{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang1033{\fonttbl{\f0\fnil\fcharset0 Times New Roman;}} {\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\f0\fs24\par \par \par \par \par Membership Report\par May 9,2005\par \par It is good to remember that once there weren\rquote t any members of AIS.\par \par \pard\fi720 What was once a small group of people with an interest in the genus iris has grown into what it is today, an international network of remarkably dedicated and talented individuals.\par \par That being said, we continue to experience an ongoing negative trend in our membership numbers. Since 1989, membership in AIS has dropped almost 30% (see attachments). The causes for this are still not clear but certainly include the amount of discretionary time and money available for hobbies and an increased number of choices available to the general public on which to spend these resources.\par \par New members are normally solicited from iris shows where they are bowled over by the beauty and diversity of this flower. For the last several years we have been welcoming between 450 to 650 new members. Unfortunately many of these people are gone after a year and most of those have dropped by the second or third year so that for every 100 new memberships, we retain approx. 25. While this is a reasonable retention percentage, we are also losing total memberships at an alarming rate.\par \par \ulw Year\tab\tab Base\tab\tab Drops\tab\tab %Rate\par \ulnone 2000\tab\tab 7137\tab\tab 1,070\tab\tab -14.9\par 2001\tab\tab 6870\tab\tab 1,049\tab\tab -15.3\par 2002\tab\tab 6572\tab\tab 1,046\tab\tab -15.9\par 2003\tab\tab 6072\tab\tab 545\tab\tab -9.0\par 2004\tab\tab 5999\tab\tab 850\tab\tab -14.2\par \par These losses are passive; many people just don\rquote t renew their memberships. The reasons are varied but break down into two general categories.\par \par \pard{\pntext\f0 1.\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlbody\pnf0\pnindent360\pnstart1\pndec{\pntxta.}} \fi-720\li1440\tx1440 I\rquote ll get to it later. (Busy Christmas Season?)\par \pard{\pntext\f0 2.\tab}{\*\pn\pnlvlbody\pnf0\pnindent360\pnstart2\pndec{\pntxta.}} \fi-720\li1440\tx1440 No response.\par \pard\par \pard\fi720 I\rquote ll normally hear from the first category about four months after they have been dropped for non-payment. The question is always \ldblquote Why didn\rquote t I receive my Bulletin?\rdblquote These are people we get back once they realize they\rquote re missing something they\rquote ve come to value.\par \pard\par \pard\fi720 The second group for all intents and purposes has fallen off the face of the earth. While they have normally been members for at least a year we have no data as to why they have decided not to remain members of AIS. I have asked the RVP\rquote s and Membership Chairs to try and find out why this is happening and what we as an organization can do to fix it. With relatively few exceptions, I haven\rquote t heard from them.\par \par \pard\tab Given the trend line of the last 15 years, leaving things as they are is not going to cut it. Following that trend in 5 years we will have lost an additional 15% of our current membership.\par \par \pard\fi720\ulw Year\tab\tab Base\tab\tab\tab\tab %Rate\par \ulnone 2005\tab\tab 5755\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par 2006\tab\tab 5524\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par 2007\tab\tab 5303\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par 2008\tab\tab 5092\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par 2009\tab\tab 2662\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par \pard\tab 2010\tab\tab 4888\tab\tab\tab\tab -4\par \pard\fi720\par \pard\par \tab I believe it\rquote s time for AIS to mount a concerted membership campaign with the goal of achieving a membership level that can sustain our current operations and allow us to offer our members increased value for their membership dollars. How this will be accomplished and what \ldblquote increased value\rdblquote is can be worked out in a separate meeting and by people dedicated to that specific task.\par \par \par Respectfully submitted,\par \par \par \par Tom Gormley\par AIS Membership Secretary\par \par }