Paula Kreuzburg, IOM of Clemons & Associates, Inc. Graduates from Institute for Organization Management

A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is pleased to announce that Paula Kreuzburg, IOM, Senior Account Executive, of Clemons & Associates, Inc., has graduated from the program and has received the recognition of IOM. Awarded to all graduates of the Institute program, the IOM Graduate Recognition signifies the individual’s completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.

“Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s vice president of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”

Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.  Institute’s curriculum consists of four weeklong sessions at five different university locations throughout the country. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

Graduates of Institute receive the IOM recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management. In addition, participants can earn credit hours toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE) certifications. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend Institute annually.

Institute for Organization Management is the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It is the premier nonprofit professional development program for association and chamber professionals, fostering individual growth through interactive learning and networking opportunities.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment.

institute.uschamber.com            @GetConnectedIN         

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Thinking about joining a Board? Read this FIRST!

Board membership can be a great way to increase you and your company’s visibility. However being a non-profit board member is an involved and committed function. To increase chances of a favorable outcome we  highly recommend women in business gain a good understanding of what might be expected from such an engagement,  prior to pursuing or accepting a board member position.

With that in mind we asked Entrepreneur subscriber Crista LeGrand, CAE, CMP who is CEO and President of one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s premier association management firms (Clemons & Associates) to share her thoughts about board membership and some tips for a successful non-profit board member experience. This is what she had to say…

What does it mean to be a board member in the typical non-profit organization today?

First, I prefer to use the term “tax-exempt” organization rather than the misunderstood “non-profit” label.  Actually, the Internal Revenue Service has changed and is using tax-exempt in most of its publications and forms. It is a more descriptive term that actually defines the organization.  Non-profit implies “no profit” to many people and results in faulty decisions because of the misunderstanding.

Next, people are all busy these days.  Technology has made many of our tasks easier but also more complicated at the same time. For today’s director, it means that you must make the commitment to serve, and then actually live up to that commitment. It also means to become involved with the organization and learn what makes it tick. It means accepting responsibility and making hard, tough decisions.

Read the full Q&A here.

Planning a meeting? Check out these cool tools from the Marriott

Need a little assistance when planning your organization's meeting?  Click on the links below for help with room set up, attendance limits & exhibit space requirements. 

http://www.marriott.com/meetings/tools/space-session.mi

• Use that link figure out space for meeting rooms with either the room set you want or the number of attendees

http://www.marriott.com/meetings/tools/people-calc.mi

• Use that link if you know room dimensions

http://www.marriott.com/meetings/tools/space-exhibition.mi

• For exhibits

If you still need help with planning your meeting, conference, tradeshow or convention Clemons & Associates, Inc. can handle it all.  We have facilitated and produced hundreds of meetings of virtually any type, from a Board of Directors meeting to a major trade show with over 5,000 attendees.  No meeting is too small or too large.

Contact us today!  410.931.8100 or send an email to natalie@clemonsmgmt.com. 

Villabon-Martz, Spirited women honored for community activism

Clemons & Associates, Inc. COO, Natalie Martz was named a Spirited Woman Rising by Mycity4her Media.  Check out the great article from the Baltimore Sun! The C&A team had a blast during the photo shoot!

Left to Right: Crista LeGrand, Natalie Martz, Ally Lancaster, Vince Mullhausen

http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bs-gl-goodworks-spirited-women-20120812,0,1393650.story

5 Free Photo Sites for your Blog

If you are anything like most bloggers, you have a hard time finding quality, affordable photos you can legally post. Well, fret no more! Here are five great websites with free — yes, you read that right — photos for you to add a little flair to your blog.

1. Morguefile: This site is filled with amateur photos of anything you could ever want. Pizza? Check. Toys? Check. Bears? Yep. A closeup of a microwave? Yes, sir! I’m not sure what kinds of sites would use most of these photos, but I guess that’s up to you. While you do have to wade through some less-than-perfect shots, many photographs are actually quite good, and all of them are free.
2. FreeDigitalPhotos: Another great site, this one is filled with quality stock photos. You know the ones I am talking about: those white-background, static and professional-looking pictures that big site owners love to use so often. If you want to a professional, high-quality look, check FreeDigitalPhotos first. Only the small version is free with the appropriate photo credit, but sometimes, that’s all you need.
3. Woophy: A strange name for an exotic photo site. The name stands for “World of Photography,” and this site offers a map of the world splattered with photo locations. If you need a glimpse into a culture or an area, look no further. Whether you need photos of wild reindeer in Norway or Mongolians in traditional dress, they’re available. While photographers who upload pictures to Woophy retain their copyright, the site’s terms of use allow downloads of low-res images for personal or noncommercial use.
4. Stockvault: Have you uncovered a need for colorful, artistic photos? Then check out this site. Though there are not as many free photos as I would like, the ones available are well worth a look. See the “Most Downloaded” tab for photos used most frequently.
5. Unprofound: This oddball photo site is something to behold. What makes it different is that instead of searching for subjects, such as butterflies or cars, you search for photos by their dominant color. Need something green? There are eight pages of it. Blue? No problem. “Eclectic and odd” is the go-to phrase for this site.

No matter the subject of your blog, you can be sure to find a photo for your next post on one of these sites. Check them out and see whether they can make your blog a cooler, more visual experience for readers.

By Christine Kane on July 9th, 2012 from SmartBlog on Social Media http://smartblogs.com/