June/July 2004

Volume 44, Number 6

Transformers

by Frank Tagader, STC RMC President

Well, it's my final column as president. And, before I delve into it, I want to thank the many of you who have made my presidency a joy. At the risk of forgetting a name, I will not name names here. I will try to thank you each personally. And, now on to the column …

While the STC Transformation process is still coming into its own, what has emerged for me is that each of us as members of this society needs to become a transformation agent. We need to help mold the society and the efforts that help define the "communities" we belong to within the society. The first step in choosing how this society grows is to think about what this society offers you and decide to support those things that enrich your life experience.

In my realm of thought I really hope that the chapter model survives. We have an incredible chapter here. Before the transformation effort got off the ground, I had hoped to reach out more to the members we have on the Western Slope and more to the members centered in Northern Colorado/Southern Wyoming/Western Nebraska. Because of the transformation efforts, I adopted a wait-and-see attitude instead of going with my initial idea of investing chapter funds in methods for providing our chapter meetings in streaming video for our members who reside outside the Denver metropolitan area. Time will tell if this was the right decision.

We do have a pretty good idea that, over the next couple of years, your choices to what services you "subscribe" to from the international organization will open up. You may choose not to get the printed magazine. You may choose to belong to a number of different special interest groups. But, I hope that if you currently participate in this chapter, you will continue to choose to divert some dollars to the local chapter. From all indications, chapter membership will no longer be part of the base membership price but may be included in one or more of the options. The networking and fellowship I get from this chapter are invaluable to me. Without a doubt, this chapter will not get the funding it has in the past. Many chapters will probably dry up completely.

Have you attended a program that provided you with valuable information? Do you like the effort that goes into creating our newsletter, our salary survey, our seminars, and our website? Do you get value from participating in these local efforts?

Personally, I learned a great deal about website development by being part of the web team. Also, I feel that if I was ever called upon to create an online or printed newsletter, I would have the requisite tools at my disposal from having worked on Technicalities for so many years. However, the biggest area of growth for me has been in leadership skills. While I no longer manage a team of people in the working environment, I don't feel I would have been as effective of a manager if I hadn't led teams within the chapter or been elected to chapter office. It is a great way to get some on-the-job training without the same level of risk.

From a selfish standpoint, I would miss having a chapter and the local activities associated with it. Each month, I enjoy having a bit of nosh, jawing with my friends, meeting new people, and learning something from a speaker, panel, or my peers.

While the society and the chapter need to change to accommodate the changes we see in the profession and disciplines, I hope there will continue to be a few things that we hold onto that make the experience more personal and rewarding.

Now is the time to make yourself heard. Let your chapter and society leadership know what you want from the society and the chapter. Let them know how you want your dues spent. What is of value to you? What is superfluous? While STC is a community of about 20,000, that figure is not overwhelming. It's the size of a small- to medium-sized town. In such an atmosphere, you definitely can make your voice heard and help direct the society into what it needs to be to face the future. Thanks and good luck.