RE: 2013 AIS Convention


I also like Jill's idea of a full convention every other year.  If anyone has noticed, 2012 is being hosted by a REGION, not just one local affiliate.  We have 12 affiliates, and almost every one of them has taken on a job, but the most important thing about the group is the strong LEADERSHIP!!!  Without this strong guidance, it would not be possible to arrange all the committees involving 2 states and their volunteers.  So it is with AIS...without strong leadership and guidance we will continue to flounder, trying to find our way.  We need to start thinking "outside the box" and if that means having regions hosting the conventions, mini Section conventions combined for an AIS convention, plantings at Botanical gardens or visiting commercial gardens, we need to adapt.  We also need to cater to our affiliates' and regions' needs and address these first and foremost to keep our membership alive and growing.
Cheryl
 
> From: ypauls@sti.net
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention
> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:43:24 -0700
>
> I like Jill's idea.
>
> Janet
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: MORRISJE1@aol.com
> To: aisdiscuss@aisboard.org
> Subject: Re: [AISdiscuss] 2013 AIS Convention
> Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:22:26 EDT
>
> >
> >In a message dated 3/26/2010 6:52:13 A.M. Central Standard Time,
> >hager@aredee.com writes:
> >
> >Paul,
> >As the "organizational gadfly", I believe the difficulty in finding
> >a
> >location for the AIS convention is structural. Except for your
> >expertise
> >in
> >lining up conventions and assisting the host organization, the input
> >from
> >the AIS is minimal. Putting a convention, regional or "mini"
> >convention
> >together is a monumental task with a very steep learning curve. Each
> >step
> >is
> >critical and requires the participation of able and willing
> >volunteers.
> >Add
> >to that all the fiefdoms that exist with the AIS and the sponsoring
> >organization. It doesn't take long to figure out that when we ask a
> >Region
> >or Club to host a convention, we are asking someone to walk through
> >a
> >minefield blindfolded.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Dennis, (and all)
> >
> >You make some good points as a gadfly. It is a huge task to chair
> >and run
> >a Convention for AIS. Been there, done that. It does take willing
> >volunteers -- several of them in the hosting affiliate/region. And
> >the length of
> >the conventions has become expensive, both in time and cost to the
> >attendees.
> >
> >Of the "successful" organizations you mention, how many are
> >non-profit?
> >Or non-career, non-professional organizations? I know lots of
> >successful
> >for profit, professional career related organizations. I once ran a
> >one-week
> >long professional career convention in Chicago with attendance of
> >8,000
> >people. The hook was professional career and the potential to
> >improve your
> >self in your profession. People will pay for that. Will iris
> >people pay
> >for flower conventions? I understand that Wisconsin's goal is 400
> >attendees
> >(about 10%). The largest AIS Convention attendance I have
> >discovered was
> >827 in 1959 in Oklahoma City when our membership was 8,000, so that
> >was
> >again about 10%.
> >
> >I have always been optimistic about AIS and guess I don't see the
> >"fiefdoms" you are referencing. Unless you are referring to the
> >Sections and
> >Co-operating Societies who do have their special focuses and agendas.
> >
> >AIS does need to do more Strategic Planning and make the changes to
> >adapt
> >to the modern world. Talking about it is important but we need some
> >sort
> >of action plan for the future. And the consideration of an Executive
> >
> >Director as suggested by Jerry Coates is something that DID work for
> >a while when
> >AIS had 8,000 members. The AIS Executive Offices were administered
> >out of
> >Memphis, TN by two or three people in the early 1950s, then from
> >1957-1977
> >with one full-time paid person in St. Louis. It ended with AIS
> >almost
> >going bankrupt as the membership started a long term decline in
> >numbers. We
> >are now at 4,000 members and I don't believe we have anyway near the
> >funding
> >to consider a full-time paid director.
> >
> >However, in the short-term I would like others' opinions about an
> >Educational Convention, no guest planting, possible optional tours to
> >existing
> >gardens, or not, and a shortened length of time for the convention.
> >We have
> >this short-term problem that needs a solution first. I await
> >comments.
> >Please don't get hung up on a paid director for now.
> >
> >Jim M.
>
>
>
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