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ALOA Institutional Locksmiths

CHAPTER FORMATION & OPERATIONS

HANDBOOK

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ALOA Institutional Locksmiths


HANDBOOK

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© 2015 ALOA SPAI. All rights reserved. No part* of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without written permission from the owner.

* Forms to be submitted by Chapters are exempt and may be reproduced by Chapters.

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AIL Chapter Formation and Operations Handbook

Section 1 - Introduction

The bylaws of the ALOA Security Professionals Association International (ALOA SPAI) provide for the establishment of chapters in any country, state, city and/or geographical area. ALOA Institutional Locksmith (AIL), being a division of ALOA SPAI, is permitted to promote and maintain a similar program.

The purpose of an AIL chapter is to bring the association to its member; to make the association more visible and better able to serve its membership. Without local chapters - which a member can more personally identify with - the association can seem to be a detached and impersonal entity. For many AIL members, the chapter is the association. The impression a member, prospective member or guest perceives at the local chapter level will be their impression of the association.

If a chapter is operated in a professional manner, members, prospective members, guests and the community will view the chapter and the AIL more favorably.

Although it does take a considerable commitment of time and hard work, forming a Chapter is an extremely rewarding experience.

It is expected that chapters operate as a mini-association. Each chapter should have:

A Board of Director tasked with the daily operation of the chapter

Regularly scheduled general membership meetings to discuss the affairs of the chapter, AIL and ALOA SPAI, coupled with an informative educational program.

THE AIL MISSION STATEMENT

The ALOA Institutional Locksmiths, a division of ALOA SPAI, is dedicated to increasing and enhancing the technical skills of its members through education and certification. By partnering with locksmith, security and door hardware industry companies and organizations, we strive to provide a safe and secure environment for our employers, co-workers and patrons utilizing technical expertise and professionalism.

DEFINITIONS

In this handbook, the national office of ALOA SPAI shall be referred to as “the Association.” The AIL shall be referred to as "the Division." The local chapter shall be referred to as “the Chapter.”


Section 2 - Chapter Formation Procedures

ASSOCIATION-CHAPTER RELATIONSHIP

Under the By-laws of AIL there are provisions that allow and encourage the formation of chapters of the Division as stated below:

CHAPTERSThe Division may recognize chapters pursuant to policies adopted by the Board of Directors, and shall operate in accordance with any regulations as may be set forth.

Chapters chartered by the AIL shall exercise all the rights and privileges delegated to said chapter within the geographical area specifically defined for said chapter. No other chapter may exercise any rights in the geographical area of another chapter without the written approval of the AIL.

Chapters chartered by the AIL must conform to all the requirements of the bylaws and policy, and adhere to all the provisions of the Chapter Leadership and Operations Handbook. The handbook is available from the AIL Headquarters. Access is provided to all chapter officers upon approval of the charter by the Board of Directors.

Those interested in forming a chapter should contact the AIL president.

Working with the AIL PresidentThe AIL President is a chapter's reporting link to both the ALOA SPAI headquarters, the Chapter Liaison and the Board of Directors. The AIL president is responsible for providing guidance in forming chapters, and assistance where needed in chapter growth. The AIL President will assist in determining realistic boundaries and will obtain promotional materials from the headquarters to help attract new members.

The President will provide the necessary administrative support including: documents and procedures for forming a chapter, developing programs for the chapters, updating chapter contacts and maintaining the chapter database.

Petitioning for Chapter StatusThe petitioners must submit a Chapter Charter petition, as well as the other information listed below.

1. Selecting an Appropriate Name: Select a name descriptive of the area yet recognizable by individuals from outside the area. Name such as

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Central Montana or Northern Idaho are descriptive and recognizable. Names with vague origins are not recommended, and may be rejected by AIL.

2. Establishing Boundaries: Please consult with the AIL President and HQ Chapter Liaison. Few problems are encountered when chapters are located more than 75-miles apart. In areas where one or more chapters already exist, care must be taken to establish boundaries that will not infringe upon another chapter’s chartered area. To preclude any problems, a map of the proposed boundaries must be presented to the AIL president for review. In some instances the AIL President may suggest the formation of a new chapter without the permission from other affected chapters if the formation of the new chapter is warranted.

3. Postal Codes: (This is a requirement for US areas only.) The petition must include an inclusive listing of the first three digits of the zip/postal codes for the area to be chartered. This is necessary as Headquarters uses the postal codes to determine chapter assignments for new members and for transfer requests.

4. Petitioners: A minimum of twelve (12) AIL members in good standing who are located within the boundaries of the proposed chapter must sign the charter petition. A member in good standing is defined as an individual who has been accepted as a member of AIL, has paid dues in full for the current year and has no other sanctions levied against the member by ALOA SPAI or any of its divisions.

5. The Charter Petition Documentation: Submit the completed Chapter Charter Petition with the following required documents:

1. AIL Chapter Charter Petition 2. AIL Chapter Charter Petition Signature list3. A proposed boundary map4. List of ZIP Codes within the boundary area5. Copies of letters of approval from adjacent chapters & affiliates, if

any

These documents should be submitted to the AIL president for review. Once endorsements have been obtained from the AIL president and Chapter Liaison, the petition will be submitted to the AIL Board of Directors for approval. The AIL Board of Directors shall review the petition within 90 days, and inform the perspective chapter members.

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After ApprovalOnce you receive approval from the AIL Board of Directors, the next step you'll need to take is to get incorporated within the state where you will operate.

In most cases, you'll be able to incorporate as a not-for-profit organization. This can often be done online using an online legal service. But if you're unsure of how to properly proceed, it may be best to contact a lawyer who will be able to submit the proper paperwork to the appropriate government agencies.

Upon receiving your Articles of Incorporation, AIL Headquarters will send the perspective chapter any remaining documentation that may require completion. At that time, the AIL president will contact the chapter to establish a date for the organizational meeting.

There, an ALOA SPAI or AIL official will conduct the initial election and installation for chapter officers, and present the chapter charter and other items. Invitations to this meeting will be issued to all the AIL members within the chartered area. For the purpose of the organizational meeting, a majority of the original chapter petitioners shall constitute a quorum for the meeting.

Membership & TransfersThe original signers of the petition will automatically be assigned membership into the new chapter. Other individuals who are currently a member of another chapter that wish to join the new chapter must submit a written request to AIL Headquarters.

To facilitate the process during the first few months of your chapter's existence, A "Request to Transfer" form will be included in your Chapter Formation & Operations Handbook. Any future transfer petitions should be submitted with each month's chapter activity report.

Classes of Chapter Membership

All members of your chapter will fall into one of two classes of membership: Full AIL members, and chapter-only members.

Premium AIL Members - These members enjoy all available benefits and services offered by AIL and ALOA SPAI. Annual dues are paid to AIL, as well as any that may be assessed locally by your chapter. These members are afforded full voting privileges on AIL as well as ALOA SPAI matters, and have the choice of receiving Keynotes by mail or email.

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Basic AIL Members - Members receive Keynotes and other AIL and ALOA SPAI correspondence via email only. Basic Members only have voting rights at the chapter level. Annual dues are paid to AIL at a discounted rate, as well as any that may be assessed locally by your chapter.

Chapter-Only Members - These members are members of your chapter only. They won't receive any of the services offered to AIL or ALOA SPAI members. They will pay any chapter dues directly to your chapter. Chapter-Only members only have voting rights at the chapter level.

ELECTING OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

Your chapter will require three (3) officers to operate your chapter, and must be Premium AIL Members: Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.

No person shall hold more than one officer position at a time.

You may also elect other officers such as vice-president or sergeant-at-arms as the need arises. It is up to each chapter to determine the number of directors that will help guide your chapter. Director positions may include: newsletter editor, committee chairmen, parliamentarian, webmaster, etc. It is possible that an officer may also have the responsibilities of a certain type of director (newsletter, etc.) if another responsible person cannot be found to assume these duties.

Although there is not a firm number of officers and directors needed to operate a chapter, it is best to have a Board of Directors that number between five and nine members. This amount may change as the total number of members of the chapter increases.

The term of each position shall be two years. It is recommended that the terms of the officers be staggered. This helps prevent a complete turnover of all officers at the same time and ensures a level of continuity from year to year. To accomplish this, the first term of office of either the president or other officers would have to be one year, while the others would be two years.

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Officer DutiesChairman

Perform all duties incidental to his office and suggest such actions as may be deemed possible to increase the value and esteem of the chapter and AIL

Chair all meetings of the chapter, and set the time and date of all meetings

Attend other industry related functions in your region

Vigorously pursue all available opportunities to recruit new members to the chapter, and the board

Act as the reporting link to the AIL president by ensuring that all reports are sent to the division in a timely manner.

Secretary

Responsible for the conduct of the chapter’s official correspondences and meetings records, the preservation of its books and records

Concisely record and maintain the minutes of all Board and General Membership meetings using the guide found in Appendix F

Present a copy of the previous meeting minutes to the board prior to the next meeting for review

Publish and mail all chapter correspondences.

Treasurer

Manage all incoming and outgoing chapter fiscal transactions in an account in the name of the chapter

Keep regular accounts of all receipts and disbursements. These records shall be available for inspection by all chapter officers and members in good standing, and any authorized ALOA SPAI or AIL representative

FINANCIAL MATTERS

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Each chapter will be responsible for its own financial affairs. Under no circumstances will there be any connection between AIL and chapter funds. The chapter fiscal year shall coincide with that of AIL.

Cash Basis System of Accounting

Most chapters can adequately operate using the simplest form of accounting – the Cash-Basis System. Under the cash-basis system all income is recorded upon receipt of payment and assigned to that period and all expenses are recorded in the period when the disbursement actually occurs. A simple ledger showing all chapter income and disbursements should be sufficient enough to reflect all of the chapter's financial transactions.

While other forms of accounting exist, using the Cash-Basis System should adequately serve the bookkeeping needs of most chapters.

Annual Audit

Some form of an annual audit is necessary. Accuracy of records should be verified by a chapter audit committee, or independent bookkeeper or accountant. This annual audit should be reported to the chapter membership and entered into the chapter minutes.

BYLAWS

Your chapter will need to have bylaws in place, usually as a part of the incorporation process. Your chapter may also have a policy manual or other regulations document that may be needed to help manage the affairs of the chapter. Just keep in mind that no regulation may be created that supersedes that of AIL or ALOA SPAI.

A copy of the chapter bylaws will be sent to AIL at the headquarters for review.

DIVISION-CHAPTER COMMUNICATION

The AIL communicates with the chapters and the membership though many methods:

The ALOA SPAI monthly magazine, Keynotes The website: aloa.org Direct mailings using both traditional mail and e-mail.

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In turn, your chapter is required to send various reports to the AIL at certain times throughout the year as directed by the AIL president, ALOA executive director or chapter liaison. Depending on the type, reports may be monthly, quarterly and annually.

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Section 3 - Managing Your Chapter

BUILDING INTEREST IN YOUR NEW CHAPTER

Running a chapter isn’t all about following rules and regulations. Now it’s time to get down to the business of actually having educational meetings.

The fact that your chapter has recently formed is a very obvious indication that there is interest in your region for institutional locksmiths to get together to exchange ideas, information, and education.

Getting the Word Out

The challenge now is to get the word out to a larger audience. To that end, AIL will supply you with information for perspective members in your area so that you can send direct mailings to let other local institutional locksmiths know that a new chapter has just formed.

Another avenue to explore is to work with local distributors. They may have many customers in institutions and can put you in contact with some of their clients. By working with a distributor you may be able to:

Have the distributor hand out flyers about your upcoming meetings either at the service counter or by packing flyers with their shipments

Coordinate a direct mailing campaign using the distributor’s mailing information. Some distributors may even pick up the costs since they probably already have a relationship with a printing and/or direct mailing business and can conduct a mailing more cheaply than your chapter. (Be careful not to ask for the distributor to give you mailing addresses outright. The distributor worked hard to get customers and may be offended at this request.)

Manufacturer sales representatives are also another avenue to utilize to help promote your new chapter since many contact institutional customers directly on a regular basis. Most are very happy to help.

Social media is also a very effective way to reach potential members, especially if combined with a direct mailing campaign that includes information that directs people to any and all of your locations on the internet.

Of course, the members of your chapter’s newly formed Board of Directors should be involved in the process of contacting as many institutional locksmiths as they are aware of.

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The chapter may choose to create and maintain its own website. AIL and ALOA SPAI maintain a website, aloa.org and each chapter is entitled to a link from this site. Suggested information that should be displayed on the chapter’s website:

Meeting locations and dates Officer elections Upcoming classes Special events (bus trips, factory tours, etc.)

CONDUCTING MEETINGS

Show Time!

Although your chapter will sponsor many other activities, your regular General Membership Meeting will be the most fundamental service that you’ll provide to your members.

Your First Meeting

Your first formal meeting should be an organizational meeting, at which time an AIL or ALOA SPAI official will conduct elections and swear in your first chapter Board of Directors. The scheduling of a presenter or program is not recommended. A get-acquainted or icebreaker period (usually one-half hour, including sign-in with non-alcoholic refreshments) is suggested. This will not only allow the attendees to relax but will also allow latecomers not to miss the first part of the actual meeting.

Supply stick-on nametags for all attendees. The person’s institution or place of employment can also be placed on the nametag.

Members of your chapter may elect to hold informal gatherings until such time as your first official meeting can take place. One or two people can lead the meeting as temporary chairmen, but they should be open to suggestions. Take extra care not to alienate prospective members by not listening to their ideas. Make it clear that leadership positions will be filled at later meetings. A temporary secretary should record the pertinent discussions and decisions.

Items to consider for meeting location Hold the meeting in a safe, centralized location in your region Hold it in a “neutral” location, such as a meeting room in a college or a

local restaurant

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Provide food and refreshments.

Setting up for your first meeting Prepare an outline of the first meeting and what you expect to

accomplish Provide a copy of the agenda to each participant (See Appendix C.) At the close of the meeting, summarize the meeting and future action

steps. Seek feedback from the attendees regarding the meeting (See Appendix B.)

Review the date, time, location, and preliminary agenda for the next meeting. Ask how many members plan to attend the next meeting.

Topics to consider at your first meeting Future educational programs and potential presenters Fund raising What you hope to accomplish as a Chapter Set frequency of Chapter General Membership meetings (Monthly or

Quarterly) Find permanent location for meetings (Consider accessibility, parking,

distance.) Discuss the nomination and election process for officer positions.

Although candid discussion of the above topics is essential to point your chapter in the right direction, it is important not to get too bogged down in lengthy, intense debates as this may alienate some of those present. These discussions also present an opportunity for leadership to emerge.

Rules of Order

When it comes time to run a more formal meeting, there are two resources that will help you easily understand parliamentary procedure:

Robert’s Rules in Plain English, by Doris P. Zimmerman, is an extremely easy-to-read guide about keeping order at meetings and has a short job description of the executive positions found in most associations.

Parliamentary Procedure at a Glance, by O. Garfield Jones, is somewhat more advanced, but it does have a “quick-reference” section that is designed to easily look up a procedure during a meeting, if a situation requires it.

Both books can be found in the reference section of your local bookstore or online.

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Using parliamentary procedure is an excellent way to organize a meeting, but be careful not to be too heavy-handed with the “procedure” part. A meeting conducted strictly by-the-book can be difficult to endure for many people.

Agenda

The agenda is simply an outline of what business the chapter wants or needs to cover at a meeting. The agenda only needs to be as simple or complex as a meeting requires, but a well prepared agenda will make for a more efficient meeting. It’s important for the chairman of the meeting to be flexible during a meeting as circumstances will often dictate if an agenda item needs to be moved. (See Appendix C for a suggested meeting agenda.)

Presentations & Programming

An important item to consider is your programming at future meetings since it is often the biggest reason why members attend. Some associations will complete their chapter business and then set aside time for the presentation. Others will postpone association business and allow the presenter to run through his complete presentation and then turn back to business afterwards. Usually this is done if the presenter has traveled some distance and will have a long trip back home.

Advance program planning is a must. Presenters should be scheduled no less than two months in advance. Not only is it unrealistic to expect someone to speak on a moment’s notice, but your chapter will need time to promote the presenter - and his subject matter - to the members. The chairman should be able to inform the members at the close of your meetings as to what next month's presentation will be. It's a good idea to have prepared a backup plan in the event a scheduled speaker becomes ill or must cancel at the last minute.

It is also a good idea to acknowledge a presenter's efforts with a token of gratitude from the chapter. A simple "Certificate of Appreciation" works well, and can be done at nominal cost.

Special Programming

In the summer and during the holidays many chapters do not hold meetings. But, in order to keep the momentum of the chapter alive during this time social activities such as a picnic, family outing, dinner/dance, golf tournament, fishing trip, etc. are scheduled. A word of caution – AIL is primarily a professional organization, not a social organization. Too many social events may not be in the chapter’s best interest. An occasional social

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is a welcomed change of pace and permits members - and their spouses - to mingle in an informal setting.

Meeting Frequency

There isn’t any right or wrong answer when it comes to the frequency of when your chapter meets. Historically, meetings tend to be held either monthly or quarterly. The desires of your membership play a large part in the meeting schedule. It’s good to be flexible early in the process until a meeting schedule is established.

There are some things to keep in mind when developing your chapter meeting schedule:

If you have monthly meetings, Monday through Thursday are the best days. It’s also wise to consider the meeting schedules of other local associations when setting your calendar so that there isn’t a conflict of meeting times. Typical weekday evening meeting start times are 6:30 or 7 pm with ending times of 9 or 9:30 pm.

If you have quarterly meetings, Saturday and Sunday tend to be more popular since chapters often have a longer, more comprehensive program slated since meetings aren’t held as often. Again, be careful to schedule around holidays, religious observances, and major sporting events (No matter how hard you try, you’ll never attract a bigger crowd than the Super Bowl!)

CHAPTER NEWSLETTER

Whether delivered electronically or by mail, your chapter newsletter is the most important method of communicating with members.

So, why have a newsletter? Simply put, your chapter has news to share with anyone that may be interested in your chapter's events.

Probably the major failing of chapter newsletters is the lack of relevant and/or timely news. If all a newsletter tells recipients is the date and place of the next meeting and the date and place of the last meeting, why bother? A simple announcement will do – a list of meeting dates does not a newsletter make.

If your chapter is contemplating starting a newsletter, review the suggestions outlined below thoroughly. With a little work, a successful newsletter should be a foregone conclusion.

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ContentThe first question to answer is “What is the purpose of the chapter newsletter?” Announcing meetings is a valid part of a newsletters’ content, but it simply isn’t sufficient to be a newsletter’s entire content.

How do you fill all those pages every issue? Think about what you would like to read if the newsletter were coming to you. If something would bore you, chances are fairly good it would bore many fellow chapter members.

Ideas can easily be gleaned from other newsletters or industry related magazines or websites. Here are a few examples of items that seem to spark reader interest. Try a few or all of them. See what works for your readers.

Consistency is key here. Maintain a regular schedule of publication so recipients will know when to expect your newsletter.

Chairman’s Corner – An ideal place for the chairman to express his/her ideas. It is assumed the chairman was elected to lead the chapter because he had something of value to contribute. Comments, however, should not be a recap of what took place at the last meeting or an occasion to air personal gripes. It is better not to have such a column than to have a poor one.

New Members – A listing or short profile of new members. What do these people do? Who do they work for? What are their interests and past experiences?

Officers – Some chapters run a regular profile of an officer in each issue so people get to know who they are and what they do. The officer’s views on matters of current interest makes for interesting reading.

Legislative Matters – Particularly those with regional and/or local impact on locksmiths. Some chapters just present the fact that a piece of local or state legislation has been presented, while others offer pros and cons, possible interpretations or possible effects of these rulings on private security.

Projects of Interest – Has a member experienced an incident from which others might benefit? How was it handled? Was the action taken effective?

Comments on events taking place in neighboring chapters or other associations.

Educational Information – Has a local college started a new course of possible interest to members? Is the curriculum of the course worth

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commenting on? Have one or more members attended a workshop or seminar that might bear reviewing for others’ benefit?

Book Reviews – Trusting some members are reading books to aid them in their jobs – why not nudge them to comment on what they’ve read for their colleagues’ benefit? What was the thrust of the book? Who should read it? Was it well written? Did it present new information or did it merely present old information?

Employment Opportunities – Many newsletters carry a “positions available” and “help wanted” listing.

Opinions – Opinions make good, interesting copy. Try a telephone survey on a particular question such as a new local ordinance, relations with local law enforcement agencies, or local trends in security. Poll a large number of members for short consensus reports, or ask a smaller number for comments in greater detail about their view. This type of article helps members get to know one another and to learn who might make a good officer in the future.

Information from Other Publications – If information is taken from another publication (such as a local newspaper or magazine) be sure to check with the publisher for approval. Otherwise, you may be violating a copyright (this applies to cartoons, photographs, etc.). Be sure to also mention significant items from Keynotes magazine.

News from Your Local Suppliers – New personnel, policies, or products.

Editorial StaffNow that the chapter is inspired about what can be done in the newsletter, who is going to do it? This is perhaps the more important question. Whoever takes on the task should be informed that producing a praiseworthy newsletter requires time and effort. Producing a poor newsletter gives members will get a poor impression of the chapter and the person who produces the “rag.”

Producing a good newsletter takes a good bit of effort. Thinking through the content is the biggest step. Once the ideas are there, follow through need not be a trial. In all fairness, however, asking one person to produce a newsletter issue after issue as a sideline isn’t likely to produce a good newsletter. Even if some talented and creative individual can be found, what will happen when that individual’s year as editor is up?

Recruit a few reliable people to work on the newsletter together. One person can serve as editor whole one or two more help in gathering information and writing, and another sells advertising. By sharing the

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burden, no one is too strained and there will be no worry about the newsletter collapsing if one person gets tired of doing it or is unable to continue.

The editor, most likely, will be the person who worries about meeting the deadlines. If each member of the editorial staff finds his/her assigned task(s) not too time consuming, it will provide an enjoyable opportunity to talk to colleagues and make useful business contacts.

No matter how the assignments are divided, be certain each individual knows exactly what is expected of him/her and when.

Production ScheduleDecide first when the newsletter is to reach members. Many chapters aim for a week to ten days before the regular meeting date. Starting with that date, work backwards to determine deadlines.

Most chapter newsletters are four to eight pages. This means at least a full week for the postal service delivery must be allowed, possibly longer if the chapter covers a large geographical area.

An electronic newsletter is perfectly acceptable, and is an especially economical way of publishing a newsletter. However, a printed newsletter seems to have more of an impact with readers.

If using a printer, allow the printer four to five working days to prepare and print the newsletter, and give him plenty of warning to expect it. This is especially important if a member’s company is making it's "in-house" printing facilities available to the chapter. Courtesy is always appreciated and keeps the printer on your side. If you’re really in a bind, the printer will be more inclined to help out if you’ve not made a practice of being late.

The editor needs all submissions three to four weeks before the next meeting – two and a half weeks before the members are to receive the newsletter. Except for information that cannot be obtained until the last minute, everyone contributing information should be asked to do so ten days before it is needed by the printer. Naturally, the fancier and more finished the newsletter is to look, the longer the person preparing it must be allowed.

EditingWhoever will assemble all the pieces will need to have good basic writing skills. Many resources are available online to help in the editing task. But the simplest tools are the tools available in your work processing software. Be sure to use spell-check and the thesaurus often, and pay particular attention to grammar and punctuation suggestions.

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The editor’s first responsibility is to the reader, not to the author. Be certain the author understands that no one reads an article and thinks “My what a great job the editor did.” The author will get the credit for good work – and for bad.

When all copy has been received and changes have been made, the task of putting it into appropriate form for the printer arises. Knowing who will print the newsletter helps. Most printers are willing and able to advise and help with the production of the newsletter. The printers more likely to be suited to small newsletter needs are in-house print shops and office supply super-stores, such as Office Max or Staples. Don’t waste time going to big publishers and book printers – they won’t find your business worth much attention and what you need is really not suited to their abilities or equipment.

Discuss what you have in mind with the printer and he will be able to give prices for the options available. He will need to know the size newsletter format that you have in mind: 8 ½ x 11 is the most common, but tabloid which is 10 ¼ x 14 is also frequently used and can be effective; the number of pages; the number of copies; and when it is to be mailed.

If you don’t know much about the whole printing process, be frank and tell the printer. Rather than taking advantage of you, the printer will more often be a big help in getting you off on the right foot. Ask questions – it’s the best way to get answers.

DesignEarly on, a simple, two-tone (grayscale) newsletter will be more than adequate for you needs. This can easily be produced on a laser printer, a quality office copier, or taken to an office supply store to have copies made at a reasonable cost.

The internet has plenty free newsletter of templates that you can download and modify for your own needs.

If the newsletter carries advertising, encourage advertisers to provide clean, good quality materials from which to reproduce. Ads often look best at the bottom and outer edges of pages rather than at the top or in the fold (gutter). This helps give a balanced and controlled image rather than a busy one.

Clutter should be avoided whenever possible. Try to make margins neat and even, leaving enough space between columns. White (blank) spaces are an important a design element as the actual copy, ads and photographs.

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AdvertisingUnless the chapter is fortunate enough to have a member whose company is willing to underwrite the cost of printing and distribution of the newsletter, the chapter is faced with generating income to pay for it.

The ideal method is to have the newsletter pay for itself through advertising. Suppliers of security equipment, products and services are the most likely sources of advertising income. Also consider the establishment where local chapter meetings are held.

Although ads can come in various sizes and shapes, it is best to determine several pre-set sizes. A variety of sizes are available, such as, full-page, half-page horizontal, half-page vertical, third-page horizontal, third-page vertical, business card, etc. The variety of sizes will in great part depend on the overall format of the publication.

A quick rule of thumb for determining what to charge for advertising is to take the average total cost for printing and distributing, divide that amount by the average number of pages in an issue. This will give the cost paid per page. By adding a set percentage for overhead and profit margin the charge for a full-page ad can be determined; and likewise for the other various sizes. For business cards ads, determine how many can be placed on a page and divide the page cost plus percentage by that number.

It is industry practice to offer frequency discounts to advertisers. I.E., if a company agrees to advertise in 6 out of 12 issues of the newsletter that company is granted a discount since the chapter can count on the income from that company. The greater the number of times a company agrees to advertise over a year’s time, the greater the discount.

Be sure to formalize any advertising agreements to ensure payment. The chapter is responsible for collecting advertising revenue. It is suggested that where possible, payment in advance be obtained.

As long as the chapter publishes a good newsletter that is read by the members there should be no problems attracting advertisers. If the advertisers know the newsletter is read and is valued by its recipients they will be anxious to advertise since they know their ad will be seen.

FUND RAISING METHODS

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Since finances between AIL and your chapter are kept separate, you'll need to develop ways to raise funds. Some fund raising suggestions include:

Newsletter advertising Raffles. Especially effective if you can get distributors or manufactures to

donate items Fees to attend full or half day classes organized by your chapter 50/50s Charging a higher ticket price to attendees when hosting events like

dinners or luncheons Local chapter dues Asking presenters to make a donation to the chapter Selling chapter-related apparel, coffee mugs, stickers, patches, etc.

LEGISLATIVE & REGULATORY ACTIVITIES

ALOA SPAI is actively involved in monitoring federal and state legislation that might affect the security profession and/or industry. When the ALOA SPAI Board of Directors deems an issue important to the general membership, the association may present written and/or oral testimony before Congress.

Though many laws often exempt or exclude institutional locksmiths, each AIL chapter is encouraged to support other local ALOA SPAI chapters and local associations in their legislative activities. In the same vein, chapters are encouraged to monitor state and local legislation affecting institutional security.

Chapters are also encouraged to present testimony before the appropriate state and/or local governing bodies. A WORD OF CAUTION: When speaking or writing on legislative or regulatory matters, make it very clear the representative is speaking only on behalf of the chapter, and not ALOA SPAI. Nothing should be said that may even remotely imply that she/he is speaking on behalf of the Association. When speaking on behalf of the chapter, make certain the position being taken has been endorsed by the chapter membership so that in fact your chapter representative is speaking on behalf of the majority of the chapter membership.

A copy of any positions taken on local or state legislation shall be sent to AIL Headquarters. If there are any questions at all regarding this, please contact the Executive Director.

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Section 4 - Appendices


HANDBOOK


CONTENTS

Appendix

A Oath of Office

B Chapter Member Survey

C Suggested Agenda Outline

D Member Contact Form

E Board of Directors Roster

F Recording Meeting Minutes

G Request to Transfer


OATH OF OFFICE

I do hereby solemnly swear

that I will faithfully perform my duties

as a board member of ALOA Institutional Locksmiths, (chapter name)

to the best of my ability.

I will uphold its By-laws;

And I will endeavor to cooperate with the Board of Directors

and the general membership,

in all efforts to build and strengthen the Chapter.


CHAPTER MEMBER SURVEY

Chapter Name: __________________________________________________

Thank you for attending this meeting of locksmiths hoping to start a new chapter of ALOA Institutional Locksmiths. We’d like you to take a few moments to fill out this survey. Doing so will help us to point this new chapter in the right direction.

1. How did you first hear about the ALOA Institutional Locksmiths?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2. How did you hear about the possibility of this new Chapter starting up?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3. Was this location convenient? If not, why not?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. Was the date, day of the week, and time convenient? If not, what would be

better?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5. Did you feel that the meeting was well organized?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6. If you had questions, were they answered to your satisfaction?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7. Did you feel that the organizers were respectful of others’ opinions?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8. Do you think there appears to be enough interest to start this Chapter up?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9. What types of classes would you like to see offered?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name and phone number: (optional)

_________________________________________________


SUGGESTED AGENDA OUTLINE

Call to order

Pledge of Allegiance

Introduction/roll call of Officers and Directors

Introduction of guests

Meeting rules

Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting

Report of the Nomination Committee/Elections

President’s report

Treasurer’s report

Committee reports

Unfinished business

New business

Set time and date of next meeting

Adjourn

Introduction of presenter/begin program (if any).

Keep in mind that not all agenda items need to be addressed at each meeting. This is intended to serve as an outline of the correct order of most meetings.


MEMBER CONTACT FORM

Name: AIL #:Certifications:Old Information:Address:

City/State/Zip/Country:Phone (W): Phone (H): Phone (C):Email address:New Information:Address:

City/State/Zip/Country:Phone (W): Phone (H): Phone (C):Email address:

Name: AIL #:Certifications:Old Information:Address:

City/State/Zip/Country:Phone (W): Phone (H): Phone (C):Email address:New Information:Address:

City/State/Zip/Country:Phone (W): Phone (H): Phone (C):Email address:

(Use of form is optional; information can be submitted electronically.)


BOARD OF DIRECTORS ROSTER

Current Officers

Office NameRequired Officers

ChairmanSecretaryTreasurer

Optional OfficersVice ChairmanSergeant-at-Arms

Current Directors

Position Name

(Use of form is optional; information can be submitted electronically.)


RECORDING MEETING MINUTES

Record the following

All adopted and defeated motions Name of the maker of any motion, and the second if so made Names of any member/committee making a report (report should be attached, if

presented) Number of votes, for or against, on any vote requiring a head count or ballot.

Do not record the following

Personal opinions Motions that are withdrawn, as directed by the chairman.

The minutes should contain the following

Name of the association and kind of meeting Date, time and place of the meeting Name of the chairman and secretary or their substitutes List of persons in attendance Excused or unexcused absences (this only applies to the officers or Directors) Disposition of minutes of previous meeting – whether read and approved/corrected

or their reading postponed including when and how they are to be approved Summarization of discussions (The wording “brief discussion” indicates that the

discussion was handled easily and that there was a consensus among the group. The wording “lengthy discussion” indicates the opposite.)

Record of results of any election and votes cast Time of adjournment Signature of secretary and date.


ALOA Security Professionals Association, Inc.ALOA Institutional Locksmith (AIL)Membership Transfer

CANDIDATE PLEASE TYPE OR PRINTPERSONAL INFORMATIONName: Mr. Mrs. Ms. First_____________________________ Last___________________________________ M I________

Certifications_ ____________________________________________________ ALOA ID #, if known________________________

Mailing Address____________________________________________________________________________________________

City______________________________________ State_________ Zip Code_________________ Country__________________

Work Phone__________________________ Home Phone_________________________ Fax_____________________________

Email Address_____________________________________________________________________________________________

EMPLOYER INFORMATIONWork Organization_________________________________________________________________________________________

Work Address_____________________________________________________________________________________________

City______________________________________ State_________ Zip Code_________________ Country__________________

PROFESSIONAL INFORMATIONPlease check the title that best describes you: Locksmith Access Control Technician Locksmith Lead Man Supervisor Locksmith 1, 2 or 3 Carpenter Locksmith Foreman Other__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Are you a member of any local locksmith association? Yes No If Yes, name of association:

___________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Required – must accompany application (select one): Employee ID (copy) Letter from facility for proof of current employment

I understand and consent that in the course of reviewing this application AIL may review publically available information for the purpose of verifying the information submitted and do a background check. I certify that all

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