Report of the MCAA Membership Committee
Words: Mackie BoundsAs Chairman of the MCAA Membership Committee, I would like to submit the following report to the Board outlining the committee's activities since the Annual Meeting in Charlotte. But before I report on our progress, I would like to recognize the members of the committee. They are: Roy Swindal, Fred Kinateder, Alan Griffin, Frank Campitelli, and Don Sullivan.
The Membership Committee has had a very busy seven months since we last reported at the Annual Meeting in February.
New Affiliate Member Category
At the meeting in Charlotte, the committee approved the affiliate member category. Soon thereafter, the member category was presented before the general membership for a vote to amend the MCAA constitution to include the affiliate category. The amendment passed by an overwhelming majority, and the MCAA now offers an affiliate member category. The definition of the affilaite member is: an instructor or student in the masonry field, an architect, or civil engineer, or students in these fields of study.
New Members and Chapters
The MCAA recruited 104 new member contractors for the 1997-98 budget year. The new total established the MCAA near the 800-member mark, and draws the MCAA closer to the 1000 member plateau. It is the goal of the membership committee to reach the 1000 member mark by the year 2000. The MCAA now has affiliations with a contractor group in Cincinnati, and has brought the Indianapolis chapter back into the association.
Member Renewals and Plaques and Pins
Renewals for membership in the MCAA for the 1998-99 year began in July. To date, two invoices have been sent. Eighty-six percent of the MCAA members have renewed as of the end of August. A third notice will be going out in early September, and Regional Vice Presidents will be asked to call members in their regions that have not renewed. This year everyone who renewed received a plaque and pin, unless they received them last year. Members who received the plaque and pin last year have received a new plate to replace the old plate on their plaques from last year. Additional plaques can be purchased for $12.00.
Membership Directory
The 1998-99 Membership Directory will have a new look this year. The directory will read as a "Who's Who" in the masonry industry. For the first time ever, the directory will be in four color. Ad sales for the directory are over $8,000 this year. The directory will be mailed to 1000 architects throughout the country, a list that the MCAA owns.
Recruiter Development
The membership committee has developed a new program to involve regional vice presidents in the recruitment process. The program is called the prospective member leads program. The program has given regional vice presidents a list of talking points to discuss with prospect members. All vice presidents are asked to send a letter to contractors who have requested information from the MCAA urging them to join. Regional Vice Presidents are also asked to send letters and phone members who have failed to renew 30 days after the third invoice is sent out. This program has had success. New members have come from several regions that have been aggressively pursuing prospects. The committee would like to thank the regional vice presidents for their participation in this program.
New Member Recruitment Plan
The membership committee has implemented an aggressive recruitment plan for the 1998-99 year. Direct mail marketing to the MCAA's master prospective member contractor list will be a key focus. The MCAA has over 7000 names of prospective contractors. These contractors will be contacted by the MCAA five times this year. Membership promotion will be a prominent focus of these mailings. In addition, there will be three smaller mailings to over 1700 contractors whose area has been targeted y the MCAA.
Member Needs Survey
The MCAA membership committee has designed a small phone survey that the MCAA staff will be implementing this year. The committee will ask the MCAA staff to contact every member in the MCAA by phone to get input on satisfaction of membership, as well as the direction on issues they would like to see the MCAA become actively involved in.
New Member Orientation
The committee is in the process of developing a new member orientation meeting to be held at the Annual Convention. It is the goal of the committee to have all new members from the previous year meet to learn about the services of the MCAA, meet the staff, committee chairs, and board members, network with other contractors, and be officially welcomed to the MCAA. The goal of this program will be to increase the retention of first year members and increase their involvement in the MCAA.
Mr. President, officers and MCAA members, thank you for the privilege of serving as the Chairman of the MCAA Membership Committee. That is my report.