2010-2011 SMPS Austin Chapter Board

Our membership has ratified the slate for the 2010-2011 SMPS Austin Chapter Board. Congratulations.

President                                                                                 
ERIKA PASSAILAIGUE, CPSM
Datum Engineers

President-Elect
MEGAN FELKER
Jaster Quintanilla

Past-President
PAULETTE GIBBINS, PE, LEED AP, CPSM
Walter P Moore

Secretary
KAREN WARD, CPSM
Terracon

Treasurer
TRICIA KNAPIK
Bury+Partners

Sponsorship Chair
STEFANIE RAYA
Kleinfelder

Communications Chair
HELGA DIAZ
Structures

Programs Chair
CATHY BRANDEWIE
O'Connell Robertson

Membership Chair
DEVIN WILLIAMSON
Raba-Kistner

Director-at-Large
ELIZABETH HAYNIE
Beck Group

Chapter Finances

As a  nonprofit organization, the Austin SMPS Chapter’s goal is to invest our proceeds in the best educational programs and networking events that benefit the A/E/C industry Marketers and Business Development professionals. 

In order to achieve these goals the chapter board constantly considers the very delicate balance of our chapter’s income and expenses when making decisions.  It has always been our intent to break even on an annual basis and so our finance committee has been executing several procedures during the last several years to accommodate the chapter’s growing membership.

The Economy’s Effect
As with most businesses in our industry the slowed economic climate has affected our chapter.  We experienced less event turnout, less member renewals and a decline in new members.  Luckily our past fiscal efforts positioned our organization to grow in the current economic climate.  With funds that were collected in previous years we were able to maintain our current member benefits and still invest in growing our chapter.  As the economy became sluggish we analyzed our budget and created goals for each committee. 

• Analyzed breakeven point for all luncheons
• Created a sponsorship sales budget
• Analyzed committee expenses
• Analyzed cash flow and discussed improvements

1. Cvent Announcement and Credit Card Processing System
2. Migration to QuickBooks On Line
3. National Speaker for Austin Chapter Workshop
4. Created a library of books and CD’s for SMPS members to utilize

Policies and Procedures
As our chapter grows and we begin to add more programs for our members we know that our finances will become more complex and the importance of the finance committee will deepen.  As a foundation to our growth the committee and board have created Financial Policies and Procedures to support and maintain a system of checks and balances and future success.  These accounting procedures primarily included a policy of internal controls with a separation of duties to ensure financial viability.  This policy creates a system that:

• Promotes efficiency
• Provides Management with reasonable assurance that financial reports and procedures are authorized, valid, complete and accurate
• Safeguards against miss appropriation, errors and irregularities

Our accounting procedures include:

1. Incorporated two committee members to help with separate accounting functions
2. Incorporated President to Balance Accounts every month
3. Incorporated Vice President to audit books every year
4. Incorporated professional review of books from an accredited accountant
5. Requiring upfront payment for all events in order to reduce outstanding invoices and creating an easier registration process.

With all of these goals we have maintained a balanced set of financials which has allowed us to reach our goals and distribute proceeds to our Chapter. 

Book Review

Little Black Book of Connections - 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Relationships

Jeffrey Gitomer

I LOVE to read.  I always carry a book with me just in case I happen to have a few extra minutes.  I like real books and print copies of the Business Journal, Statesman & Wall Street Journal (which may be old-fashioned these days with the electronic ones becoming so popular). This is one reason I was happy to review this book that we have been giving away for the past year in our book drawing.

Little Black Book presents common sense ideas in an interesting and eye-catching way – including the use of cartoons and formats which definitely keeps the readers attention.  It presents information that is basic to company success.  The very first statement that he makes is “ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, PEOPLE WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEIR FRIENDS”.  People want to work with people they like. This principle has proven itself true in our firm.  Repeat business rarely – if ever - comes from an unhappy client. 

The 6.5 Assets discussed in the book are:

• Who do I know?  Calculating the value of who you know
• What do I want?  If you don’t know what you want, you’ll probably never get it.
• What do I do?  Think before you act.
• How do I connect?  The how and why of connecting.
• Who knows you?  How to get known and positioned.
• The Secret power of connections.  Ways to attract connections and mistakes to avoid.
• The value of connections.  Building your circle of influence.

This book also discusses the importance of PLANNING – doing your homework, defining what you want and who you need to know. It emphasizes connections and how important relationships are.  It offers practical suggestions on how to accomplish your plan, such as joining organizations (what could be better than SMPS!), doing business versus building business and turning contacts into relationships. Simple yet profound reminders to those of us who are constantly seeking to grow our businesses. As a principal of our firm, one of my most critical responsibilities is to bring fresh ideas to our staff to keep them motivated to expand our business.  One of the most cost-efficient ways to accomplish this is share information from books that I have read.  Little Black Book is easy to read and loaded with practical tips that I will look forward to sharing with my staff. 

Deborah Black

Vice President, Hamilton & Associates

SMPS Austin Chapter - Director, Membership Committee

Member Spotlight: Herman Thun, AIA

Herman Thun, AIA

President, Principal
LZT Architects, Inc. 

What was SMPS like in the good old days? Today our membership numbers 6,075 and the most recent member number is 60,433.  What was it like in the early 70’s to attend an AIA seminar where a small band of anti-establishment folks, licensed and non-licensed, gathered to discuss a new concept: selling – oops—marketing professional services? Let me (member #165) give you a few hints of those days.

Many architects and engineers sought reinforcement of their belief that methods used by industry to market products could be used by professionals to market their services.

In 1973, Weld Coxe put on a “dog-and-pony show” for AIA Architects in Kansas City that led some participants, motivated by the ambrosia of liquid spirits, to give birth to The Society of Bird Doggers (SOB’s). Later this embryonic beginning became what we now know as SMPS.

After a lot of personal investment of time, talent and treasure by an energy-charged group of young pups and an agenda slot at the 1974 AIA Convention in Philadelphia, SMPS took off.

In 1979, during a National Marketing Conference in Las Vegas, an attempt to open the membership to “outsiders” was defeated. The Society stayed “pure” until it wisely opened its doors to professionals from other businesses, enriching the membership benefits to all. Also, education was a focus in the early years because the membership needed credentials to compete as a profession.

After graduation from the University of Illinois in 1958 and working as an architect in Peoria, Illinois, I got hooked on SMPS at a 1976 national conference in Indianapolis and soon became a member. That led to serving in National offices and as National President in 1980-81. I relocated LZT Architects to Austin in ’82 and I am still marketing and designing after 52 years.

Boy, have things changed!  Membership’s marketing skills have increased, and now with appropriate knowledge, testing and recognition, we can use “FSMPS” or “”CPSM” after our name.

The technical aspects of marketing are very important and the knowledge helps give us credibility, but even more important is our ability to support the people we serve and meet, and assist them in excelling in what they do.

I am sure this brief history will have a slippery connection with your hectic schedule. To me, it charts the course for today’s successful marketing professionals. Thank you for your diligence and perseverance.

Letter from the President

As we approach the last quarter of my term as president, I have found myself reminiscing on my early years with SMPS.  As a structural engineer, I had very little training on “soft” skills.  I was lucky that my undergraduate education required freshman writing classes, six liberal arts classes, and a technical writing and presentations class.  However, none of these classes taught me how to walk into a room where I knew no one and strike up a conversation, or how to create a network and utilize it to gather information.  I especially wasn’t taught how to win work.

I joined SMPS seven years ago after my managing director asked if I could help with business development and marketing. Neither of us was sure how to define my role and responsibilities, and with only a portion of my time carved out for this undertaking, there was not much time to learn. 

My managing director was familiar with SMPS and together we joined the Austin Chapter.  Back then, the Austin chapter board consisted of 10 (if they were lucky) volunteers who did everything.  They ran the chapter, communicating with members and possible members, managing finances, pursuing new members, soliciting sponsors, and even creating all the programs.  As a newcomer to the chapter, I was quickly hit up to help. 

As I became involved, I made many friends and my network grew.  However, my SMPS network was not just a group of friends but a valuable resource through which I made connections, learned valuable marketplace information, and grew in my role as a business developer.

As I grew in my role, the Austin Chapter also grew.  Our membership has practically tripled.  We have committees now that plan programs, communicate with the chapter, grow our membership, and gather sponsors.  We have members who have seen the immediate benefit of growing their network and skills by working with others to make the chapter a success.  With their hard work, the board is now able to steer the chapter and develop new initiatives to help the chapter grow and bring greater benefits to our members. 

One of the new benefits that we are rolling out is a mentoring program.  SMPS members who are fairly new to the industry or their position will be matched with more experienced members in similar jobs but different firm types.  This is an opportunity for experienced members to pass on sage advice, save other members from the pitfalls they experienced, share war stories, and help advocate the role of marketers and business developers.  As we help strengthen and empower those less experienced, not only will our networks grow stronger but so will the roles of marketers and business developers in A/E/C firms.

I wish such a program had existed seven years ago.  But by joining the board early, I created mentors of my own.  These are the same people who were running the chapter seven years ago.  They are the ones who somehow had the connections and time management skills to do it all.  I’d like to thank Diane Shelton, Karen Ward, Amy Jones, Michael Brack, Deanna Bounds, and Christine Freeman for being my mentors (even if they didn’t know it) and for making the Austin chapter what it is today.

Paulette N. I. Rudolph, PE, LEED AP, CPSM

Walter P Moore

SMPS Austin Chapter President

Restaurant Review: Gumbo's of Austin

Gumbo’s of Austin

710 Colorado Street, Suite 100

Austin, Texas 78701

www.gumbosaustin.com

With four different locations around Austin, Gumbo’s has definitely made its mark in central Texas. The Louisiana style Cajun restaurant has earned a reputation as a connoisseur of “southern comfort seafood.” I had heard good reviews of the place and I finally got to try it for myself.

The downtown location, where I dined, is tucked in the Brown Building on 7^th Street near Colorado. The two story restaurant conjures thoughts of the “Big Easy” with jazz inspired artwork and music.  The second level is a delightful space, long and narrow with single tables overlooking the ground floor which, despite its spacious volume, is quiet and allows for intimate conversation.   Their menu is a seafood lover’s dream, wrapped in a Cajun blanket. Of course, gumbo is at the heart of the menu, but it also features a variety of fresh seafood and meat dishes all with a Cajun flare. I ordered the shrimp combo platter with a side of sausage and chicken gumbo, and was delighted. My lunch companion ordered the grilled salmon with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. Everything was delectable. All the items had great flavor and not too much salt, which I find to be a problem with similar restaurants. Even the butter for the bread, which came before the meal, had a delicious Cajun seasoning. What I especially like about Gumbo’s is the variety of cooking options for your meat – fried, blackened, grilled or pan sautéed. You can choose to have an indulgent, nap-inducing lunch or a healthier alternative.

If you choose to eat at Gumbo’s, be ready to spend a little – entrees start at $12 and go up to $28. It’s not a meal to take lightly, for the price or the portions. However, it is a perfect place for a special business lunch, especially if you are trying to impress a client. I recommend Gumbo’s for fine dining, intimate setting, and a bit of southern comfort in the heart of downtown.

Chapter Leaders Achieve CPSM Designation

During Fall 2009, the SMPS Austin Chapter conducted a CPSM study group. Through seven bi-weekly study sessions, the CPSM study guide material was reviewed and practice exams were taken for each Domain of Practice. The study session was timed to coincide with the annual exam given during the Southern Regional Conference during January. Of our study group of eight members, three sat for the exam during the conference. Our chapter congratulates Paulette Gibbins, Chimme Hall and Erika Passailaigue on passing the exam.  With their certification, we were able to double the number of CPSMs registered with our chapter. Others from the study group still plan to sit for the exam in the future. 

If you are interested in the CPSM process, becoming a part of a study group, need help getting a hold of all the study materials, or need a proctor to administer the exam, please call Mike Wong at 512-345-7793 or e-mail him at mikew@tgce.com.