From: William B. Harrison [wharri@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 10:43 PM
To: IEEE 1998 Executive Committee
Cc: Ralph Russell; John Conrad; Kathy H. Drevik; Marvin Neiditz
Subject: Membership Development Committee Report

Our report to the Region EXCOM was submitted as the Fall Newsletter
input (reproduced below).  The Corporate Relations Subcommittee will
meet in Jackson on Saturday morning from 8:30 - noon.  The full
Membership Development Committee will meet Saturday afternoon.  We will
present and discuss the Corporate Relations Project Plan and Budget at
the Fall Region 3 EXCOM caucus and meeting.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (MDC) REPORT

The Region 3 Membership Development Committee's Corporate Relations
Project is underway.  This is the project proposed at the Region 3
Winter EXCOM and by Working Group #2 at the MD Retreat in  Baltimore
earlier this year.  Region 3 agreed to pilot the Corporate Relations
initiative and approved funds for the project at its Spring EXCOM
meeting.  The IEEE national MD Policy Subcommittee met in June and
approved the Region's Corporate Relations Pilot Project Proposal.  It
also agreed to assist with funding in 1998 and 1999. The CPMT Society is
participating in the project and has approved funds to prepare an
executive presentation to be used to promote the value of supporting
their employees membership
in CPMT.  Several other IEEE entities have expressed interest in
becoming involved as the project progresses.

The Corporate Relations Pilot Project is a major IEEE initiative to
establish and maintain relationships between local IEEE
sections/technical society chapters and the organizations, executives
and managers who employ IEEE members and prospective IEEE members.

The initial work of the Region 3 MD Committee is to plan the Corporate
Relations Project in more detail, to develop and refine presentation
materials, and to begin to develop a database of employers/executives
and make contact with executives at local, regional and national levels
to determine their interest and support for partnering with IEEE
entities.

A sub-group of the Region 3 Membership Development Committee met in on
Saturday/Sunday, September 19-20, 1998.  We were pleased with the
progress of the working group and with what we were able to accomplish.
We realize what we have undertaken is an awesome task, but lots of IEEE
people seem to be interested and ready to help.  If we can get enough of
the right people involved, we can make good
things happen for the benefit of employers and members of the IEEE.

The MD sub-group consisted of five people:  John Conrad, Florida; Kathy
Drevik,Tennessee; Bill Harrison, Georgia; Ralph Russell, Virginia; Perry
Wheless, Alabama.  Perry represents the Region 3 Educational Activities
Committee, which is collaborating with the Region 3 Membership
Development on the pilot project.

We will  present and discuss the Corporate Relations Project Plan and
Budget at the Fall Region 3 EXCOM meeting.  We are building lots of
enthusiasm and excitement.    We anticipate investing lots of time,
energy (and money) into the Corporate Relations effort.  Our plan
includes presenting to and participating in Sections Congress 99.  Lots
of help will be needed -- we want to get as many Region 3 people
involved with the pilot project as soon as practically possible.  We
will need the area/council chairs to help communicate with the
sections.  We foresee having MD committee members going to local
sections and making corporate calls with them during the pilot project.

Details will be posted on the web for review and feedback.

Don't wait for us to ask for your help…volunteer to help with ideas,
contacts, visits to employers, publicity, examples of successful
corporate relations activities.

Bill Harrison, Region 3 MD Chair
w.harrison@ieee.org