In my last several articles, I have set an aspirational stage for the work ahead in my new role as your Executive Vice President. For the next several messages, I will turn to a more practical description of how we are already moving forward with significant changes to provide ever-more-enhanced service and support to our members.
My strategic personal focus centers on: the member experience; the Repositioning Initiative; emerging professionals; and capturing public attention. Efforts in these areas will ‘drop into’ several ‘buckets’ that are more operational in nature. For this article, I’ll concentrate within the realm of operational effectiveness:
Revenue:
- Non-dues revenue programs under consideration – investigating opportunities to expand this area
- Sales and sponsorships – formulating concentrated, strategic approach to staff-centric effort
- Supplemental dues – commitment to investigating the phased elimination of supplemental firm dues
Operations:
- Shift in fiscal year – moving to July 1 to June 30 fiscal year to concentrate dues receipts in one fiscal year and hold greatest revenue-generating program (ArchEx) earlier in year
- Improve contributions to reserves – beginning aggressive approach to increase annual contributions to net assets; a significant contribution to reserves is shown in the fiscal year 2016 draft budget
- Annual audit with less costly firm – conducting audit annually, rather than alternating with report, to increase accountability
- Careful consideration of programs:
- Architecture Exchange East – Reposition the event to be more aspirational for attendees
- Inform – Reposition the magazine to be more inspirational to readers
Staffing:
- Member experience – deliver service and support to enrich perceived value received by members
- Market penetration – enhanced service delivery will spark additional interest and increase membership
- Cultural transformation within office – inspire highly integrated, supportive, constructive, and nurturing culture
Many of these items and issues have already moved forward. Some, I’ll review with our Board of Directors to seek guidance before proceeding. Others are management-based so I’ll drive ahead on my own. Obviously, the more complex ones will take more careful study and attention before a decision is invited or reached. And certainly there will be many others along the way. In all cases, though, I look forward to our collaborative and collective efforts!
Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA