1. Building a Strong Section: Committee on Membership
ASME
Building a Strong Section:
A Hands on Approach
By Phil Young
Committee on Membership

2. Why Section Building? Flat Membership Numbers
Students

3. Why Section Building? We’re Losing Younger Members
1997
Age Histogram
Sept’97 – Sept’01
2001

4. Why Section Building? Steadily Losing Younger Members
Members 41 and Older
40 and Younger

5. Why Section Building? COM Analysis
Active Local Sections (meetings, speakers, tours, speakers, newsletters, etc.)
= Membership Retention
ACTIVE LOCAL SECTIONS
RETAIN MEMBERS

6. Why Section Building? Membership Sources / Correlations
Retention
Correlates With Section Activities
Automatic Upgrades (AU’s)
Active ASME Student Sections
Close Section Ties With Student Sections
New Member Recruitment
Direct Mailings, General Applications,
P/D Courses, Conferences
Member-Get-A-Member (MGAM) Locally

7. How to Section Build Essentials for Success
Essentials of Section Building
The Plan
Board And Committee Volunteers
Both In Place By August

8. How to Section Build The Plan
Look Back To Previous Programs And Activities That Worked
Plan Activities For Younger Members
Review ML Section Planning
Review Leadership Toolbox
Use A Calendar To Document Plan

9. How to Section Build Excel Calendar (June to June)
Section meeting 7 pm
Newsletter ed

10. How to Section Build Volunteers
Section Operating Board
Chair
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Newsletter Editor
Web Master
Directors
Immediate Past Chair
Tours Chair
Program Chair
Member Interest/Membership Development
Nominating Committee Chair
Nominating Committee Members
Industry Relations
College Relations
Local College Faculty Advisor
Local College Student Section Chair
K-12 (Pre-college)
Government Relations
Honors and Awards
Professional Development
Minorities and Women
Technical Activities
Professional Practice and Ethics
History and Heritage

11. How to Section Build Volunteers
Section Operating Committees
Finance Committee
Student Section Activities
Professional Development
Membership Development
Member Interests
Honors
Government Relations
K-12 Outreach
Engineers’ Registration
Plant Representatives
Management Relations
History and Heritage Committee
Technical Interests
Board on Minorities and Women

12. How to Section Build Volunteers
Section Programs
Planning the Section Programs
Planning the Section Plant Tours
Committees on Special Events
Newsletter Printing and Distribution Committee
Attendance Committee
Badge Committee
Fellowship Committee
Specialized Interests

13. How to Section Build Recruit Volunteers
Identify Volunteer Positions Using The Plan
Maximum 2 or 3 Tasks You Want Each Volunteer To Accomplish For The Year
Use Your Membership List To Make Calls
Reassure The Volunteer, Time Required Is Minimal
Chair Must Spend The Time Upfront / Make The Calls

14. How to Section Build Membership List
Online Access
Your Field Office Support Can Help You Get Your Section Membership List
For a list of Regional offices and their contact information, visit the web at or

15. How to Section Build By September 1st
Plan Completed / August Planning Meeting
Volunteers Recruited
Board and Committees Functioning
Section Programs Identified
Section Activities Identified

16. How to Section Build What’s In It For Me? Section Chair
No Last Minute Panics
Won’t Have To Do It All Yourself
Get More Accomplished
Learn How To Manage, Not Fire Fight
Have More Fun

17. How to Section Build What’s In It For Me? Volunteers
Technical Fellowship
Networking At Local, Regional And International levels. Identify contacts
Leadership Training and Experience
Enjoy Making A Difference At The Section And National Levels
Doing Something New And Exciting

18. How to Section Build Management Tips
Specific, Manageable Tasks With Beginning And End
Tasks That Matches Interests And Reasons For Volunteering
Good Reason For Doing The Tasks
Written Instructions
Reasonable Deadline For Tasks

19. How to Section Build Management Tips
Freedom To Complete Tasks When It Is Convenient For The Volunteer
Follow-up To Insure Tasks Progress
Provide Feedback When Tasks Are Finished
Appreciation And Recognition That Matches The Accomplishments

20. How to Section Build Management Tips
Contact Your Board And Committee Volunteers Two Days Before Each Meeting
Personal Contacts Or Telephone Calls Work The Best
Find Out If They Plan To Attend
Make Sure They Are Prepared For The Meeting
CHAIR MUST FOLLOW-UP,
IT WORKS!

21. How to Section Build Closing
Good Luck In Building Your Section
Sections With More Activities Have More Fun
Please Send Me Your Feedback About This Presentation And Your Section Building Experiences To: Phil Young, COM member at large at