ASM CHAPTER NEXUS
Volume 7 Issue 4
December 2006

Visit the ASM Materials Education Foundation Website for Materials Camp Planning Ideas

If your Chapter is planning a new ASM Materials Camp in 2007 or your team is simply looking for some creative ideas to build on the success of past Materials Camps, then the ASM Materials Education Foundation website is a good place to start.   Simply visit the ASM website at www.asminternational.org and select the Foundation button at the top right side for a menu of options.
 
Of specific interest, the “Best Practices” section highlights presentations made by various Camp leaders sharing their ideas and perspectives.  Access the Best Practices Online. 

Also, articles and information, and even a networking Forum can be found on the ASM Materials Education Foundation website.

If you need additional information, would like to confirm your 2007 Materials Camp dates and location for 2007, or have question about planning a Materials Camp, please contact the staff below:

• Teacher Camp – Jeane Deatherage, jeane.deatherage@asminternational.org, 440-338-5151, x 5533.

• Student Camp – Scott Giesler, scott.giesler@asminternational.org, 440-338-5151, x 5655

Publish Your Book with ASM
Technical publishing is an important part of ASM. Our publications - including magazines, journals, handbooks, reference books, databases, and training materials - are used as sources of information for our industries and as reference works in engineering schools and universities worldwide.

ASM is a leading publisher of technical reference books, with several hundred titles currently in print. In addition to large handbooks and data compilations, ASM publishes many books written by individual authors or small groups of co-authors. ASM can help authors writing books in subject areas related to materials science and engineering. 

For more information about getting published, contact Scott Henry, ASM Senior Product Manager, at 440-338-5151, ext. 5706.

ASM Vice President and Board of Trustees nominations

There’s never been a more exciting time to become a member of the ASM board of Trustees! The society’s 2007 vice president and trustee elects will have the opportunity to be a voice for the membership and to shape ASM’s future. Your leadership can help us implement the 2006–2007 ASM Strategic Plan. Our Life-Long Learning and Education, Global Community Information Network, and Emerging Technologies provide tremendous opportunities for ASM and its members. The individuals, when duly nominated and elected, will become an integral working part of the Board of Trustees, which now includes three student members. As such, they must be qualified to set policies and guide the destiny of our society.

            Qualifications: The demands placed today on members of the board require that they have a well-rounded understanding of the broad activities and objectives of ASM on a local, society and international level, and the issues and opportunities that ASM will be facing over the next few years. Further, they must also have a general appreciation for international trends in the engineered materials industry and profession.

            Duties: Board members undertaking various assignments (either as individuals or on board subcommittees) during the intervals between regular board meetings. Trustees also assume the responsibility of acting as a Board Liaison to ASM’s committees and councils in a partnering spirit to provide responses and solutions to the ASM Strategic Plan. These responsibilities require perception, initiative, judgment and knowledge of current activities in the field of engineered materials.

            Guidelines: Note that nominees for vice president must have previously served on the ASM Board, and that those selected to serve on the board as trustee should be capable of someday assuming the ASM presidency.
            Finally,  members selected to serve on the board should consider themselves as representing all of ASM, not solely their respective chapters or geographic areas, and must exercise prudent business judgment on major and basic factors affecting society activities.

            Deadline for nominations is March 15, 2007. Don’t pass up this opportunity! For more information about eligibility criteria and nomination forms visit www.asminternational.org/nomination or contact Leslie Taylor; 440-338-5151, ext. 5500; e-mail: leslie.taylor@asminternational.org.

Enter the 2007 International Metallographic Contest  

Voting Procedures for Chapter of Excellence Awards
Response provided by Chapter Council
Some chapters asked for more information about how Chapter Council selects the Chapter of Excellence Award winners. There are two goals for the Chapter of Excellence Awards: first, recognize the hard work of excellent chapters and second, share great ideas with all of our ASM chapters.  Here’s a description of the process:  

After you submit your QRP report and Chapter of Excellence essay, ASM Chapter Relations staff members compile a spreadsheet of the QRP data sorted by Chapter size categories. Around the second week of July, Chapter Council members receive the spreadsheet and essays. Each Chapter Council representative reviews the spreadsheets & essays. They submit recommendations for best chapter in each size category to the Chapter Relations staff.   
Some representatives put more weight on the numerical QRP scores, while others emphasize the essay component. Some try to balance both. There are no formal scoring guidelines, and fortunately no ties have occurred when the votes are tallied!   We don’t have a teleconference or lobby each other to vote for particular chapters-our votes are private. Some Chapter Council representatives excuse themselves from voting in a particular size category if their home chapters are competing for the award.

The votes are tallied by Randall Barnes, Chapter Relations and Membership Manager who notifies the winning chapters so they can send a representative to Leadership Days. Their award is presented at Leadership Days and the winning essays are posted on the ASM website so other chapters can benefit from their best practices. Great ideas are found in all size categories, so feel free to read essays from all the winning chapters when you’re looking for a new program or outreach strategy.

One challenge for the Chapter Council representatives is that we only have about 2 weeks to review all the data and vote.   Next year we’re giving a 10 point bonus to chapters who submit their QRP reports & essays by 6/15/2007 to give Chapter Council & ASM Staff a head start.   

TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR IRS 1099 INFORMATION!!!       

Each year ASM International's Finance & Accounting Department must complete an IRS Form 1099 for each Independent Contractor, or Vendor who received payments over $600. Please send the Vendor/Contractor's Social Security Number, Name and Address, dollar amount and how the Chapter utilized this service to ASM International, 9639 Kinsman Road, Materials Park, OH 44073, Attn: Barbara Pryor. ASM will then process the 1099 forms for your Chapter and send it to the IRS. ASM must report this information to the IRS by January 31, 2007 so please send the above information to ASM no later than January 15, 2007.

CHAPTER FINANCIAL REPORTS DUE - Feb. 15 Deadline Approaching!

Announcing Leadership Days 2007 

Leadership Days 2007 will be held August 2 – 5 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Save the date and join us as we view the breath taking mountain scenery and hear from fellow chapter members from around the world. Each chapter is required to send an executive committee representative every other year at the minimum to remain a Chapter in Good Standing.  This is the first year Leadership Days will be held outside of Cleveland and we hope you will enjoy the opportunity to travel to another location and experience Leadership Days 2007.  Schedule of Events and Registration Information will be forth coming. For more information on Leadership Days 2007 please contact Megan Herrmann, Chapter Relations Administrator at 440-338-5151, ext. 5651 or megan.herrmann@asminternational.org  

ASM AWARD NOMINATION DEADLINES ARE FAST APPROACHING!
Nominating candidates for ASM Awards is a responsibility and privilege of ASM’s volunteer community, and is one of the highest compliments you can pay a colleague. We encourage you to take part in the recognition process by nominating a colleague for one or more of ASM’s esteemed awards.
Deadlines are upon us for:

The award rules and nomination forms can easily be accessed through ASM's website.

CHAPTER CALENDAR
Review Important Dates for the Chapter Year

January - 1099 Information due to Finance and Accounting Department
February 1 - Submission deadline for most ASM Awards.
February 15 - Year end financial reports due.
February - Member Recognition awards sent to secretary.
March 15 - Submission deadline for Board of Trustee and Vice President nominations.
May 31 - Deadline for all chapter annual business meetings to be completed.
May 31 - 2005-2006 Chapter year officially ends.
June 1 - 2006-2007 Chapter year begins.
June 30 - Year-end chapter reports due.
August 2-5 - Leadership Days 2007.

NEXUS INSTRUCTIONS

Get the most out of the Nexus, your Officers Tools and Resources!

The Nexus is designed to be a quick point of reference for local chapter officers, providing you with valuable information as well as quick links to commonly used tools and resources. If you are receiving the HTML version of the Nexus, you will see a list of “Quick Links” on the top left hand side of the page. These links are explained here: (Please note that many of these items require site login before you will be able to access.)

Update My Record – As you know, accurate information is vital to the success of a chapter and a society. Please take a moment to review your member information online and update any dated information.

Download My Roster – You have access to your chapter’s roster and can also retrieve your members’ information to run mailing labels.

Chapter Network List – This is a list of the active chapters in the ASM Network with links to their individual websites if available.

My Monthly Reports – Monthly reports?!? If you weren’t even aware of the monthly reports, now you have an easy way to locate them after your chapter meetings or your executive committee meetings!

My Operations Manual – Revised annually, this document is the cookbook for your chapter’s success. Take a few minutes to review at least the table of contents. Many of the questions you have right now are probably answered in this resource.

Speaker’s Directory – Looking for just the right speaker for your technical program? Use our online tool to find the right spreaker.

E-mail My Members – This tool, housed at the ASM Website, allows you to send simple text messages to your entire organization (except those without e-mails), maintain their security and privacy and get your message out in one burst.

Leadership Days – This link takes you directly to the web pages for Chapter Council’s annual training/informational event for the Chapter Network.

Contact My Chapter Council Rep – Chapter Council is a volunteer organization made up of 15 experienced chapter leaders who represent the 15 Districts of the United States chapters. The Council guides the chapter system and serves as the voice of chapters to the Board of Trustees. This link will take you to the council pages AND the representative list so you can have immediate access to YOUR volunteer representation.

Nexus Archives – Every past issue of the Nexus is housed here for your convenience. Review past issues, past topics or learn more about the ASM Chapter system.

Ask Megan! – Have a question? Have a concern? Need some guidance? Megan Herrmann is the Chapter Relations at ASM Headquarters. If she doesn’t know the answer, she’ll work tirelessly until she finds it for you.

There's so much more! Check out the chapter section of the ASM Website. These are just a few of the tools and resources that are available to you! If you have any questions or comments about the Nexus, please contact Megan Herrmann, Chapter Relations & Membership Administrator at Materials Park. She'll be happy to help you. Contact her at 440-338-5151, ext. 5651 or Chapters@asminternational.org.

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