  ASSELA LOS
ANGELES CHAPTER
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS
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LONG RANGE PLAN
Below is the most recent
Long Range Plan for the Los Angeles Chapter ASSE. Any suggestions for
improvement should be sent to the Long Range Planning Committee via the Chapter
President.
American Society of Safety Engineers
Los Angeles Chapter
LONG RANGE PLAN
2005 - 2008
Written under authority of the Chapter's Bylaws by
Don Kramer, ARM, Immediate
Past-President
July 1, 2005
Introduction
The Chapter's bylaws commit the Immediate
Past-President to reporting the Chapter's long range plans. While this is to be
done by a "Long Range Planning Committee" (with the Immediate Past-President
serving as "committee chair") the process to the present has been informal (AKA
one-person effort). So, this report continues in that tradition and is a
collection of ideas, goals, and mechanisms that focus on the Chapter's future.
This plan is prepared for reception and discussion at the 2005 summer planning
meeting. It serves its purpose if it stimulates open discussion and ideas that
are actualized in the future.
Assumptions
The LA Chapter---
Relies on ASSE National for the
recruitment of new members.
Relies on ASSE National for the general
administration of the membership in the Society.
Assumes some responsibility for the
retention of members.
Relies on half-day conferences to
generate non-dues revenue.
Is fiscally sound with about $17,000 in
the Treasury.
Will continue to face competition from
our changing world.
Will not to raise Chapter dues (currently
$15 annual).
Has strong name recognition ("Los
Angeles").
May need to consider its role in
diversification as per the major success of SPALW and the other regulatory
oriented half-day conferences.
Has a bright future with several great
leaders on the Executive Board.
Summary
GOAL I - CHAPTER ORGANIZATION
Each Officer should write a functional
job description to show what to do (a) before a meeting, (b) during a meeting,
and (c) after a meeting in the respective job activity. The job descriptions
should be passed on to future officers holding those positions so they can
step in and do thing immediately or in the absence of an officer at a meeting.
The Chapter should continue to innovate
and try nontraditional formats for meetings and programs to create a fresh and
entertaining spin.
The Chapter gets major attendance spikes
when it has programs that focus on current regulatory changes and the leaders
of the regulatory agencies.
The meetings should be priced at $15 to
$20 to remain competitive with the surrounding Chapters and other similar
groups such as SCISS.
The $5 "program only" option was a
success and should be mentioned in periodic meeting notices.
The Chapter should look at how the SPALW
meeting was marketed and consider structuring future meetings that way. The
writer was the Co-Chair of SPALW.
Officers should consider running for the
same position two years in a row. Mike Marshall and Jay Preston are very good
examples of how this works.
GOAL II - MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
Broaden the Chapter's constituency by
diversifying programs that include Spanish programming. Alternatives may
include:
Forming a Spanish-speaking section
Holding meetings every month with
alternating English-Spanish language formats.
Determine Hector Escarcega's
availability for leading Spanish programming initiatives and / or
"chairing" a position if one were created around him.
Mail postcards with simple "at-a-glance"
lettering a week before the meetings.
Don't be bound to a "monthly newsletter."
Try something different such as a simple one-page "Letter from the Chapter
President."
Make the newsletter or anything we send
out (postcards excepted) much more personal in nature and include such
interesting articles on the biographies of the Board members, member
accomplishments, and some positive news about the Chapter.
Send a short, effective E-mail "reminder"
notification two days before the meeting.
Telephone members who never show up at
meetings once a year.
Shift "Regulatory Updates" to the
California Governmental Affairs Committee from the newsletter.
The Newsletter should serve more for
human interest rather than a regurgitation of regulations found liberally
elsewhere.
GOAL III - EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Board should consider creating ad hoc
marketing teams consisting of 3 or 4 members each to organize and market the
Chapter meetings. One team can handle the January meeting, another team the
February meeting, and so forth. This would build in more spirited
volunteerism, create diversity among the meetings, and place a strong value on
the marketing effort.
The Board should encourage and assist the
teams of meeting planners along the lines of obtaining individual figures of
notoriety (e.g. John Howard).
It is highly recommended that most
speakers be paid $100 as token of appreciation. This will compensate the
speaker for poor meeting attendance and relieve the Chapter of potential
embarrassment since the speaker comes at his/her own expense and with some
speech preparation time.
GOAL IV - PUBLIC AWARENESS
Consider taking a Chapter meeting to a
public "safety fair" to improve the identification and image of the Society
and the Chapter. We could be along side of the LA County Sheriff's booth, for
example, or be featured near
"Homeland Security" people.
Consider holding a meeting at one of the
local colleges to foster interest in the safety profession at the "student"
level. Students could be invited for a "free lunch meeting" as we have
scholarship money that could be used for such purposes.
Consider holding a meeting at a local
high school under the general auspices of "career day" or perhaps during
"National Safety Week."
Continue to identify opportunities to
issue "press releases" to local TV and newspaper organizations. Both Don
Kramer and Hector Escarcega have appeared on local TV for the organization in
the recent past.
GOAL V - MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
Rely on ASSE National for greater support
of membership services. Regard the fact that $120 of the annual $135 member's
dues goes to National.
Ensure that Terry Norris, the new Region
One VP, gets a big welcome when she comes to visit the Chapter.
Consider using the PO Box on a permanent
basis. Currently, Don Kramer is funding this box at $48 / annum.
Consider doing Chapter activities that
can become eligible for credit for such professional designations as the CSP.
GOAL VI - SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT
Support the concept of a Southern
California Regional PDC.
Consider a one-day joint meeting of all
Southern California Chapters as a precursor to an annual Southern California
Governor's Safety and Health Conference. The focus should be on the regional
needs of the small to medium sized business that aren't served internally by
their insurance Loss Control rep, a full time Safety Director, or by the
independent CSP.
Consider alternatives for the Chapter's
"scholarship fund" that is essentially going unused.
GOAL VII - FISCAL VIABILITY
Consider having a "two tier" Chapter
meeting cost--$15 "for members" and $20 for "non-members."
Consider a $5 "program only" admission
price for those who come "just to hear the speaker."
Consider tax issues if we become fiscally
larger than we already are, or if we have tax-triggering events (whatever they
may be).
Send mail to the webwhiz at
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comments about this web site. Copyright © 2000-2008
ASSELA Los Angeles Chapter ASSE. The ASSE "Norman Shield" is a registered
service mark.
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