Association Management articles from June 2001

Association Management archives from June 2001

Association Health Plans Legislation Introduced.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Reps. Ernest Fletcher (R-KY) and Cal Dooley (D-CA) and Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-AR) introduced companion bills that will allow associations to offer health plans to their members and their members' employees across state lines under the...

House Passes Pension Reform Bill.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The U.S. House of Representatives passed a pension reform bill by an astounding 407-24 margin. The legislation includes a number of provisions that are favorable to association executives, including an increase in the amounts that employees can...

Postal Service Board of Governors Enacts Rate Hikes.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors voted unanimously to increase the rate for all classes and categories of mail, effective July 1. The vote comes five months after USPS implemented its most recent rate hike. Nonprofit periodicals...

BRIEFLY.(Jack D. McNaughton, CAE, executive vice president of the Precision Machined Products Association)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Jack D. McNaughton, CAE, executive vice president of the Precision Machined Products Association, Brecksville, Ohio, died April 13 at the age of 58. Prior to joining PMPA in 1992, McNaughton served as executive vice president of the Steel...

ASAE Joins Effort to Spur Congressional Action on Long-Term Care Insurance Legislation.(American Society of Association Executives)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... ASAE has joined in the effort to see the Long-Term Care and Retirement Security Act of 2001 enacted this year, which would boost private long-term care insurance coverage and bring relief to families struggling with the long-term care needs...

IRS Releases Business Plan for 2001-2002.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The Internal Revenue Service has released its 2001 Priority Guidance Plan, listing those areas where it expects to release guidance between now and June 30, 2002. The most relevant items in the exempt organizations category appear to be those...

Absorbing Crucial Information.(Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In this issue's cover story, authors Lisa L. Klose and Barry List, of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences in Linthicum, Maryland, pose a simple, analogical question, the answer to which nicely underscores the...

Enhancing the Currency of Certification.(National Organization for Competency Assurance)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Certification: "A voluntary process instituted by a nongovernmental organization by which individuals are recognized for [specific], sometimes advanced, knowledge and skills."--National Organization for Competency Assurance, Washington, D.C....

Protecting Your Association From Liability for Defamation.
June 1, 2001... All nonprofit membership organizations routinely supply informational and educational material. Publications and other communication materials are among the most important benefits an association provides to its members and to the general...

Celebrating Chemistry.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Each year during the first full week of Novem- ber, chemistry comes alive, thanks to the efforts of the American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., and its local sections. During National Chemistry Week 2000, ACS volunteers helped coordinate...

Slowing Sales.(BizRate.com)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Online retailers take note: Cyber space shopping needs improvement. More than three fourths of online shoppers failed to complete at least one purchase during a 90 day period, according to a survey by BizRate.com. Fifty-five percent of...

ASHA'S POLICIES EARN ACCLAIM.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... What does it take to earn recognition for workplace excellence two years in a row? The track record of the American Speech Language-Hearing Association, Rockville, Maryland, suggests that it takes an organizational commitment to balancing work...

Creating a Concise Conduct Code.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Q: Do we need a policy explicitly stated in our employee handbook covering the wide range of obviously inappropriate conduct and activities that would be grounds for employee termination or discipline? If so, how can we state this type of...

SURVEY DATA.(National)(Foundation for Women Business Owners)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Owners of Fast-Growth Businesses More Likely to Use Credit to Meet Capital Needs Fast-Growth Women Owners Fast Growth Men Owner Business credit cards 56% 52% Line of credit ...

Marketing Models.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... To stay ahead of the competition and keep members satisfied, association executives need to learn new ways to distinguish their organizations. Reforming and promoting your association's brand and staying connected with members is per haps the...

Connecting With Radio.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Nonprofit organizations that can position themselves as experts in their respective fields stand a better chance of attracting the interest of radio reporters, according to a March 2001 survey by News Generation Inc., a public relations firm in...

TIPS ON TELECOMMUTING.(International Telework Association & Council)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Teleworkers now number 23.6 million nationwide, with a nearly 21 percent increase in the past year alone, according to the International Telework Association & Council, Washington, D.C. (www.telecommute.org). Organizations considering this...

Bidding Adieu to Data Maintenance.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... For the past two years, members of The Bond Market Association, New York City, have updated their own records, allowing TBMA to focus on data quality. The key to this change is our use of Web technology combined with an old-fashioned...

GETTING A READING ON VOLUNTEERISM.(International Year of Volunteers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... In recognition of 2001 being proclaimed the International Year of Volunteers by the United Nations General Assembly, Independent Sector (IS), Washington, D.C., has developed a free, online resource that provides a general overview for...

Using Market Research TO MAKE STRATEGIC DECISIONS.
June 1, 2001... If the long-term viability of your association directly depends on its ability to accurately hear, understand, and fulfill the needs of its members, shouldn't you ask members what they want? IMAGINE YOURSELF IN YOUR ORGANIZATION'S BOARD...

Research, THEN Revamp.
June 1, 2001... Change--so often needed in heavy doses to help associations meet members' evolving needs--must be rooted in sophisticated research. MEMBER DEFECTION HAS RISEN TO UNNERVING LEVELS AT SOME ASSOCIATIONS, CREATING the need for more...

TURNING A NEW PAGE IN PUBLISHING.
June 1, 2001... Associations are putting publications online to meet members' needs for faster, easier access to information. But ensuring that your online and print products are in sync and finding the right balance require finesse. By now the dire...

5 Myths That (Still) Hold Women Back.
June 1, 2001... Sex discrimination hasn't gone away, but it has changed in ways you may not realize. Here are warning signs plus practical measures that make a difference. DIVERSITY EXPERTS HEAR THE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME: WHY ARE WOMEN still part of the...

A New Identity.
June 1, 2001... Do you feel your organization's name is holding it back? Four associations share their stories of how they made a new name for themselves. PERHAPS IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE NAME-CHANGE MANIA SWEEPING CORPORATE America in the wake of...

CVBs Step Up Support ROMANO, GERRY.(Convention bureaus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Under more and more pressure as you plan major meetings? CVBs are attempting to play a stronger supporting role. Remember when the number of telephone banks was a critical factor in deciding whether to book a particular facility for a...

IN SEARCH OF STRATEGY.
June 1, 2001... In the face of radical change, Edison Electric Institute prevails with real-time strategic thinking. IN TODAY'S FAST-PACED BUSINESS climate, a good strategy changes quickly. It adapts easily, learning as it goes. And it's impatient,...

FOR VALUE I Dues.
June 1, 2001... Can you customize member dues based on return on investment? Here's how one association is making a value-based dues structure work. IN MY EXPERIENCE MANAGING A trade association with corporate members, one thing became clear: Value or...

ESTABLISHING A SATISFYING SICK LEAVE POLICY.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... There can be many reasons for taking sick leave, including actually being ill. Who hasn't called in sick (or been tempted) in order to go on an interview? Or simply to take a mental health day? If you're having difficulty with escalating...

Background Kit on Benefits.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Many small-staff association executives double as the human resources manager for their association. Whether you need advice on a new benefit program that you're planning or want to brush up on an existing plan, ASAE's Employee Benefits...

DIRECTING POSTAL MAIL FROM YOUR DESKTOP.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Managing a business in today's fast-paced economy can be overwhelming. Fortunately, technology continues to provide new ways to expedite your workload. For example, getting timely information out to customers, members, and potential clients in...

Customize Your Insurance Programs.(ASAE Services Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Few association executives have the time or expertise to evaluate the adequacy of their association's property and liability insurance coverage. Yet association boards hold the chief staff executive accountable for the effectiveness of the...

PUTTING GOVERNANCE PRACTICE IN CONTEXT.(National Center for Nonprofit Boards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... How do concepts of good governance translate abroad? Last fall, the National Center for Nonprofit Boards, Washington, D.C., posed this question to 16 nonprofit organization professionals from 14 countries. Participants in NCNB's...

A Living Manuscript.(Ernst & Young Association Management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... How can Internet technology be used creatively to benefit knowledge exchange? The association community in Europe has responded to this challenge with the creation of a book online--a project that gives a whole new meaning to work in...

CEO TO CEO.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Q: What is the most important lesson you've learned about managing people, and how do you apply this in the workplace on a day-to-day basis? Most employees want to do a good job, and timely feedback is the key to success. When staff...

CAREER HEADQUARTERS.
June 1, 2001... WHAT'S NEW ONLINE For free access to job opportunities in the association community, go to www.careerheadquarters.org. SEARCHING FOR JOBS Job seekers will notice an enhanced search function that allows you to view all jobs or...

KEEPING YOUR EDGE.(National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Trail Mix WHO? Patricia Chesebrough, CAE WHAT? Executive Vice President WHERE? National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors-Arizona, Phoenix WHEN? Since 1975 Q: Have you always made time for a rejuvenating...

THE BEAT GOES ON.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The technology sector has been a little offbeat lately, to say the least. Associations are rightfully cautious about partnering with companies promising the solutions they seek. At the same time, partnership in the new economy is an absolute...

CUSTOMIZING CONTRACTS FOR INTERNET COLLABORATIONS.
June 1, 2001... A 10-point review process can reduce legal risks and maximize returns. Many association executives have been approached by dot-com companies offering Internet-based initiatives that promise healthy nondues revenue streams and a host of new...

GOING THE DISTANCE WITH E-LEARNING.
June 1, 2001... ASPs can deliver your professional development programs pronto. "Using an ASP [application service provider] was far and away the best move we made in gaining the most cost-effective access to the applications we were seeking," says...