Dan Smith, AAPG's immediate past president and current chairman of the Membership Enhancement and Development Committee, recently met with one of his vice chairs, Ed Picou, and AAPG staff to plan improvements and expansion of the program.
Smith's aim is to achieve higher participation at the grassroots level and make the program truly a "double barrel" effort for both the local societies and AAPG.
To achieve this goal he is establishing a Section/Region network, reaching virtually to every affiliated society worldwide.
Help is needed. As Velma Kelly sang about her dream act in the musical Chicago, "I simply cannot do it alone."
"It is very important to be active in both your national/international and your local professional organizations," Smith said. "Just as in government, some services are best handled at the former level, some at the latter level and some at both levels.
"This is one of the most important programs ever initiated by AAPG," he continued. "It is not just a numbers game -- it is important for both AAPG and its affiliated societies to broaden their membership base in order to grow stronger.
"The more 'quality' member we add, the more services and products we can develop."
Other vice chairs include Jane McCollough, chairman of AAPG's standing Membership Committee, and a yet-to-be-named vice chair for international. Committee members will include a representative from each affiliated society worldwide.
It is a very good time to start your local drive for members. Picou recently ran a comparison of the New Orleans Geological Society (NOGS) against AAPG membership and located 190 NOGS members without national affiliation -- but the more surprising number was that 329 AAPG members in the society area were not listed on the NOGS roll!
The Membership Department will assist any society who would like to do this same comparison. You can reach them by calling 918-560-2612 or email . Recruiter kits are available from the same contact.