[SBE] activating inactives

[Bob Reite]

Chapter 2 has the best attendance when free lunch is offered, even if 
it's only pizza and soda.

w7msl at tconl.com wrote:

> Our chapter 74 covers two markets, Omaha and Lincoln.  We went to almost 

> exclusively lunch meetings several years ago.  Everybody has to eat, it 

> seems.  Sometimes we have a night meeting depending on the program.  

> Sometimes we have a meeting in or closer to Lincoln.  In August we do 

> seminars all day - usually 4 of them, 2 on either side of lunch - in 

> Lincoln at the state broadcasters convention.  Total attendance at these 

> is generally our best of the year: around 40, sometimes 50 or more, 

> which is not terribly bad for the number of engineers we have here.  

> Also, the state convention brings out some of the "hinterlanders" we 

> only see once a year.

> 

> At least one of our members is in the cellular telephone industry.  We 

> need to be thinking about where the industries are headed in 

> broadcasting.  Some day, the content might be broadcast through the cell 

> tel networks more so than directly over the air.  It makes sense to get 

> these folks into the family.  Hey, it's all RF, right?

> 

> Mike Shane, CBRE

> 

> 

> 

> At 11:11 AM 6/19/2008, you wrote:

>> We have restarted the Miami Chapter with excellent participation of 

>> both Radio and TV Engineers.

>> about 50/50

>>

>> All the Engineers, while very busy, have made the hour or two once a 

>> month to attend.

>>

>> We have mixed it up a bit, with Lunch time and Evening meetings.  Some 

>> SBE members can only attend lunch or evening meetings.

>> so far, we have had excellent results.

>>

>> Our next meeting is the NAB roadshow

>>

>> James  Leifer CPBE

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <chscherer at everestkc.net>

>> To: "sbe member discussion mail list" <sbe at sbe.org>

>> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:00 PM

>> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

>>

>>

>>> No one will argue that there are more demands on everyone's time.

>>>

>>> The SBE is working on webinars, and I know that trade publications 

>>> are already offering them. Good idea, Dave. Lots of us agree with you.

>>>

>>> There are lots of ways to get information, but the in-person meeting 

>>> has a unique value of its own. I can't make it to every chapter 

>>> meeting, but when I do, I find the social and professional networking 

>>> to be as important as the program topic.

>>>

>>> I certainly hope that chapters are trying different options for 

>>> day/night/weekend meetings if attendance is sliping. Of course what 

>>> works in one city does not work in another.

>>>

>>> I would like to hear some success stories from chapters. Was your 

>>> chapter having trouble and turned around? Have you been a chapter 

>>> champion and helped make things happen? Let's here what you have done.

>>>

>>> Chriss

>>>

>>> ----- Original Message -----

>>> From: Dave Dybas <dd92251 at aol.com>

>>> Date: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:38 am

>>> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

>>>

>>>> Guys,

>>>>

>>>> With radio station consolidation, the typical radio engineer has

>>>> severaltransmitters and studios and maybe even a Wife and kids) to

>>>> maintain. The

>>>> days of kicking back and reading trade publications, visiting other

>>>> engineers and attending SBE meetings are, for the most part, gone.

>>>>

>>>> Without doubt the SBE is a valuable resource and is appreciated by

>>>> many. I

>>>> wonder if there would be value to developing "webinars", that is

>>>> web based

>>>> seminars for the members. Or holding Local Chapter meetings on

>>>> Weekends?

>>>>

>>>> Dave Dybas CBT

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> -----Original Message-----

>>>> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf

>>>> Of Garrison

>>>> Cavell

>>>> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:01 AM

>>>> To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'

>>>> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Chriss

>>>>

>>>> I don't know whether the following is a permitted post on this

>>>> site since it

>>>> isn't purely technical, but I thought I'd lob in a comment to what

>>>> seemed to

>>>> be an emerging thread.

>>>>

>>>> I've been through this sort of issue (chapters fading or becoming

>>>> inactive)with similar entities, like IEEE local chapters, local

>>>> NSPE chapters, and

>>>> other organizations, so you could conclude, thankfully, that this

>>>> is not a

>>>> unique "SBE issue". Rather, it is a universal problem that has

>>>> impactedalmost every volunteer entity and professional

>>>> organization. So I guess

>>>> there's a bit of good news in this - SBE is not in and of itself the

>>>> problem.

>>>>

>>>> The bad news is - it has become increasingly hard to keep people

>>>> interestedand involved - and particularly if it requires people to

>>>> leave their homes

>>>> and workplaces to "come out" to any event. From my perch, it would

>>>> appearthat this problem really started occurring over 5-8 years

>>>> ago, but I am not

>>>> entirely sure why.

>>>>

>>>> My best guess is that an increasing lack of personal time, growing

>>>> familypressures, work demands, and little support from employers

>>>> add up to almost

>>>> no spare time for members. Attrition in our ranks hasn't helped

>>>> any either.

>>>> There are fewer of us (one engineer - a half dozen stations or

>>>> more) so a

>>>> group of any size, even in a larger metro area, would have to draw

>>>> from a

>>>> larger territory - compounding the problem.

>>>>

>>>> Curiously, good technical programs often (but not always) bring

>>>> people out,

>>>> but as you know, it is difficult to hit a "home run" every time.

>>>> And chapter

>>>> member interest can be diverse, so keeping it relevant for

>>>> everyone (so

>>>> folks will keep coming out and supporting the chapter) is a big

>>>> challenge.

>>>> The successful local entities (or any sort) always seem to have a

>>>> core group

>>>> of folks who are enthusiastic and seem tireless. More than likely,

>>>> they have

>>>> been the "glue" for the entity for years. The problem here is that

>>>> a few

>>>> retirements, relocations, or deaths can pave the way for a group's

>>>> demise.Getting newer members involved and interested in helping to

>>>> "row the boat"

>>>> can be very tough (and especially if the "core" does not "let go"

>>>> and give

>>>> the newbie's a chance, but I digress).

>>>>

>>>> So I can offer no solutions, other than to encourage people who are

>>>> interested in reactivating a chapter (and care about what a local SBE

>>>> chapter can do for their part of the world) to: 1) try to contact the

>>>> members in the region to determine what might be interesting for

>>>> chapteractivities, services and programs, 2) determine what times

>>>> of day, days of

>>>> the week, would work best for the most attendance, 3) determine

>>>> what meeting

>>>> frequency would be best - whether monthly, quarterly, etc., and 4)

>>>> find like

>>>> minded folks to form a core group that will beat the bushes for

>>>> programs,free meeting locations, ideas for shared resources (like

>>>> a local "idea bank"

>>>> or common parts pool), 4) try to learn what would be interesting to

>>>> everyone, be it technical or networking, and 5) you really need to

>>>> bug folks

>>>> - keep in touch- drag them in.

>>>>

>>>> Easier said than done.

>>>>

>>>> Sorry - this was well more than two centavos worth.

>>>>

>>>> - from a long time SBE member.

>>>>

>>>> -- gary

>>>>

>>>> Garrison C. Cavell

>>>> Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc.

>>>> 7839 Ashton Avenue Manassas, Virginia 20109-2883

>>>> 703.392.9090 General Office - 703.392.9559 Facsimile 202.332.0110

>>>> Washington, D.C. Line www.CavellMertz.com  www.FCCInfo.com

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> -----Original Message-----

>>>> From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of

>>>> chscherer at everestkc.net

>>>> Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:51 AM

>>>> To: sbe member discussion mail list

>>>> Subject: Re: [SBE] activating inactives

>>>>

>>>> Help is always appreciated, but there has not been a lack of trying.

>>>>

>>>>

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