Development Committee report

The Development Committee focused on increasing visibility for the Society, and additional promotional items for members in 2011. Two visibility projects were initiated and completed; the fi rst was signs with the new logo placed on the board for each poster presentation. The second visibility project was printed cards with the Society’s convention presentations, business meeting, presidential address, social hour, and the Group Psychologist of the Year invited address. These cards were distributed throughout the conference. The committee also provided lanyards with the Society’s name on it for members at the social, and distributed paperweights with the logo at the Founder’s breakfast.

This will be my last column as Chair of the Development Committee and I am pleased to announce that Kathy Ritter has agreed to assume the position. This committee recommends new funding opportunities, creative projects, and is charged with marketing and publicity for the Society.

Following are some ideas I passed on to Kathy for the committee’s future work. Let her know if you fi nd any appealing, and more importantly, are there any that you want to support by volunteering to work to get them started. If you have other ideas, the committee will be receptive to those.

• Initiate $2,000 seed money research awards. This suggestion was acted on by the Board at the August meeting, and one such award was approved.

• Commissioned white papers and guidelines for teaching, research and practice.

• Pod-casts.

• Web-based research and career coaching.

• Create a hospitality/events planning group.

• Use conversation hours as programming at the national conference.