Get to Know ASWA 2008

Get to Know ASWA Tools and Resources for Renewing, Growing, and Managing Your Chapter

ASWA Mission The mission of ASWA is to enable women in all accounting and related fields to achieve their full personal, professional and economic potential and to contribute to the future development of their profession.

Contents
Resources
National Board of Directors
Regional Directors
Headquarters Staff
Tools
ASWA Website
Joint National Conference (JNC)
ASWA Educational Foundation
Balance Awards
Scholarships
Marketing Materials
Membership Classifications and Dues Amounts
Chapter Leader Training
The Compass
Revitalizing Your Chapter - Overview
Attracting & Retaining Members - Overview
Locate Prospective Members - Overview
Appendix
Troubleshooting – where to go when you need more information
Revitalizing Your Chapter
Attracting & Retaining Members
Identifying Prospective Members
Personal Benefits of Membership
Benefits of National Membership
National Support for Chapters
The Communiqué - A look at what is inside some past issues
Advertise/Communicate: Meeting Announcement; Informational Advertisement Samples

You Are Not Alone!
One person can’t be expected to know all they need to know to manage an ASWA chapter. Take advantage of the depth and breadth of experience among the women who lead ASWA.
National Board of Directors
Regional Directors
Headquarters Staff

National Executive Board 2008 - 2009 See the Web page for contact information on each National Board Member. Feel free to contact any of them to ask for advice or support Barbara W Covington (Fort Walton Beach FL) - President Stacey L Craig, CPA (Phoenix AZ) – President-Elect Tracy L Johnson, CPA (San Antonio TX) - Vice President – Chapter Partnering Monika P Miles, CPA (Silicon Valley CA) – Vice President – Membership Vivian L Moller, CPA (Milwaukee WI) – Vice President - Communications Kate A Mulder, CPA (Ames IA) - Secretary /2008 JNC Co-Chair Cheryl Willers (Flagstaff AZ) - Treasurer The National Board of Directors is a group of women who’ve experienced similar chapter issues to those you’re facing. They have the organizational knowledge and managerial and leadership experience to help you develop and implement solutions.

National Board - Directors 2008 - 2009 See the Web page for contact information on each National Board Member. Feel free to contact any of them to ask for advice or support. Susan R Tripepi (Akron/Canton OH) Communications/2009 JNC Co-Chair Gale Kreitzberg (Billings MT) Chapter Partnering Eleanor Siverts-Akerman (Bellevue WA) Chapter Partnering/Audit Committee Gina Slack (Des Moines IA) - Chapter Partnering Kathryn Sharp, CPA (Member-At-Large) – Communications Dianna Patton, CPA (Richmond VA) Membership Development Berranthia Brown (Atlanta GA) – Membership Development Christina Polf, CPA (Seattle WA) – Communications Karen J Gunther (Boston MA) - Immediate Past President- Nominating Committee Part of the beauty of ASWA is the supportive nature of the organization, both locally and nationally.

Regional Directors – here for you
Chapter Mentoring
Assist troubled chapters
Readily available to consult chapter presidents via e-mail and telephone
Provide Strategic Planning Training to Chapter Leaders
Support chapter leaders by attending chapter and regional meetings

Regional Directors – across all 50 states, someone is available to help you with chapter issues
Northeast-Region 1
Paula Ellenberg CPA, CVA Baltimore
Mary E Duff CPA, Philadelphia
BJ Sprague CPA,
Carol Flynn CPA, Louisville
Michelle Smith, Music City
Violeta Torres, El Paso
Southeast-Region 2
Shirley Holt, Birmingham
Carol Mansen CPA, San Antonio
Melody King CPA, Richmond
Mesha Millsap CPA, San Antonio
North Central-Region 3
Laura Troy CPC,
Anne Marie Unger CPA, Indianapolis
See the Web page for contact information on each Regional Director

Regional Directors – across all 50 states, someone is available to help you with chapter issues
South Central-Region 4
Mesha Millsap CPA, San Antonio
Laura Troy CPC, Des Moines
Paula Zanni, Mesa East Valley
Southwest-Region 5
Amy Spickard Bess, San Francisco
Anne Christensen, Orange County
Paula Zanni, Mesa East Valley
Northwest-Region 6
Sharron O’Donnell CPA, Seattle
BJ Sprague CPA, Tacoma
See the Web page for contact information on each Regional Director

National Headquarters
Lee Lowery, Executive Director
Strategic Management, Board interaction, Financial Oversight, Program & Services Management
[email_address]
Kristin Edwards, Manager, Association Services
Member Services
[email_address]
1760 Old Meadow Road, Suite 500
McLean, VA 22102
703-506-3265 – phone Lockbox Address:
703-506-3266 – fax ASWA Lockbox
800-326-2163 – toll free PO Box 826131
Philadelphia PA 19182-6131
[email_address]
Call or write. We’d love to hear from you.

Tools – Let’s Get to Work!
In addition to our people, ASWA has tools to support development and growth of your chapter.
Award Winning Website www.aswa.org
Joint National Conference (JNC)
Balance Awards
Scholarships
Marketing Brochures
Membership Classifications and dues amounts
Chapter Leader Audio Conference
The Compass
Tips for Revitalizing Your Chapter
Tips for Attracting and Retaining Members
Locate Prospective Members

www.aswa.org An award winning website – don’t miss it!
Our website has both public and members-only sections.
Suggest potential members visit the public website for a variety of information:
Our mission statement and a brief history of ASWA
Membership – application and membership benefits
Membership renewal - on-line
National Board of Directors and Regional Director contact information
Chapter website links and contact information
Everything you need to know about the Annual Conference
Regional and National Events listing
Employment Opportunities
Links to other good websites
1 st

www.aswa.org Members Only and e Directory
For Members Only – we have access to a full membership roster and several commonly needed resources:
Find and contact other ASWA members with the information in the e Directory
Renew your Annual Membership and update your personal information online
All Chapter Leaders - Review reports of your chapter membership
Chapter Presidents and President Elects - Tools and guides to help you lead your chapter
Access to the Virtual Exchange – A discussion forum available to our members
Access to The Compass – the ASWA e-magazine
Nominate someone you know to be on the National Board
Order Chapter Materials – logo items, stationery, banners, gifts
Find articles archived in The Communiqué , a chapter operations publication, with tips for running and growing your chapter.

www.aswa.org Virtual Exchange – Discussion Forums Access the Virtual Exchange after logging into the Members Only Section, you’ll need to accept the Rules and Conditions before access is allowed. From here, you can ask questions about membership or chapters. These forums are monitored by our National Committees. Responses can be posted by any member. Look for additional forums such as the Technical forum to be published soon.

Joint National Conference for ASWA-AWSCPA
ASWA has an annual national conference (traditionally in the Fall)
It is a Joint National Conference with the American Woman’s Society of CPA’s (AWSCPA). ASWA and AWSCPA have joined together on our national conference to capitalize the efforts and efficiencies of both organizations. It is referred to as the ASWA-AWSCPA Joint Inspired Solutions Conference or JNC .
Chapter leadership should attend the conference for leadership and organizational meetings and to network with members from across the country, other chapter leaders, regional leaders and national leaders.
All members should consider attending for quality, low cost CPE and networking opportunities.
This year’s Joint Inspired Solutions Conference will be held at The Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, TX on October 28 – 30, 2008.

Joint National Conference for ASWA-AWSCPA
WHO SHOULD ATTEND If you are . . .
Responsible for monitoring developments in accounting and taxation.
Responsible for the quality and profitability of your company or firm.
Supervising and/or training accounting and finance staff.
Interested in developing a network of outstanding professionals.
Ready to promote your company or product in today’s marketplace.
A beginner or veteran, with or without a degree, in public accounting, industry, governmental, non-profit or academia.
What Will You Learn at the Joint National Conference?
The latest technical developments in accounting, auditing, tax, management, leadership, government and industry, including E-commerce, and budgeting and accounting software applications.
Motivational strategies that work.
Methods for effective management of people and the marketplace.
Effective means of identifying and responding to economic problems.
Valuable leadership techniques.
Means for achieving effective communication.
Professional contacts in a variety of industries.

The ASWA Educational Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation created by ASWA to enhance our association’s philanthropic pursuits.
The Mission of the American Society of Women Accountants Educational Foundation is to encourage and advance financial literacy, scholarships and life skills through programs of recognition, research and outreach for women in accounting and related fields .
Foundation programs currently include - the Balance Awards program and the Scholarship program . Plans for future programs and initiatives include advancing financial literacy through mentoring and advocacy for career life choices as well as more scholarships .

Balance Awards Celebrating the Dimensions of Success
Each year this program recognizes “best in market” companies and individuals whose commitment to work/life balance place them in the enviable position of earning the prestigious BALANCE AWARD.
This national recognition, which is conferred by a blue ribbon panel of judges, reflects a clear prioritization of both the value and values that winning companies place on their chief asset… their people.
Be sure to nominate a candidate. Recognition of their commitment to making the workplace experience both rewarding and empowering is vital. You can draw attention to ASWA in your area by nominating a person or company from your area and publicizing their nomination; consider holding a nomination recognition dinner.
See our website for prior years’ Balance Award Winners and nomination criteria.

Scholarship Program Purpose
Certification Scholarships
Purpose: To support the exam fees of any one of the following certifications: CPA, CFP, CFE, CIA, CVA or CMA.
CMA
Certified Management Accountant
2 Year College Scholarships
Purpose: For those attending Community, State or 2-Year Colleges towards an accounting of finance degree.
Undergraduate Scholarships
Purpose: To support the costs of attending 3rd, 4th or 5th year towards an accounting or finance degree.

Scholarship Program Criteria
Certification Scholarships
Criteria: Scholarship awards are presented to ASWA members only. Candidates are those who have passed any part of the exam during the scholarship period.
2 Year College Scholarships
Criteria: S cholarship awards are presented to community college students entering their second year of an Associates Degree Program who have completed 15 semester hours or the equivalent by time of application deadline. Candidates must have a minimum cumulative college grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent), and be majoring in accounting or finance. Scholarship candidates will be reviewed on leadership, character, communication skills, scholastic average and financial need.
Undergraduate Scholarships
Criteria: Scholarship awards are presented to students who have completed their sophomore year of college (or 60 semester hours or the equivalent by time of scholarship award) and are majoring in accounting or finance. Scholarship candidates will be reviewed on leadership, character, communication skills, scholastic average and financial need.

Marketing Materials
At a loss to describe the advantages of ASWA when talking to prospective members?
Forgotten ASWA’s vital membership statistics on industries, education levels, etc?
Having trouble getting those membership renewals in?
Need marketing content?
Read on!

Marketing Materials
Use these materials to improve your marketing program
ASWA Brochure (new and improved!)
Be sure to order at least your chapter’s 200 free brochures from headquarters
Make them available at meetings to give to guests.
Include them in your new member packet
Use them in fundraising letters
Make your own chapter brochure or an insert for the national brochure
The Compass ( e -Magazine)
Want to emphasize the professional and national image of our organization – what better way than our e-magazine? Have a few extra copies on hand for your chapter special event
Chapter web page
Explore free web development services
Link to the national website
Print Media Ad – Promotional (see appendix)
Print Media Ad – Meeting Announcement (see appendix)

Membership Classifications
Since we all know that one size does not fit all, ASWA has the following membership classifications
Regular - Hold a CPA certificate or equivalent; or have two or more year’s experience in accounting or hold a Bachelor’s degree
Affiliate - Have a substantial interest, but are not actively engaged, in accounting
Associate/Student - Regularly enrolled student or fewer than two year’s experience in accounting

National Membership Dues Amounts effective July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009
Membership Category
Regular $104.00
Affiliate $104.00
Associate/Student $34.00
Local dues amounts vary according to chapter and are in addition to national dues.
ASWA has online dues renewal available at www.aswa.org

Revitalize Your Chapter
Feeling Burned Out or Bored? Try these tips to get things going again
Encourage diversity of officer and committee chair volunteers
Review the chapter’s bylaws and standing rules; update them to reflect the current environment
Assess the value of each of your chapter’s committees; eliminate those that provide little return; set up new ones to work issues important to chapter development
Change your meeting time or hold meetings at a variety of times; invite other groups to your meetings
Hold a BIG membership drive with help from your regional director and perhaps a national board member; an instruction packet is available from headquarters; win a national award for signing on the most new members
(See the appendix for more details on these and other suggestions)

Attract and Retain Members
Be proactive with outreach; don’t wait for people to come to you; call any non-renewing members
Emphasize the benefits ASWA has to offer, personal, local and national
Fulfill needs of both existing and potential members
Provide opportunities – networking, skill building, personal and professional growth, friendship, and fun
(See the appendix for more details on these and other suggestions)

Locate Prospective Members
Obtaining the names of prospective members is the key to a successful membership drive and chapter membership growth. There is a whole universe of accountants to whom we can market.
Sources for prospects include:
Current members
Newspaper articles or announcements about job promotions
Other accounting organization membership lists
Lists of successful CPA and CMA candidates
Lists of graduates from local colleges and universities
(See the appendix for details on developing prospect lists.)

Appendix Resources Resources Resources Chapter

Appendix: Troubleshooting National VP-Communications; Regional Director Want to discontinue chapter (you don’t have to disband completely – you can go inactive) Kristin Edwards, HQ Lost or forgot your member number www.aswa.org Chapter roster; membership reconciliation Regional Director National Board Members Member management Lee Lowery, HQ Getting things done through HQ National Bylaws Regional Directors National Board members Procedural questions Kristin Edwards, HQ Membership: chapter counts, applications, brochures Resources Issues

Appendix: Revitalizing Your Chapter
OFFICERS & COMMITTEE CHAIRS – encourage diversity and variety
Establish a buddy system. Appoint co-officers to split office responsibilities; co-chairs to split committee work.
Have past officers help new officers transition. Ask past officers to be available to mentor and assist new officers during the year.
Encourage members to try something new. Show members that they can make officer and committee chair positions as simple or complex as they desire.
Consider new and younger members; they have the energy and tend to have more free time before marriage and kids.
Consider changing bylaws to eliminate committees, leaving only essential positions. Combine committee duties to make fewer positions.
Communicate to members the specific duties of each position so they know what is required. Rethink the requirements of each office; review the effectiveness of past practices.
Consider changing the frequency of board meetings or hold them at the same time as the monthly meeting.
Have members rotate offices so they’re not doing the same thing every year.

Appendix: Revitalizing Your Chapter (cont.)
MEETINGS – get people interested and attending
Don’t be afraid of change. Be inventive with speakers, locations, times and format.
Don’t depend only on members to bring guests. Invite other organizations or accounting and finance organizations from large local employers. Be sure to send flyers to all firms in your area. Call these firms and find a contact person who is interested. Support your membership/member recruitment chair in carrying out these ideas.
Interesting and educational meetings tend to keep attendance up. Plan meeting topics from membership input at the planning meeting or take a member survey.
Let young mothers, who often cannot get childcare, bring their children with them. Set up a kids table with coloring books, crayons, etc.
If fewer people attend evening meetings, try a noon meeting to get better attendance.
Tap into employment agencies for membership.
Remember that you will not get everyone at each meeting. A different crowd will attend lunch meetings versus dinner meetings and that‘s okay.
Consider holding roundtable discussion groups periodically (maybe on a quarterly basis). This allows broader participation. Be sure to use a variety of advertising to let people know these meetings are available.

COMMITTEES – they shouldn’t be a burden
Cut out nonessential activities. Use co-chairs to split commitments and duties. Get new people involved.
Don’t worry about having every position filled. Reduce the number of committees.
Do as much via email as possible i.e., newsletters and chapter communications.
Reduce the number of committee meetings. Have committee chairs delegate duties by phone. Hold committee and board meetings just before regular meetings so members must only reserve one night per month for ASWA activities instead of two or more.
THE ONLY REQUIREMENTS for being an active chapter are to hold 6 meetings a year; send in the chapter minutes; and file at minimum a financial compilation report. There are no minimum requirements for the number of committees in a chapter. If your chapter’s bylaws require certain committees, change the bylaws. Remove the committees from the bylaws and put them in the standing rules. Use wording such as “Committees will be defined each year by the board as needed and required”.

COMMUNICATION – we’ll get nowhere without it
Monthly member news emails – Keeps you current with what’s happening at the National level
Communicating regularly with your current membership and reaching out to potential members is the most important way to revitalize your chapter
If you have few volunteers, focus your efforts on communication: newsletters, meetings and advertisement.
If volunteers are really tight, reduce activities to monthly meetings of quality. If you are not having meetings, you cannot attract new members and will lose current members.
Concentrate on getting prospective member to attend meetings and signing them up.
Once you bring in new members, keep up a dialogue with them and encourage them to get involved.
Offer encouragement. Have fun. Get uplifting speakers.
Visit and talk with other organizations that are doing well and see what is working for them.
Sponsor one or more of your chapter members to travel to and attend the annual national meeting and convention. Members who’ve attended national are more willing to spend their valuable time on the organization. Ask attendees to write a newsletter article describing their experience at national.
Have joint meetings with other groups, such as the local bar association, local chapters of IMA, ABWA, AGA, FEI, AWSCPA etc. This helps members expand their professional networks and may bring in new members as well.
Invite a regional director to visit and help with a membership drive; get a sponsor to help with expenses.
Place informational advertisements in local and regional newspapers.
Send news releases to local news organizations to advise of ASWA accomplishments benefiting the local community, such as scholarships issued.

Appendix: Attract and Retain Members
Fulfill needs:
Poll your membership to determine their interests and priorities.
For example, ask how important it is to get continuing professional education at monthly meetings. If it’s a priority, you know where to focus your energies.
Examine the local business environment. Can your chapter offer something to accounting professionals that’s not available now?
Offer a variety of meeting times and locations.
If your chapter is in a large metropolitan area, you might try alternating between three or four sites around the area.
Provide opportunities:
Create time for networking.
Emphasize the ability to make business contacts.
Facilitate introductions by asking officers to each make one new member introduction each meeting.
Stress the opportunity to gain leadership skills through holding office.
Sponsor one registration to the national conference each year.

Appendix: Attract and Retain Members (cont.)
Be proactive with outreach
Invite women in accounting and finance to your meetings.
Check your local newspapers for job promotions and new hires
Look more broadly into the finance sector, including but not limited to banks, brokerage houses, companies employing financial analysts.
Look at local colleges and universities, especially in the adult programs.
Host outside social events
Publicize your meetings in the newspaper and on the radio – this is usually a free service.
Set up a website
Get the chapter involved in community activities (auctions, volunteering, joint meetings, etc.)
Challenge each member to bring a guest a certain number of times a year.
Network with the local Chamber of Commerce to market ASWA.
Set up a greeting table for chapter meetings.
Set up a greeting/info table at other professional groups’ functions, such as seminars and conventions. This can usually be done for a minimal, or no, fee – especially if they know that we are non-profit and that we provide scholarships.
Emphasize the benefits ASWA has to offer
Personal, Local and National
See the lists on the following pages
Adapt the lists to fit your chapter; you may offer additional benefits

Appendix: Identifying Prospective Members
Existing members can provide names of prospects from areas such as:
Their offices, clients’ offices, vendors’ offices
College classmates and professors
Accountants they know socially and from other organizations
Newspaper articles or announcements of accountants receiving new jobs or recent promotions. Other organization newsletters also provide information concerning job changes. Send prospect packets and congratulation letters to these people.
Mailing lists and rosters of other organizations like the:
State CPA society
Institute of Internal Auditors
Institute of Management Accountants
Association of Governmental Accountants
EDP Auditors
Hospitality Accountants
Hispanic Accountants Organizations
Association of Black Accountants
Tax Accountants Institutes
Financial Executives International
etc.

Appendix: Identifying Prospective Members (cont.)
The list of successful CPA candidates from the May and November exams are available approximately 60 days after the exam date.
The lists of successful CMA candidates from the exams are published in March and in September.
The list of recent or upcoming graduates from local colleges and universities. The schools may charge you for this list. Don’t forget private universities and the local community colleges and technical schools.
Recruit at companies from which you also want money or financial support:
Locate names of CFOs and Controllers through the internet or your public library.
Other good sources are the Chamber of Commerce, United Way and the Better Business Bureau.
A good way to obtain names is to call the Accounts Payable clerk in the organization. They know the financial people within the organization and they may want to attend ASWA meeting themselves.

Appendix: Identifying Prospective Members (cont.)
Very Important! Be sure to track names and addresses of guests attending each dinner meeting. Use the information to follow up with a phone call and prospect packet or both for the guest.
Institute an Honored Guest program. This program involves contacting the President of another local accounting group and inviting them to a dinner meeting as the Chapter’s guest. Ask the honored guest to speak about their organization. The objective is to spread knowledge about your chapter to as many people as possible.
Do the reverse! Call another organization and ask if you can give their membership a presentation about ASWA. Bring several board members if you’re not comfortable speaking alone.
For somewhat less targeted prospecting, distribute prospect packets at a CPA review course meeting. Contact the review course representative first, so they know what ASWA is and what information you will be distributing.

Appendix: Personal Benefits of Membership
ASWA is a member-driven organization dedicated to:
increasing your technical knowledge, skills and abilities
keeping you current in your field of expertise
providing career management and transition guidance and assistance
Our benefits include:
Business contacts locally and across the country
Personal and professional support
Relocation network
Scholarships for new and returning students
National Award programs
Job referral network
Leadership opportunities
Business management skills development
Local chapter and the monthly national e-magazine ( The Compass )
Low cost, high quality CPE at local, area and national meetings and conferences
Corporate discount programs: credit cards, ASWA Insurance Plans and more
Use this list to describe the advantages of membership to potential members. Add other benefits that are specific to your chapter. It’s a great marketing tool.

Appendix: Benefits of National Membership
The following list details the value of membership in ASWA.
Prestigious status of professional affiliation
National contacts for networking and professional information
Job bank
Wide selection of CPE opportunities
Scholarships
National Award program
Technical and leadership articles in monthly e-magazine
Discounted products and services through affiliation agreements
Leadership and training opportunities in non-threatening arena
Web site information and links to related sites
National membership directory
Annual national conference at a discounted rate

Appendix: National Support for Chapters
Use of trade name & logo
Enrollment in NASBA for all ASWA CPE courses
Access to headquarters via toll-free telephone number and e-mail
Presence on the internet through an award winning Web site, with chapter links
Marketing strength of a national organization
Administrative processing at headquarters
Turnkey chapter operations and administration model with manuals
Marketing materials
Recognition awards for chapter achievements
Visits from national board members
Voting rights
Group exemption from Federal income tax for the chapter and chapter scholarship funds

Appendix: Advertise/Communicate
Announce your meetings
Local and regional newspapers will usually publish, free of charge, the dates and times of meetings open to the public.
Make up your own announcement or use the outline on the next page.
Make it short and sweet or the newspaper may edit your work.
Try the same thing on local radio stations.
Promote your chapter
Let local and regional communities know about ASWA and your local chapter.
Use the sample informational ad further on in the appendix to get the word out.
Develop your own advertisement – just confirm with national headquarters that it’s OK to use.
Publish in daily newspapers, regional magazines or technical journals.
Use the format for flyers to hand out at local schools and businesses. Have each member post on a bulletin board at work. Make sure all local Chambers of Commerce receive a copy.

Appendix: Chapter Meeting Announcement Outline
ASWA Monthly Dinner Meeting
“ speaker topic”; speaker name, affiliation and credentials
Join us for networking, dinner and 1 hour of CPE
Location name and address; day and date; time
Contact Samantha Superwoman for reservations: phone number and/or email address
Website address

Appendix: Chapter Informational Ad Advocating, enhancing and celebrating the value that women in accounting and related fields bring to the profession and to society. Join our professional, non-profit organization. Over 80 chapters and approximately 4000 members across the US. General, tax, and management accounting, internal and external audit, and many other fields. Public, private, industry, non-profit and government arenas. Optimize your career and balance your life. We offer leadership and networking opportunities, educational programs, focus on work/life balance, and scholarships for new and returning students. www.aswa.org 800-326-2163 Interested? Contact your local chapter: {Chapter contact name} at 303-999-1234 or visit our website www.aswadenver.org Professionals Dynamic Mentors Innovators Educated Dedicated Leaders

Get to Know ASWA 2008

by jwhyde on Nov 12, 2008

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

Get to Know ASWA 2008 — Presentation Transcript