. Jim Howard,
IEEE's National Membership Development Chairman, will present an MD
overview and talk about national MD programs such as Member Recover a
Member and Member Nominate a Senior Member. Bill Ratcliff, Area 3
Chair, and Vera Lee Sharoff, IEEE's Membership Database staff expert,
will conduct a SAMIeee database workshop using real, live Section data. 
CORPORATE RELATIONS PILOT PROJECT 
Subject to Region 3 EXCOM discussion and approval, the Region 3
Membership Development Committee will undertake a Corporate Relations
project with Sections in our region. It will be based on discussions
held at the Winter Region 3 EXCOM meeting. Similar recommendations were
developed for a Corporate Relations Initiative/Program at the MD Retreat
in Baltimore. The initial task of Region 3 would be to take the
preliminary program as developed by the retreat group and develop a more
detailed and specific plan for implementation and funding. We would
develop a plan that could be presented, at least preliminarily, in
writing at the June 25 MD Policy Subcommittee meeting. IEEE Membership
Development staff would need our written report not later than June
11th. 
The following preliminary Corporate Relations Initiative was transcribed
from the overheads developed by the Baltimore MD retreat group. 
Objectives: 
Develop IEEE membership through involvement of corporations and
executive decision makers in the work and promotion of IEEE. 
Activities: 
· Develop model(s)
· Investigate United Way as a model
· MDC and Section Chairs
· Develop resources
· Database of corporations

Explore: 
· Corporate memberships/pricing
· Corporate support
· Corporate promotion package
· Cooperative Society/Section contacts 
Timeframe: 
· Report on existing programs, demographics and resources (June 98)
· Development of database (ongoing)
· Case study report (Region 3)(November 98)
· Draft Corporate Executive package (resource for Societies/Sections)
(December 98)
· Baseline package (December 99) 
Resources Needed: 
· Funding for travel, luncheons, materials, clerical support,
teleconferences, database development & maintenance
· Brochure/promotion kit
· IEEE staff support
· Working group conference calls
· Mailings to Sections/Societies
· Access to Web resources 
Metrics for Success: 
· Increase in the members’ affirmative response to survey question,
“Does my employer support …?”
· Number and size of companies participating in program 
The Atlanta Section has agreed to participate in a Region/National
Corporate Relations program. Ralph Russell from Richmond participated
with the retreat group and is interested in working with a pilot effort
with his local section. 
We will be looking for input, ideas and volunteer support to make the
Corporate Relations effort a success in Region 3 that can be replicated
throughout the IEEE world.
MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROMOTIONAL TOOLS
Butch Shadwell has drafted a preliminary plan for acquiring and
distributing MDC Promotional Items. This particular MD effort presents
some difficult operational issues for the Region. It is extremely
popular and useful -- most of us would like to see it continue. But, on
the other hand, it is difficult to get IEEE volunteers to order, store
and distribute the promotional items, to set up exhibit booths, show and
sell IEEE promotional items, or to run a mail order operation for
distributing the items. The Membership Development Committee will
review Butch's plan and make recommendations to the Region 3 EXCOM.

Submitted by:
Bill Harrison
Region 3 MD Chair 

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Last Modified: 20 April 1998
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