New People !

[JRoberts]

Frank, thanks for this information. I know that our chapter's president has never recieved copy's of TW from the Zone Coordinator. I'll have to have her to follow up on this. It is a great way to attract new folks. They never quite believe that our International Publication is that good until they see it.

By the way not only are there a lot of new members showing up here on the forum, but our chapter has grown by leaps and bounds lately too. A good sign.

Joe Roberts
'61 R1 Champ
'65 Cruiser
Editor of "The Down Easterner"
Eastern North Carolina Chapter

[Roscomacaw]

Then there are those that just DO NOT want to be bothered. I ran into one such last winter. Guy had a nice 55 sedan and started to tell me this long saga about how clever he was in finding parts for it. He was telling how rare certain things were - things that just about every Stude vendor carries. While I didn't have a TW to hand him, I did write out the web address for this site (and he WAS/IS computer savvy). I told him he needed to at least look up the website if not join the club, just so he could easily find stuff when he needs it. His reply??? "Well, I've restored it NOW. Why would I go lookin' for anything?[8][B)][8][B)][8]

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[41 Frank]

Now that Forum members have been informed that free back issues are available for recruiting purposes I must emphasize that in no way does this mean that 10's of thousands of copies are involved.It is done on a somewhat limited basis as there is not an unlimited supply of extra copies. I echo the sentiments of others here, we must do what we can to attract new members to counter our aging membership and attrition for other reasons.

[A1956GoldenHawk]

quote:Originally posted by 41 Frank

<snip> I echo the sentiments of others here, we must do what we can to attract new members to counter our aging membership and attrition for other reasons.

Thanks again, 41 Frank!

"...and attrition for other reasons" ...was one of the subjects I brought up to 2 SDC Officers and a SDC Board Member I met with earlier this year. My question to them was; Is Cornerstone or anyone else for that matter watching the "membership back door"[?] When their mouths dropped open, it gave me the answer I feared most.

To phrase it another way; How many members have not renewed their membership over the past 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. If we gain, say 1200 new members a year, and lose 2000, what has all our efforts really amounted to ...a net lose of 800 members[?][:0] I sincerely hope this is now being closely monitored and some sort of a follow-up is being done with those former SDC Members.

...now getting down off my soap box ...
...for tonight! [)]

[Green 53]

The membership has remained fairly steady. The $19.95 first year has helped get new members. Everyhing 41 Frank has mentioned is true. Cornerstone does sent out reminders to folks who do not renew. Each quarter Cornerstone sends a print out to all Directors and Zone Coordinators that list all members who have renewed, not renewed,and new members. These lists are copied and sent to the Regional Managers who in turn are supposed to copy each Chapter. Having served as National Vice President 3 times and a Zone Coordinator for many years I realise these many times don't get passed on as planned. If you have never seen one ask your President,RM, or ZC and request to see it. I know this coming year special effort will be made to attract members who have dropped out.

[41 Frank]

A quarterly membership list is mailed to the Zone Coordinator, he/she in turn disseminates the lists to each Regional Manager in their respective State/Province. He/she in turn passes the lists on to their Chapters.The lists contain info for renewals,new members and non-renewals.It is than up to the Chapter to use this info to their advantage. The Chapter membership person can contact these folks and attempt to get them to join their Chapter or renew their SDC membership, whatever the case may be. So as we can see a system is in place to track membership, but again action on this information is up to the Chapters. If we all did nothing the result would be as the example you mentioned, 2000 members lost versus 800. Membership has stayed relatively stable though of late. I would surmise from this something is working because the natural thing is to experience a decline in membership. And now, like you, I will put this issue to rest. Hope this has enlightened some that may be under the impression nothing is being done.

quote:Originally posted by A1956GoldenHawk

quote:Originally posted by 41 Frank

<snip> I echo the sentiments of others here, we must do what we can to attract new members to counter our aging membership and attrition for other reasons.

Thanks again, 41 Frank!

"...and attrition for other reasons" ...was one of the subjects I brought up to 2 SDC Officers and a SDC Board Member I met with earlier this year. My question to them was; Is Cornerstone or anyone else for that matter watching the "membership back door"[?] When their mouths dropped open, it gave me the answer I feared most.

To phrase it another way; How many members have not renewed their membership over the past 3, 6, 9 or 12 months. If we gain, say 1200 new members a year, and lose 2000, what has all our efforts really amounted to ...a net lose of 800 members[?][:0] I sincerely hope this is now being closely monitored and some sort of a follow-up is being done with those former SDC Members.

...now getting down off my soap box ...
...for tonight! [)]

[41 Frank]

That's about all I knew when I first started doing this Dave I learned more and more as time went by.[^] There definitely is room for a better system to show new ZC's and RM's what the job entails, and what SDC provides in the way of support.

quote:Originally posted by Studedude

As Zone Coordinator, I always passed on the quarterly reports to chapters. That, I knew about! <G>


DAVE, THE EVIL TWIN FROM OKLAHOMA

[Skip Lackie]

As noted by Green 53, 41Frank has provided a nice summary of some of the services provided by SDC. I think our problem is that most of us are car nuts and are not greatly interested in running a club or even learning how the club is governed. I no longer am surprised when I meet a long-time member who has no knowledge of how SDC is organized, how officers are elected, or what recruiting aids are available -- even after repeated explanations of this material in the President's monthly column. And oh by the way -- the SDC bylaws are periodically printed in TW. How many of us have ever read them?

The bylaws and the associated Policies and Procedures manual explain in excruciating detail all those boring facts about SDC governance. We don't do it for our own amusement -- SDC is a New York corporation and MUST comply with NY regulations. Copies of all this material (along with books containing other useful guidance and historical material) are distributed periodically to zone coordinators, regional managers, and chapters. Larry Swanson is preparing a new book right now.

There is a list of SDC's officers, board members, zone coordinators, and the states, provinces or countries they represent on the last page of every issue of TW. Every fall, the VP announces SDC's annual elections and solicits volunteers for all positions. That issue also includes a map of the zones in North America. Candidates are sometimes very difficult to find, and participation in elections is often very low. Information about SDC is available, but members must make a modest effort to read it.

Skip Lackie
Board member, Atlantic Zone

[52-fan]

I have tremendous respect for those who serve as SDC officers at all levels. Thank you all!
I have read SOME of the by-laws and the minutes from the board meetings. Like you said, most of us are more interested in the cars than the management. My main problem, as I am sure it is for many, is that I can not afford to attend the International meets and do some of the other duties required.


1952 Champion Starlight, 1962 Daytona, both w/overdrive.Searcy,Arkansas
"I may be lazy, but I'm not shiftless."

[avantilover]

What is this Studebaker Story brochure/booklet??? Perhaps an American secret?

In any case, what happens with the zones outside the USA? One of our members (Brenton Thomas) is the International Zone Coordinator, although the listed email address for him he no longer knows how to access (asked him sometime). Pretty Poor if this can happen, perhaps indicating the details are not updated, or that postal mail is used.
I doubt that many Aussies are in the SDC, as it's primarily an American organization. Must say I find it amusing that American meets are called "International" when they're only held in the states. Seems like the "World Series" of Baseball being primarily American only.

John Clements
Avantilover, your South Australian Studebaker lover!!!
Secretary Studebaker Car Club of SA (as of 3/19/08)
Lockleys South Australia

[Skip Lackie]

quote:Originally posted by 52-fan


I have read SOME of the by-laws and the minutes from the board meetings. Like you said, most of us are more interested in the cars than the management. My main problem, as I am sure it is for many, is that I can not afford to attend the International meets and do some of the other duties required.

Let me briefly respond to that last statement. The ONLY jobs that pretty much require you to go to the Intl Meet are the officers (pres, VP, treas, secy) and the board members. Even the latter can miss a meet, but are required to appoint a proxy. The rest of the jobs are largely local in nature. While a lot can be learned by attending some of the meetings at an Intl Meet, the Zone Coordinator and Regional Manager jobs mostly require some enthusiasm and a willingness to help. Some consider these jobs as training grounds for board positions, but that assumes that aspiring to the board is a good and desirable thing.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[Skip Lackie]

quote:Originally posted by avantilover

What is this Studebaker Story brochure/booklet??? Perhaps an American secret?

In any case, what happens with the zones outside the USA? One of our members (Brenton Thomas) is the International Zone Coordinator, although the listed email address for him he no longer knows how to access (asked him sometime). Pretty Poor if this can happen, perhaps indicating the details are not updated, or that postal mail is used.
I doubt that many Aussies are in the SDC, as it's primarily an American organization. Must say I find it amusing that American meets are called "International" when they're only held in the states. Seems like the "World Series" of Baseball being primarily American only.

John Clements
Avantilover, your South Australian Studebaker lover!!!
Secretary Studebaker Car Club of SA (as of 3/19/08)
Lockleys South Australia

John-
The book I mention is a loose-leaf handbook that includes the latest version of the bylaws, policy and procedures manual, intl meet policy, guidance for hosting meets, and a bunch of other stuff. (I am away from home at the moment, and admit that I do not carry my handbook with me wherever I go, so I can't list any other specific contents.) The material is assembled every few years by Larry Swanson and distributed to officers, zone coordinators, regional directors, etc. It is too expensive to print for every member, though I believe SDC offered the last version for sale to interested members.

I believe the handbook was originally Larry's idea, as a mechanism to replace the scattershot distribution of separate items, mostly only to those who asked for them. The problem discussed in this thread is not new. I wrote an SDC New Officer's Guide more than 30 years ago, and bits and pieces of it survive in Larry's handbook. I wrote it to address the problem discussed here. It obviously did not solve the problem.

I think SDC tries pretty hard to be responsive to its overseas members, but the club is not willing to subsidize overseas members by (for example) paying first class postage for such members. Our bylaws require a distribution of board members by membership numbers, so the whole overseas zone is only entitled to one board member. ZCs are allocated on a one-per-zone basis. RDs for the area outside North America are generally assigned on a one-RD-per-country basis, (if a volunteer can be found), though this could be changed. Board members, ZCs and RMs are responsible for keeping SDC informed of their mail and email addresses -- so if one is out of date, blame the incumbent.

SDC's original Intl Meets were international in the sense that there have always been plenty of Canadian members in attendance. We always enjoy meeting the Stude nuts from even farther away, and they generally receive lots of attention and offers of a beer or two. Finally, the people who named the World Series are all dead now, and I'm not gonna try to defend them.

Skip Lackie
Washington DC

[41 Frank]

John, the "Studebaker Story" is a SDC pamphlet that contains a short synopsys of Studebaker history written by Fred Fox. It is meant to be used as a handout at events where prospective SDC members may be present.It also contains a membership application for SDC. If you are in need of some I am sure it could be arranged to mail some to your Chapter. Again they are meant for use by SDC Chapters.

Alternatively some could be hand carried back by someone attending the National here in the U.S.

[avantilover]

That's OK Frank, I don't think there are any "chapters" here in Australia.

John Clements
Avantilover, your South Australian Studebaker lover!!!
Secretary Studebaker Car Club of SA (as of 3/19/08)
Lockleys South Australia

[studeclunker]

quote:That's OK Frank, I don't think there are any "chapters" here in Australia.

Well John, perhaps it's time you folks 'down under' got to setting one up! Off to work with you, chop, chop![^]

LOL, just kidding. Don't anyone get their dander all in a ruff, LOL! I don't even know what a 'chapter' is.[)]


Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
Ron Smith
Where the heck is Lewiston, CA?