July 2005 Newsletter
It may be hot in Houston, but HSAE is one cool group. Welcome to the July newsletter of the Houston Society of Association Executives. If you would like to submit an item for the August newsletter, please send it to pruth@houston.rr.com by Aug. 12.
President's Message
Dear HSAE Members:
Thank you for taking time out of your busy summer to attend the Astros' Game, and special thanks to Allison Kelley for arranging the meeting. Oliver Luck of the Houston Sports Authority, our host, gave a great presentation. Keep your fingers crossed. We may see another major sporting program in town.
As I thought about this month's program, "Men are From Mars and Women Aren't Impressed", at first I took personal offense to its title. Then, I thought “that would be silly as I live with three women and work with 12 others.” Furthermore, I'm not from Mars but originally from Midland. Of course, it could be debated that once you get out of town and are headed towards New Mexico and west, the landscape looks a lot like Mars and is hotter than another place that starts with an "h.”
Seriously, I apologize for not being at the July meeting. My absence is not because I took offense, but because I have both a business meeting and a family wedding to attend. Could someone take notes to share as to how we all can better listen and understand one another? It is only going to be through collaboration, partnering and team work that our organizations, leadership and staff teams will flourish.
Best Wishes from Mars (Virginia),
Ralston
J. Ralston Creswell, CAE
HSAE President
713-977-7706, ext. 6083
New Website Offers Job Posting Opportunities
Our new website, hosted by Schipul—The Web Marketing Company, includes a job bank. You may post your jobs for 30 days for $50, and we can generate a periodic newsletter that includes job postings. The Holocaust Museum reports that it received 30 resumes from the posting and email that HSAE sent out, so this can be effective advertising. The website may be found at www.hsae.org .
Market Your Association Via the Website
Maximize your HSAE membership by listing your organization as a Houston member organization. Go the website, click on "Houston Member Organizations" and then click on "Add a Directory." Simply follow instructions. There is no charge, and you will help HSAE market itself to new members while you increase the exposure of organizations you represent. If you need assistance, email pruth@houston.rr.com .
Member News
The Greater Houston Builders Association, whose CEO is HSAE treasurer Toy Wood, CAE, held its annual home show last weekend at Reliant Center.
The Houston Apartment Association, led by former HSAE president Jeff Hall, CAE, and represented on HSAE’s board by Andy Teas, recently started a public service campaign to alert parents to the dangers of unattended children near pools in hopes of reducing the number of drownings at public and apartment-owned pools.
The Houston CPA Society, led by former HSAE president Nancy Rutledge, will host its 16th annual golf tournament to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Oct. 24, at Sweetwater Country Club. The celebrity hosts are Dan O’Rourke and Craig Roberts. This golf tourney has netted $1,458,435 for Make-A-Wish over the past 15 years. To obtain registration information, please call 713-622-7733.
The Public Relations Society of America Houston Chapter, administered by Paula Ruth & Company Public Relations, will feature former United Way chief executive officer, Jackie Martin, at its Aug. 3 meeting at the Courtyard on St. James. Register at www.prsahouston.org.
Study Group to Form in August
By Jeffrey J. Tafel, CAE
International Facility Management Association
Consider taking the CAE exam in December. Please remember that study guides are available for $75 from HSAE. Contact Jeff Tafel, at 713.623.4362 or jeff.tafel@ifma.org to be part of the upcoming study group.
Last Month…
About 30 members and guests were treated to an Astros' game and lunch in the Houston Sports Authority box. Oliver Luck, chief executive officer of the Houston Sports Authority, outlined the accomplishments of the Authority since its formation in 1996 and the success of the three new stadiums in bringing additional business to the downtown and the city in general. Among its goals going forward are using the currently positive “buzz” about Houston as a sports town to market the metropolitan area for second levels of sports such as NCAA finals in Olympic sports and sports other than football, basketball and baseball. The city has recently hosted the finals for fencing and bowling, for example. In upcoming years the University of Houston will host the NCAA finals for swimming and diving. The Authority also will be advocating construction of venues for NASCAR racing and soccer.
HSAE President Ralston Creswell, CAE, American Diabetes Association (left) chats with former president Russell Hamley, CAE, Associated Builders and Contractors, and Jeff Tafel, CAE, International Facility Management Association at the June luncheon.
(Left to right) Jennifer Lindsay, and board members Julie George, Loren R. Cook & Associates and Vicky Aranda, Association Network greeted members and guests in the Houston Sports Authority box.
Oliver Luck,
CEO of the Houston
Sports Authority
gave HSAE
members an
insider's view
of sports marketing
in Houston.
From Other Sources:
The Nonprofit Times reports that average executive director pay will increase from $90,422 in 2004 to $92,411 in 2005 or roughly 2.2 percent, based on their survey of 209 nonprofit organizations. Male executive directors were paid $108,555 on average last year, while females holding the same position received $77,086. Men executive directors are expected to receive $109,516 this year (2005), and women executive directors are slated to receive $79,992. We’ll have to ask our July speaker if this means that Martians are worth more. (The complete Nonprofit Times story may be accessed at http://www.nptimes.com/Feb05/sr1.html .
President George W. Bush signed the junk fax legislation on July 9 restoring the “established business relationship” exception for commercial faxes, which enables associations and other businesses to send unsolicited commercial faxes to members and clients, according to information provided by the American Society of Association Executives. The bill requires all unsolicited commercial faxes to include an opt-out provision on the first page of the fax and provide a cost-free, 24-hour means for the recipient to request removal from the fax distribution list. While it grandfathers fax numbers a sender possesses at the time of the enactment, it requires that senders obtain the numbers either directly from the recipient or from a public source to which the recipient gave the number for publication, such as a web site, advertisement or directory.
While the American Jobs Creation Act passed last year generally limits the charitable deduction for vehicles to the actual sales price of the vehicle when it is sold, ASAE and Accounting Today report that new guidance states that a donor may claim a “fair market value deduction if the charity “makes intervening use of the vehicle,” completes major repairs that would increase its value or gives/sells the vehicle at a below-market price to a needy individual. The guidance is available at www.irs.gov/charities .
What to Tell the President about Committee Planning
By Robert C. Harris, CAE
Most leaders know the importance of committees. Committee planning should be a priority because they facilitate the board’s work while bringing fresh perspectives to the organization. Committee participation is a good way to engage the members and identify future leaders.
So why do presidents wait until after they are installed, or until the first board meeting, to appoint and charge their committees?
You can help your incoming president power-up his or her committee planning by offering these tips.
Identify the Committees
Standing committees are required and described in the association’s bylaws. Make a list of the standing committees and their requirements, such as prescribed duties and number of members.
Ad hoc, special and "task forces" committees are appointed as needs arise. Your president should consider the association’s objectives and whether or not the standing committees can accomplish all of them. If not, consider appointing special committees that have a narrow focus. They will be disbanded after they achieve their goals.
Timeline
The best time to identify, appoint and charge the committees is before the incoming president’s installation and prior to the first board meeting. The incoming president should consult with officers and staff to decide what committees must be appointed to handle the work ahead. Take into consideration any work the previous committees did not complete, as well as projects that should be carried into the next year. By planning the committee structure before taking office, the president can give the committee chairs a jump-start on achieving their goals.
The Chairs Should be Accountable
Committees work best with a chair and vice chair to take responsibility for the work. Co-chairs sometimes run committees. The least effective committees are those without any appointed chair, but rather a group of members--nobody being sure who is in charge or accountable.
When discussing duties with the committee chairs, provide a written description of the role and expectations of the chairs. Are they expected to attend board meetings, make reports, or come up with their own action plan?
By telling them what is expected, committees will work to benefit the board. Remind them of this adage: Committees make recommendations, boards ratify, and staff implement.
Charging the Committees
Committee goals must be consistent with the organization’s mission statement, bylaws and strategic plan. Similarly, if the committee is expected to expend funds, or raise them, it should also be consistent with the budget.
Committees are more likely to succeed with very clear directives, or charges. Realistically, one to three charges per committee should make up the bulk of the work for the year. With too many directives, volunteers become overwhelmed and confused.
The best charges for committees are well defined, measurable goals, with deadlines and interim benchmarks. For example, the president may want to increase membership in the association. The charge to the committee might read: "To increase membership by 5% over the current level of 600 regular members, by adding 8 new regular members per quarter." Ask them to report their results in writing at each quarterly board meeting.
Making Appointments, Orientation
After determining the committees, the chairs, and the charges, use decorum to make the appointments. Whether it is the association’s president or the committee chair who appoints committee members, do it with an etiquette that makes members feel special about being asked to serve.
Tell prospective committee members the purpose of the committee on which they are being asked to serve. Describe the committee’s goals and who will be its chair. Provide details about how often the committee meets, whether meetings are in person or by conference call, and if expenses will be reimbursed. When inviting a member to join the committee, give them a reply form they can return by mail or fax so you can be certain they have accepted or declined the invitation to serve.
Require Written Reports
There is a tendency to treat committees as an informal meeting. However, they should be run similar to a board meeting, with the chair providing an agenda and meeting specifics.
Reports should be required for every committee meeting. The president may choose to require meeting minutes, or to provide a standard form that simply asks who attended and what was accomplished. By sharing this report with the president and staff, committees can more effectively gauged their progress and may meet their goals with greater efficiency.
For More Information
The Incoming President’s Planning Workbook is available for free on the Internet. It can be downloaded and used as a guiding document for appointing committees.
Note: Robert C. Harris, CAE, is an association executive and consults on management efficiency. His seminars include "How to Perform a Self-Audit of Information and Operating Systems," and "Best-Practices in Association Management." He is co-author of Building an Association Management Company. Email: Bob@RCHCAE.com
Other Opportunities:
The Texas State Association of Parliamentarians will sponsor a Parliamentary Procedure Workshop on from 9-1:30 on Saturday, Aug. 6. Led by Dr. Martha Haun and Dennis Clark, both registered parliamentarians who have taught the course for 25 years, the session will be held at the Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet. Cost is $25. To register, contact Connie Pendergast at ConniePen@aol.com or Judy Joe at j.joe@prodigy.net .
Upcoming Dates for HSAE Meetings
ASAE Conference: August 8 – 13, Nashville, TN
Luncheon: Thursday, August 25, Hilton Westchase, 9999 Westheimer
TSAE Conference: September 11-13, Galveston, TX Robert Morris will be speaking at the TSAE Annual Conference in Galveston on September. 12th and will review several best selling books on Leadership. Houston attendees will be offered a special rate of $120 if they register by Aug. 15. For more information on this conference, click here: https://www.tsae.org/Staticpages/Conference/2005/General.htm
Wine Tasting: Thursday, September 29, The Tasting Room
Luncheon - Association Day: Thursday, October 28 (note date change), Cong. Ted Poe, speaker
CenterPoint Energy – “Power Tools for Nonprofits” Conference: November 16, Reliant Center. Registration fee will be $49, if early.
Holiday Party/New Officer Installation: Friday, December 30
2005 HSAE Officers
J. Ralston Creswell, CAE, President
713-977-7706 x 6083
Senior Executive Director, American Diabetes Association
Allison Kelley, President-Elect
832-717-5200
Executive Director, Romance Writers of America
Toy Wood, CAE, Treasurer
281-970-8970 x 150
Executive Vice President and CEO of the Greater Houston Builders Association
Jo D. Miller, Secretary
713-783-9225
Executive Director, Houston Chapter Institute of Real Estate Management
Jay Hagins, CAE, Immediate Past President
713-237-9999
President, Houston Advertising Federation
This is an electronic newsletter of the Houston Society of Association Executives. The deadline for the August newsletter will be Aug. 12. This can be a tool for your association and your professional growth, so send your items generously to pruth@houston.rr.com. To opt out of this newsletter, please email Aaron Long at along@schipul.com.
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