From: Baker, Brent
Subject: Region 3 Report for Columbia, SC Section
To: Region 3 Committee / EXCOM
Date: Wed, 14 Mar 2001 13:50:21 -0500

Section Officers:
Chair - Brent Baker
Vice-Chair - John Montague
Secretary - Molly Barnes
Treasurer - Brian Bendt

The Columbia, SC Section has currently held a total of 3 section
meetings for the 2001 calender year; the first two were of the dinner
- technical speaker variety while the one held in March was actually
an "unofficial" meeting at the Square D facility in Columbia which
included a plant tour of the facility.(The meeting was dubbed
"unofficial" due to conflicts caused by competition wanting to be
included at the tour, which was prohibited by Square D) The main goal
for the plant tour was to possibly generate more interest from other
non-active members of the section, but there was not a significant
increase in attendance for this meeting(between 25-30).  This type of
meeting was a success last year in that over 40 people attended a
similar event at the Bose facility in Blythewood, SC and the hope was
to duplicate that success this year.  We do anitcipate continuing this
type of event each year due to the benefits that we feel that it
produces for each member that attends.  We will also have our yearly
picnic in May which usually draws a good crowd for a time of food and
relaxation among our peers and their families.

Our main goal for the year, as is the case with most sections, is to
try and increase active membership in the section(both professional
and student members) through various activities such as the ones
mentioned above.  We would appreciate any input from other sections
regarding any successful events that they used to increase
participation from inactive members and would apply it in our section
as deemed possible.

Respectfully,
Brent Baker
Chair, Columbia, SC Section