No long-winded message this time - just a note to direct your attention to a few priority items!

Volunteers Needed

Our Chapter needs to develop a plan for filling committee and board positions that will be vacant as we move into the 2012-2013 program year, which starts September 1, 2012.   In accordance with our bylaws, a Call for Nominations will be issued before March 1, 2012.  Please see our website for a description of the committees and click here for a description of board positions and their prerequisites; I hope you'll consider expanding your resume through a leadership role in SMPS.  I'm waiting for your call and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have!

Award Nominations Needed

Each year our Chapter recognizes two members through our Horizon and Keystone Awards.  Click here for additional information and the nomination forms.  Please consider nominating someone that fits the bill; self nominations are also accepted!

Strategic Planning: Member Survey Deadline is February 21

As a part of our Strategic Planning Process, each SMPS Central PA Chapter member should have recieved an email with a link to an on-line survey.  Please respond to the survey at your earliest convenience.  These results will help our consultant further develop our strategic plan.  Please see the article below for more information on our strategic planning process.  If you are a current SMPS Central PA member and did not receive a link to the survey, please contact Lauren Herman by email or at (610) 631-8151.

Have a great day!

Anne E. Miller, CPSM
President, SMPS Central PA
Business Development Director, K&W Engineers
amiller@kandwengineers.com
P: (717) 635-2835

SMPS Central PA Programs

Click on the dates to open a new window that contains additional program and registration information.

Wednesday, February 15 - Critical Market Trends and Business Development Best Practices, with FMI Corporation consultants Kevin Haynes and Stephen Boughton. 

Sponsored by Sponaugle Construction Services

Wednesday, March 7 - The LEED GA Exam Cram.  Get a refresher on your LEED GA training and participate in an interactive practice exam.

Thursday, March 29 - Win More Federal Work!  Breaking into the world of government contracting can be tough for any A/E/C firm.  So how do you do it?  Presented by Nancy Usrey, FSMPS, CPSM, a national expert on federal marketing in the A/E/C industry.  Mark your calendars for this lunch program; more details coming soon!

Members Only: Access the Central PA "What's Happening" Calendar

Click here to log-in to MySMPS.org and access SMPS Central PA's calendar, which includes "What's Happening" events.  These regional programs, conferences, and events are non-SMPS programs but are of interest to A/E/C business development, marketing and business professionals in Central PA!

SMPS Central PA extends a warm welcome to
the following new members!

October 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012

Heather Ernst, Marketer/Business Developer at
Gibson-Thomas Engineering Co, Camp Hill

Justin Kovaleski, MBA, LEED AP, Project Manager at
Eastern PCM, Lemoyne

SMPS Central PA has engaged in a strategic planning process to help our chapter chart a path for the future that will provide our members with the greatest value and benefit.  To guide us in this effort, we have engaged the services of Monica Gould MBA, CMC, President of Strategic Consulting Partners in Mechanicsburg, PA. 

Some of the components of our strategic planning process include:

SMPS Board and Member Surveys
Data Collection & Analysis
Half-day Board Retreat
Management and Committee Review Meetings
A Strategic Plan Report with Objective Outcomes

Please help us make SMPS Central PA all that it can be by completing the on-line survey, a link to which was sent to you via email.  Your input and feedback is very important to us as we strive to make SMPS Central PA a valuable and beneficial resource for you and your organization. 

If you have any questions about our strategic planning process, please contact Lauren Herman by email or at (610) 631-8151

Webinar Update

As a result of feedback, SMPS Centra PA has modified its approach to purchasing and hosting webinars, as follows:

1. SMSP CPA is making the decision to purchase a webinar (or not) AFTER the live viewing date. 
2. In addition to the webinar topic and description, the decision whether to purchase the webinar will based on an evaluation of the feedback that is collected by SMPS National from those who participated in the live webinar. 
3. So long as that feedback is generally positive and the subject matter is considered of interest to a majority of our members, SMPS CPA will purchase the webinar on DVD.
4. DVD webinars will be held in the SMPS Webinar Library and made available to members to borrow and view for free, as a benefit of membership.
5. A list of webinars available for viewing and instructions on how to obtain the webinar are on the SMPS Central PA website at http://www.smpscentralpa.org/content.php?page=Educational_Programs

If you have any questions, please contact Tami Lumbatis by email or at (717) 763-7211.

Anne E. Miller, CPSM, President of SMPS Central PA is now Business Development Director at K&W Engineers.  Her contact information is:

Anne E. Miller, CPSM
Business Development Director
K&W Engineers
450 Friendship Road, Suite 100
Harrisburg, PA 17111
amiller@kandwengineers.com
P: 717-635-2835

Kristi M. Reichard, CPSM, Past President of SMPS Central PA is now Marketing and Business Development Manager at Raudenbush Engineering, Inc.  Her contact information is:

Kristi M. Reichard, CPSM
Marketing and Business Development Manager
Raudenbush Engineering, Inc.
29 S. Union Street
Middletown, PA 17057
kristireichard@raudeng.com
P: 717-944-0883

Build Business, the SMPS National Conference, brings together today’s leading A/E/C professionals, decision-makers responsible for bringing in business and building the firm’s bottom line. This intensive 3-day conference is packed with approximately 30 powerful learning sessions, dynamic keynote speakers, and an array of networking opportunities where you will make and renew priceless business contacts.

This conference will equip you with relevant information, innovative strategies, and valuable new knowledge and skills—challenging you to leave San Francisco with solid action items and bold action plans to make an impact on your firm in your role as a marketing or business development professional. As a conference attendee, you will be empowered to be the change your firm needs to build more business and reach the next level of success in 2012.

For more information, visit www.buildbusiness.org.