Strategic Plan Update for 2009
Is it Time to Re-invent the Academy?

By Steve Mastro, CPM
stevemastro@sbcglobal.net

I write this article as I am preparing the 2009 Academy budget that will be presented to the House of Delegates this September in Ohio. With the increase in the Academy membership dues by five dollars beginning in 2009, I was hoping there would be thousands of new dollars to put towards new initiatives beginning in 2009. However, as I worked the numbers I came to the stark realization that due to decreasing membership and increasing costs, much of the new dollars will be needed to cover existing expenses. The solution to this is held in an Albert Einstein quote I use often. “We cannot solve the problems we face today using the same level of thinking as when we created them.”

There are only two ways that I know of to increase the Academy’s Budget: 1) increase the total membership, or 2) increase the cost of each membership. However, perhaps we do not need a larger budget, but rather use what we already have in ways that benefit our mission and our membership in a more frugal manner. This is much easier said than done. The purpose statement for the Academy, developed almost 20 years ago, clearly conveys the Academy’s support of the current programs, committees, and activities. Although this statement still holds great value, maybe it is time to update our methods to achieve our purpose.

Membership in the Academy increased steadily hitting the peak in 2005 at 1752 members. We have experienced a decrease since then, and in 2008, we are again below projected numbers. Recruiting and retaining membership within our current member Societies should become a prime goal of the Academy. In addition to these Societies, there are currently four potential new Societies that may form in the next two years. Before deciding on joining the Academy, they need to know who we are and be familiar with our values, mission, goals and benefits of Academy membership. In order to continue nurturing our growth, as well as theirs, we must be prepared to encourage their participation.

One mission the Academy advocates under our strategic plan is the CPM curriculum becoming the ideal management training program. This is an important goal, and we need to evaluate whether or not we are doing enough to achieve this by revisiting questions addressed at the 2000 conference in St. Petersburg: 1)  Where are we as an organization?;  2)  Where do we want to be?; 3)  What do we want to look like in 5-10 years?; 4)  What do you think it will take for us to get there?; and 5)  What should we not be doing?

The development and updating of the strategic plan is typically a task assigned to the president-elect. As I began to assess our membership trends and the use of our fiscal resources to achieve our goals, it became evident to me that we must change the level of thinking we use to update this plan. The Academy is a confederate member association – meaning we do not have members if the Societies do not have members and we are in this together. The Academy must be able to provide benefits and services of value in order to market the advantage of Academy membership. Some of our current benefits include scholarships, networking opportunities, educational conferences, discounts from specific vendors, etc. However, we must consider whether or not these are relevant and beneficial to today’s new CPM graduates.

Having said all this, I offer you the opportunity to be heard. With the upcoming conference in Ohio, there is a prime opportunity for you to communicate with your HOD representatives, Society leaders and AACPM Board to ensure that your concerns and suggestions are addressed. Your input is valuable to our discussions and would be greatly appreciated. Please consider the following questions and send your responses to me via e-mail me at smastro@csum.edu or stevemastro@sbcglobal.net. I look forward to receiving your feedback.

What do we need to do differently to recruit and retain members more successfully? What member benefits can we offer at minimal cost that will be of value to our members? What member benefits would you expect to receive if the cost of membership were increased? What are the answers to the five questions from 2000? Would you be willing to serve on a strategic planning committee?

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