|
<< back to the 2000 archive listing <<
Dairy, Food and Environmental Sanitation
Quotations From Jack, February 2000
An update on the status of implementing the goals we set in 1997
By Jack Guzewich, IAFP President
One thing I did not fully appreciate until I became a member of the Executive
Board was how much it takes to run an Association! With a staff of twelve people,
publication of two monthly journals, a four-day Annual Meeting that attracts
over 1,200 people and the numerous Member services we provide, there is a lot
going on and more details than you want to know about. We also are very much
involved in long-range planning for the organization. At our spring meeting
in 1997 we updated a long-range plan that had been developed in 1993. This column
is an update on the status of implementing the goals we set in 1997.
Membership
Our Association had been experiencing an annual attrition rate of 18% in 1997,
which is typical for an association like ours. Our goal was to reduce that number
to 15%, but so far we hang at 18% in spite of some different approaches we have
tried. We have seen an increase in total International (outside North America)
and North American Members such that our overall Membership has grown from 2,793
in 1997 to 3,002. This is not bad given the attrition rate. We also have been
seeking to increase Sustaining Membership, an important way to hold down individual
Member dues. Sustaining Membership has remained constant, in spite of the large
number of consolidations that have occurred in the industry. Thanks go out to
all of our Sustaining Members for their support. We really need the help of
every Member to encourage existing Members to remain Members, to solicit new
Members and to encourage additional firms to become Sustaining Members. Our
staff has been developing new recruiting brochures and information that they
will gladly send you upon request. Please give them a call or send an E-mail
for any assistance.
Member Services
Much of what we have done new is electronic in one way or another. Our new Web
page is up and running at foodprotection.org. You will be able to register for
the Annual Meeting, renew Membership, order booklets and 3-A publications online
by March. Both the Journal of Food Protection and Dairy, Food and Environmental
Sanitation have information available online. Abstract submission was available
for the 2000 Annual Meeting. Sustaining Members have been offered a link from
our Web page to theirs at no charge. All of these concepts were called for in
our 1997 plan.
Education
One service we try and provide to authors who submit manuscripts for publication
in one of our journals is rapid turn-around times from first receipt of the
manuscript through the review process to publication. Our goal was to have our
average turn-around time be four months. Unfortunately, we are running closer
to five months average. Two of the reasons we are having a hard time making
the time shorter relate to the authors themselves. We often wait a long time
to receive corrected manuscripts back from authors after the review has been
done. Another problem we have had is receiving page charges from authors before
publication. We had to go to a system of collecting page charges up front as
we were having difficulty collecting them after publication. We set another
goal of conducting a reader survey of readers of both journals. Our current
plans call for this to happen in the fall of this year.
We set goals to increase attendance at our Annual Meeting. We had 1,030 attendees
in 1997 (Orlando), 1,152 in 1998 (Nashville) and 1,131 in 1999 (Dear-born).
Our goal for 2000 is 1,200 attendees and I think we will make it given the location,
program, name change attracting new interest, and growing recognition of the
value in attending our Meeting. Annual Meeting exhibitors have grown from 76
in 1997, to 84 in 1998, to 85 in 1999 and an expected 90 in 2000. We set the
goal of seeking sponsorships for functions at the Annual Meeting, a good way
to hold down ticket costs while giving sponsors added opportunities for recognition.
I am very pleased to report that sponsorship has grown from $0
in 1997, to $10,000 in 1998 and over $25,000 in 1999. We expect to exceed $30,000
in sponsorships at our 2000 Meeting. Many thanks to our sponsors for their generosity.
Our goal has been to hold two workshops at the Annual Meeting and two to three
stand-alone workshops during the year. We met the goal at the Annual Meeting
and have been doing one stand-alone workshop per year. We have some good ideas
for stand-alone workshops, but they require further development for us to meet
our goal.
Operations
Plans were developed and implemented by the staff and the Board to assure that
we operate effectively and efficiently. We set and have met the goal of assuring
ongoing training of our staff, our most valuable resource. We established a
computer rotation system e.g. leasing, in the office to keep the office up to
date and functioning smoothly. We developed a system to update Board and office
policies annually. The office staff organization has been realigned to empower
the staff and to assure efficient operation.
None of these activities could have happened without the dedication and hard
work put forth by our Executive Director, David Tharp, and the staff: (Lisa
Hovey, Assistant Director; Donna Bahun, Design and Layout; Julie Cattanach,
Membership Services; Lucia Collison, Association Services; Bev Corron, Public
Relations; Karla Jordan, Order Processing; Didi Sterling Loynachan, Administrative
Assistant; Beth Miller, Accounting Assistant, Pam Wanninger, Proofreader; Tanya
Wheeler, Audiovisual Library Coordinator; and Frank Zuehlke, Senior Accountant).
David's efforts are further demonstrated by his seeking and receiving recognition
as a Certified Association Executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association
Executives. Congratulations David! Speaking for the Board and myself, we are
very proud of how our Association has matured in the last three years and we
feel confident that things will continue to get even better in the future.
<< back to the 2000 archive listing <<
|
