2006 “Inform-all” Notes

What’s going on at…The National Office

• Darryl Perkinson is President, he replaces long-time president Mike Styles who stepped down to retire.
• Donald McCall is Vice-President.  He was elected by the General Executive Board.  Donald was the Zone 3 president until being elected.  His term is through August when the mid-year conference is held.
• Sherry Lewis continues as Treasurer.
• Dick Oppedisano continues as Secretary

There are now three (3) government affairs assistants working in the National office.

• Jessica Klement – Govt. Affairs Assistant
• Sarvenaz Bakhtiar – Grassroots coordinator
• Thomas Richards – Public Affairs

Brianna Hardy continues as the Administrative Assistant.

Based on a 2005 resolution passed at the 2005 mid-year FMA conference, the Treasurer is tracking CPI increase beginning with 2006 and comparing those increases to what each FMA member should be paying in dues.   

Notes from the 68th National Convention

Advocacy

• In calendar year 2005, FMA provided 11 pieces of testimony before Congress.  All National Officers, at one time or another, testified before Congress.  In addition they have also participated on several committees, conferences and seminars.
  • Other FMA members have also attended conferences, seminars, etc.  For example, Betsy Senter from FMA’s US Dept. of Agriculture Conference Chair (and past president of the National Association of Credit Specialists of the farm Service ((NACS-FSA)).

• Darryl Perkinson will be working with George Voinovich (R-Ohio) on Voinovich’s introduced legislation as an alternative to the Bush administration’s proposed “Working for America Act”.

·        Five federal associations have formed the Government Managers Coalition to address issues of mutual concern and as a way to bolster their lobbying power on Capitol Hill.

The coalition is comprised of the Federal Managers Association, Federal Aviation Administration Managers Association, the National Council of Social Security Management Associations, the Professional Managers Association and the Senior Executives Association. Together, the coalition represents nearly 200,000 career-management officials in government.

The coalition will seek changes in sick-leave rules, the probationary period for new employees, managerial training and the status of managers when subordinates file Equal Employment Opportunity complaints, according to a statement issued yesterday.

Quoting William Bransford, general counsel of the Senior Executives Association "Our organizations have worked together informally on many issues in the past, but this coalition will give us a chance to endorse solutions which will have a significant impact on the effectiveness of our federal government,"

Membership

o       There are just 10,000 FMA members.

o       FMA Recruitment Incentive Program

§         The Zone 4 (to which Chapter 191 is a member) 2006 goal is 135 new members.

§         Zones will be recognized for actual gains rather than net gains; chapters will be recognized in 3 size categories; the new chapter award is eliminated; more levels of recruitment were added for a member to receive recognition.  The objective is to encourage everyone to recruit and to reward as appropriate. 

§         Information is on Chapter 191's Intranet site (Boardwalk) and soon on FMA Express Internet site.

• Next Issue of the Federal Manager Magazine due at the end of June.  The cover story will be on the TSA.

• Government Leader magazine, there is a new FMA membership ad inside.

Benefits

• The National office is determining the feasibility of membership cards and what a member would get with one.
• Corporate sponsorship:

o       Long Term Care Partners group is added, FMA received $31,000; FMA also received $15,000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield; and $8,000 from Wright & Co.  These monies are used for advertisement/recruitment in magazines, maintaining the National office, etc.

·        FMA PAC

o       Payroll deduction contest; see FMA National’s website for further details.

·        Panel Group Discussions

o       Thrift Savings program

§         Expense ratio is still 4%,

§         Introduction of Life cycle funds,

§         May expand into International funds next,

§         Survey to be released to find out what TSP members want from their thrift plan.

o       Preparing for the Future: Human Capital Strategies discussed with no clear answers as to what managers should do.  Strategies are on a case by case basis.

o       Other Panel discussions (no handouts)

§         Recruitment Management

§         Learning Management

§         Performance Management

Community

New FMA website

• Minutes from the General Executive Board (GEB) meetings are now available for members to view.
• FMA Online discussion forum

o       To access this section, you enter your last name and your FMA id number.  FMA id number is available from any Chapter 191 officer. 

What’s going on at…Zone 4

• Zone President is helping develop a retention guide and exit survey.
• Zones are requesting pictures from each agency in what they do to be included in the recruitment board.  If you have any please let your Chapter officers know.
• Conference

o       Next conference is Friday, August 25th.  At the usual site - SSA office, 600 W. Madison, Chicago.  Details to be finalized.

o       The 2009 mid-year conference will be in Zone 4; in either Chicago or Indianapolis.

What’s going on at…Chapter 191

Happy 26^th Anniversary Chapter 191!

• Advocacy

·       Need a replacement for Chapter Secretary

·       Representative for the RRB Safety Committee

·       Locally, we contacted managers at the Bureau of Labor on the 12th floor.  According to the Zone 4 president they cannot join RRB Chapter 191 because the Dept. of Labor already has a chapter.  The zone 4 president was to contact the zone president for the Dept. of Labor.

• Benefits

·       Survey in light of recent trainings for Managers

·       Mentorship program

• Community

o       Thanks goes out to those who volunteered their time for Administrative Professionals Day fundraiser at headquarters. The following people helped in the morning in distributing the flowers, plants, candies and selling the extra outdoor flowering plants and candies: Matt Carlyle, Patricia Kirch, Margarite Dadabo, Eileen Leiderman, Pauline Coleman-Sutton and Sally Mui

Thanks also goes out to the following folks who volunteered to help but since everyone came early to pick up and we sold out on the extra stuff, they were not needed: Cecilia Freeman, Claudia Walch, Paul Ahern, and Joy Kalligeros.

o       The Nurse thanks FMA for providing volunteers for the Blood Drive and refreshments for the CPR/AED Instructor recognition.

The next Chapter 191 General Board meeting will be in third week of August.  Notice to be published.