Initiative for Strengthening Sections, through Expanded Communications and Revenue:-- for Medium to Large Sections

Paul Wesling, IEEE Life Fellow

Past Communications Director, IEEE SF Bay Area CouncilPast Editor, e-GRID nsltr and GRID.pdf Magazine

San Francisco Section Oakland/East Bay Section San Francisco Bay Area Council, IEEE Santa Clara Valley Section The IEEE GRID Magazine

Origin of this 2015 InitiativeS.F. Bay Area Council, serving Silicon Valley:– Three Sections (SF, OEB, SCV)– 17,000 IEEE members plus 15,000 non-members– 48 chapters/groups (+30%); ~25 meetings/month– Revenue of ~$70k/year; Expenses of $38k/year– The surplus funds events, officer training, Sections

Our GRID Magazine was started in 1953– Printed as a monthly magazine until 1998– Now Web, eNotice, ListServ, Calendar, blog, Apps

We can now teach other Sections how to do it

The ProgramWe will review your current communications:– Size; structure; chapters/groups– Entrepreneurial philosophy (vs “caretaker”)– Gather ideas, for consideration– Plan to do it a few steps at a time, 2-3 years– Help guide selection of your editor– Getting you started with revenue generation – Implement what works in your locale

Full set of ~80 online tutorials, step-by-step at learn.e-grid.net

The End Result, for These Sections

Develop a powerful publicity utility/service:– As a monthly PDF – the Magazine– As a twice-a-month email to Members & others

As a website (events come up in Google searches)– As a web log (blog) and RSS feed - Google indexing

(<30 minutes – www.e-grid.net/BayAreaTech)– As a Google Calendar that people can integrate

into their own Calendar– As iOS and Android Apps, for needs of younger

engineers (look for “IEEE GRID” in App/Play Stores)– Aimed at both Members and non-Members (to

encourage non-members to attend, get involved)

Growth, for your Section

While USA IEEE membership is declining:– Our non-member ListServ Dlist is increasing:

<1,000 (2004), 8,000 (2011), 15,000 (2014) -- 5% CAGR

– Adding 3,000 each year (non-members)– From ASME, ACM, unaffiliated engineers– Drawn by the services that we provide

to the profession in our locale

Where is the Money?Major Sources (results from SFBAC GRID: 2010)– IEEE Conferences (18) US$ 17 225 (24%)– Non-IEEE Conferences (19) 32 875 (46%)– University/Extension Classes (3) 6 000 ( 8.5%)– Employment Ads (2) 1 400 ( 2%)– Chapter Seminars, Wkshops (4) 5 000 ( 7%)– “Marketplace” (9) 4 900 ( 7%)– Misc (7) 3 625 ( 5%)

TOTAL, for 2010: $ 71 035

Of 37 conferences, 29 were “local” and 8 were out-of-area: San Diego, Anaheim, Beijing, Portland, Dallas, Boston

What can your Section Offer?

You are the electrotechnology franchise for your geo areaKey to developing a community, loyalty, readership is having content:– Several Chapter Meetings each month– Maybe Section technical seminars, etc – Frequent free Webinars from SPECTRUM, CS,

ComSoc and more– Local IEEE MeetUp groups; forming new

Chapters

Region 6 Initiative for 2015

Being funded by Region 6, for use worldwideOn-site Workshops last year (2014): for Dallas, Orange County SectionsPlan to expand to two more Sections in 2015

For detailed information, attend one of my Tutorials on Saturday (11 AM or 1 PM)

Your Take-AwayIs your Section the type that would benefit?– The VISION – can you do this locally?– What RESOURCES do you already have?– Are you ENTREPRENEURIAL or caretakers?– Do you have (can you find) a CHAMPION

who can lead this, and maybe be your Editor?

To get started: Review with your Section team, to assess readiness– Then contact our S.F./Silicon Valley Office:

Paul Weslingp.wesling@ieee.org +1-408-320-1105