To: Region 3 ExCom

From: Bill Ratcliff, Director - Elect 2006-2007

Subject: Ratcliff's Remarks May  2006

During the meetings in Memphis the much discussion centered around the
Region 3 Initiatives...
     - Improve use of existing capabilities - R3 Awards and Recognition -
Randall
     - Engineer Region 3 Organization and Operations - R3 Help Desk - Marshall
     - Knowledge Capture and Document Management - Lord
     -  Enhance Volunteer Recruitment - McClure and Ratcliff
     - Membership Initiative - Stogner
     - Leadership by Developing Others - Lord and Riddle
     - Teacher In-Service Initiative - Donohoe
     - Embrace Flat World Reality -  Duggan
     - Enhance R3 Capability to Increase Income - Hickman
and I hope you have taken some time to follow up with the Initiative Managers. I
know how busy all of  our lives are these days and goodness knows I should not
be the one who is preaching that we  spend more time. The reality is that if we
do not spread the workload to more than a few individuals  it won't get done.

The Area / Council Chairs ( Fellowship of the 9) are discussing the
characteristics of healthy  Sections and  the attributes seem to focus on the
number of active members. Stimulating active  membership does not just happen it
is caused by each one of us involving others.

These initiatives can help stimulate a more active membership but it requires
active members to  participate. That sounds like a "catch 22" and requires a
core group of committed members to  complete the Initiatives and break the
gridlock. As the philosopher Pogo might have said..."We have met the core group
of committed members and it are us"!

Let's keep the  discussion going at the Region 3 ExCom e-conference tomorrow
evening at  9:00PM EDT.

See you tomorrow evening.


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  William B. Ratcliff
Region 3 Director-Elect 2006-07
IEEE RAB/TAB Section/Chapter Support ECCS, Chair  2006
IEEE Information Technology Strategy Committee 2006
e-mail  w.ratcliff@ieee.org