Linking People, Learning and Performance

2007 was a banner year for the Suncoast chapter.  Thanks to the momentum started by Past President Jennifer Seavey in 2006, we proceeded to exceed her expectations for an innovative, member-friendly chapter. 

Our newly elected board reviewed the vision, mission, and values statements of the chapter and revised them as follows:

Vision

To be the organization of choice for workplace learning and performance professionals in the greater Tampa Bay area by achieving world class chapter distinction.

Mission

To provide an environment for members to network and exchange ideas about the advancement of workplace learning and development by meeting national standards, creating opportunities for members to share their knowledge for higher achievement, employment, and cultural enrichment.

Values

• Creativity/innovation – thinking outside the box
• Growth – investing in lifelong learning and personal development
• Accountability – taking responsibility for both actions and outcomes
• Service – serving the community
• Wisdom – having deep understanding and insight
• Member satisfaction

They also determined that solid goals were needed to achieve success.  The goals were set as follows:

Goals

1. Membership – By 12/31/07, increase membership by 15% and reduce attrition by saving a minimum of 20 non-renewals.

2. Revenue – By 12/31/07, increase nondues revenue by $3,500.00.

3.  Marketing – By 12/31/07, conduct two major marketing campaigns to the Tampa Bay Community, which results in a 15% increase in attendance at monthly chapter meetings (increasing attendees from 20-25 to 30 per meeting).

Several strategies were developed to assist the board in achieving these goals.

Strategies

1. The Position Referral Service will add value to the chapter by:

Increase existing member usage of the position referral service.

Use position referral to increase membership and attract and retain new members.

Use internet technology to improve response time and increase member satisfaction with the position referral service.

Proactively promote the position referral service to members and potential members, via eMarketing.

2. Professional Development will increase local chapter membership by:

Marketing the CPLP SIG.

Providing guidance of programs to correlate with professional SIGs.

Leveraging SIG members to advertise benefits of local chapter membership.

3. Professional Development will increase chapter revenue by:

Promoting CPLP SIG study group to encourage membership.

Leveraging ideas of CPLP SIG membership for relevant program content.

Leveraging CPLP SIG guest speakers to facilitate local chapter programs.

4. Professional Development will increase local chapter marketing by:

Advertising benefits of local chapter to CPLP SIG members.

Advertising at local schools and professional organizations.

Working with local SIGs to increase awareness of local chapter.

Programs

At the end of 2006, we sent out a survey to our members to determine what programming and services they would like to see as the chapter continued to grow.  One message came out loud and clear.  Our members were looking for consistent monthly programming that met all member needs.  VP of Programming, Chris Littell was able to secure professional speakers that covered the top ten topics based on survey results.  As a result, our attendance at meetings increased by over 30%.  Speakers such as Gary DePaul, Candice Watson, Ed Nolan, and Richard Gerson offered innovative and interactive programs throughout the year.

We also changed our venue to the Feather Sound Country Club in St. Petersburg.  This location offered us a beautiful setting, controlled pricing, excellent food, and a centralized location for all our members.

Communications

We launched a new website in 2007, a much more professional looking site.  While we are still having some “growing pains” with the new website, the functionality and the information provided continues to improve and grow.  Our goal is to make the site your one-stop shop for workplace learning and performance.  VP of Communications, Nayda Pol-Bellis took charge of the project and did an excellent job of coming in on time and on budget with the launch.

We also launched a new quarterly newsletter which will provide additional information about the chapter, its services and events, and national news.

Membership

Our membership increased from 171 to 216 by the end of the year, an increase of 26%.    Our VP of Membership, Gina Haberman, worked diligently to create a member-friendly atmosphere.  She hosted 5 new member orientations, welcoming new members to their first meetings.

Awards and Recognition

In conjunction with National Employee Learning Week, the chapter also hosted our second annual REEL awards.  With a new name, OPALs (Outstanding Performance and Learning), we created criteria for submission and hosted the event jointly with the Tampa Bay ISPI chapter.  A total of 10 applications were submitted.  We awarded 4 team and 4 individual awards.  We look forward to expanding the awards in 2008.

Special Interest Groups

We have three strong Special Interest Groups (SIGs).  The Sarasota, OD, and Sr. HRD SIGs continue to offer specialized programs for their members and guests.  We hope to launch several new SIGs this year, a CPLP Study Group, consulting, and corporate training.

Financial Summary

The financial picture for 2007 reflects a year of continued reorganizing of our finances, filing and paying taxes, launching a new website, and paying our bills on time The year end chapter income totaled $29,893.19 (an increase of $4,593.10 over budgeted income) and expenses of $31,887.52 (an increase of $6,587.52 over our estimated revenue budget for the year) resulting in an income of -$1,994.33.  We plan to make adjustments to our estimated revenue and estimated expenses in 2008.  A formal budget will be posted on the website by the end of February.