Month: November 2017

Bring networking events to your local area!

AMWASE Content Manager

Are you looking to meet medical communicators in your local area? Local networking is one of the best things about AMWA, and a great opportunity to connect, share and learn. It’s easy to organize a local event, and the chapter board can help make your event a success. Here’s how:

  1. Choose a date and time, allowing at least 3 weeks for planning;
    • Weekdays after work usually allow for more members to attend and make it easier to find a location that is conducive to conversation.
  2. Choose a location
    • Suggestions: Breweries or brewpubs with areas to accommodate large groups; restaurants with private dining areas
      • Many restaurants with private dining areas will charge a deposit to use the room, but will subtract bar purchases from the deposits.
  3. Send invitations at least 2 weeks before event
    • Provide information to chapter secretary about the event to have an invite sent to the entire membership
    • Send personalized invitations to AMWA members in local area (list available from chapter secretary upon request) AND/OR local non-AMWA member contacts at area universities or companies
  4. Host event
    • Provide sign-in sheet (available from chapter secretary) to collect names and membership status of attendees.
    • Purchase appetizers (and non-alcoholic beverages, at your discretion) for attendees. Attendees must purchase their own alcoholic beverage. Save your receipt for reimbursement!
  5. Submit information to SE-AMWA leadership
    • Provide a copy of the event sign-in to the president-elect
    • Provide a copy of the refreshment receipt to the treasurer. Please also provide an address for mailing your reimbursement check.

Annual Business Meeting

AMWASE Content Manager

The annual business meeting for the Southeast Chapter was held Thursday, November 2 immediately preceding the Chapter Dinner at the AMWA annual conference.

Kim Korwek (Immediate Past President) summarized the key achievements of the 2016-2017 year. Notably, the chapter achieved its governance goals, becoming a registered non-profit organization and meeting all chapter affiliation requirements with AMWA. The chapter held 5 networking events (3 in Nashville, 1 in Memphis and 1 in Birmingham). The chapter also helped facilitate 3 educational events. This included an educational presentation about statistical concepts for writers (online and in Nashville), a roundtable discussion in Atlanta, and the chapter book club. The chapter has secured programs for many back-office functions to help volunteer leaders with chapter duties, including a new bank account and accounting system, a mass emailing system, and a new website. Finally, the chapter has a full slate of volunteer officers and is recruiting local networking coordinators to help facilitate connection with members in all geographic areas.

Whitney Smalley-Freed (Treasurer, 2016-2017) provided a summary of the chapter’s financial status. Expenditures were below budget due to fees for incorporation being less than anticipated. The largest portion of expenditures (38.6% of total spend) were related to incorporation and aligning with the requirements of the chapter agreement. Approximately 33% of expenditures were related to sending a chapter delegate to the spring Board of Directors meeting; this cost will not be incurred next year due to changes in the board structure. The remaining expenses were for educational and networking events and maintaining the website.

Eva Stabenow (President) introduced the 2017-2018 officers: Rebekah Koutny (President-Elect), Callie Compton (Treasurer) and JoAnna Pendergrass (Secretary). Eva introduced the goals for the chapter, including more local programming. She stressed the importance of local volunteers for event organizing, and solicited volunteers to serve as Local Networking Coordinators (LNCs) to facilitate this process.