Bright spots in a tough year
Edward P. Salek, CAE, Executive Director | TLT Headquarters Report January 2010
Despite a challenging business climate, STLE took several actions in 2009 that will help you create success in 2010.
Digital technology is behind STLE’s appearance as a participant on the popular online networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn. We also have several entries on Wikipedia.
It’s no secret that 2009 was an especially tough business year for STLE and its members. But before we turn the page and begin looking ahead to better times, 2009 deserves one more look to highlight some of the big and little things that promise to impact the organization’s future.
Early last year, March 3 to be exact, was the 65th anniversary of the date the organization was founded in Chicago through the efforts of business executive Walter D. Hodson and a few of his colleagues. Their vision of a society to serve lubrication professionals remains strong. Even in a down economy, the society managed to attract more than 300 new members from 23 different countries.
Within a few weeks of that March 3 anniversary, STLE members approved a new and more modern constitution and bylaws. This major change was necessary to correct legal and operational deficiencies in the former governance documents and to give leadership greater operational flexibility that allows for timely response to changing membership needs and market conditions.
The value of that flexibility was evident in a policy adopted to assist members in transition. STLE will defer dues payments for up to two years and waive the annual meeting registration fee for members in the midst of a job search. This policy also had the very practical effect of assisting members find a new job. Incidentally, both policies remain in effect for 2010.
Change was also evident in the way the organization provides reliable technical information and in how it enables members around the world to connect with each other. TLT, consistently rated as a top STLE service, added a digital edition in mid-2009. This new version of the magazine, which supplements but does not replace the hard copy version, has allowed STLE to expand its audience in a cost-effective manner.
Digital technology also is behind STLE’s appearance as a participant on the popular online networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn. We also have several entries on Wikipedia. The power of such exposure is evident in the fact that the LinkedIn group has quickly grown to more than 200 members and that nearly half of those participants are new prospects who were not part of the STLE database.
To capitalize on the opportunities presented by this level of interest in the organization, STLE’s board of directors is being guided in 2010 by the results of two market research efforts completed late last year.
The first study, conducted by McKinley Marketing, is helping STLE better understand what motivates and drives individual and corporate members to support and become engaged with the organization. Recommendations in six areas will be presented to the board later this month.
A second study, conducted by The Learning Studio, is guiding STLE in assessing industry needs for education and training. A major portion of this research will assist STLE in determining the most appropriate and beneficial online learning platform to house those courses.
While all this holds promise for good things to come in 2010, it’s worth a final word to highlight a new benefit available this month. STLE has concluded an agreement with journal publishing partner Taylor & Francis to provide full online access for all STLE members to
Tribology Transactions. This includes the current volume plus a full searchable archive of 52 years’ worth of tribology research. Downloads of the full papers are free and available 24/7. The standard annual price for a
Transactions journal subscription with those privileges is more than $450 per year. STLE members now get it as an additional membership benefit at no extra cost.
I am confident these big and little things, in conjunction with the many other benefits STLE delivers day in and day out, will make our organization a factor in your success in 2010.
You can reach Certified Association Executive Ed Salek at esalek@stle.org.