Upcoming scheduled APICS website maintenance
To better serve APICS members and partners, APICS will conduct scheduled system upgrades starting Friday, August 5 at 5:00 p.m. CT through Monday, August 8 at 8:00 a.m. CT. During this time, the APICS website, bookstore, and conference registration site will remain functional. However, shipment of orders and payment processing may be delayed up to two business days. Order confirmation emails also will be delayed up to two days. Please take into consideration the potential for brief delays in shipping and processing.

APICS CSCP pricing update
The APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) program was released in late 2005, with the first exam administered in March 2006. Due to the changing nature of supply chain management, APICS conducted a job task analysis in 2010 to ensure that the body of knowledge being tested by the APICS CSCP exam matched the tasks that industry professionals are engaged in today. The job task analysis resulted in a significant update to the APICS CSCP exam for 2012. Although it was clear a considerable investment was required to fully update the APICS CSCP Learning System to match the new exam, the changes were necessary to ensure APICS core products retain their leadership position in the market.

Further review prompted APICS to review pricing of the APICS CSCP product line. In order to continue to offer members a high-quality educational experience, prices for the APICS CSCP Learning System and exam must be adjusted.

Please remember: Prices have not changed for the APICS CSCP Learning System since the program began more than five years ago, not even to keep pace with inflation.

• Because of the current economic environment, APICS will increase the price gradually to recover the investment of the updates. 
• Pricing for the APICS CSCP exam has been adjusted to below the inflation rate for the last five years and does not include significant operational cost increases of the computer-based testing migration.
• The APICS CSCP Learning System pricing has been aligned to half of the inflation rate for the last five years.
• Effective January 1, 2012, APICS will have new prices for these APICS CSCP products.
  APICS channel partners were notified of the price changes July 21—please see that email for an overview of the price changes.

APICS CSCP Instructor Guides, the APICS CPIM materials, and the Fundamentals/Principles program prices will not change in 2012; however, as planned updates are completed in future years, the price will be adjusted to reflect the investment in those products. APICS will review pricing on all products at regular intervals to ensure the pricing structure aligns with investment recovery objectives, inflation, and the organization's strategic priorities. The price changes ensure that APICS can continue to bring you the high-quality materials you rely on.

Questions? Contact APICS Customer Service at 1-800-444-2742 or +1-773- 867-1777 or service@apics.org.

2010 APICS Annual Report
APICS The Association for Operations Management has released the APICS 2010 Annual Report. Despite the continuing challenges facing the economy, APICS membership and education programs grew in 2010 reflecting the continuing need for trusted supply chain and operations management information and support in the global market place. Download the report now.

APICS Chair Eric Schaudt, CPIM, CSCP, says "the ability of APICS to grow in 2010 is an indication of how important supply chain and operations management professionals are to their organizations' success and how well respected APICS is as the leading provider of professional development, certification, and membership services to those professionals."

The 11-page report, available at apics.org, includes the following highlights:

• Membership grew by 1.4 percent in 2010. This is the second increase of membership in the past three years.
• The APICS CSCP Learning System sales hit a record $3.025 million (6,203 units) further solidifying APICS' position as the leading supply chain education and credentialing body.
• The 2010 APICS International Conference & Expo in Las Vegas exceeded the association's participant goal by 44 percent and its revenue goal by 35 percent. Further, 88 percent of the 1,495 paid participants rated the conference as meeting or exceeding expectations.
• Readership outside of North America of APICS publications grew by nearly 50 percent in 2010. Operations Management Now, the popular weekly e-publication from APICS CEO Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, CPA, CAE, has attracted loyal readers from across the globe.

"In 2010, APICS proved it is a resilient organization with members who are well positioned to meet the demands of the marketplace today," Eshkenazi says. "Our intention is to continue to assist our members, customers, and partners to become better prepared for the future."

Download the report now.

Important APICS CPIM update: Basics of Supply Chain Management and Detailed Scheduling and Planning
The APICS Basics of Supply Chain Management (BSCM) and Detailed Scheduling and Planning (DSP) modules will be updated to a new version in 2012. The changes will require purchasing new APICS Instructor Kits for these two courses in 2012. To ensure our chapters, international partners, and instructors have adequate time to plan and budget for the new materials, we are notifying you now. As we have done the last four years, we will offer these new instructor kits for $150 to those partners and instructors who already own a current version of the APICS Instructor Kit through March 31, 2012.

The new materials will be available for preorder December 1, 2011, and will ship beginning December 16, 2011. The 2012 edition of the APICS BSCM will move to version 4.0 and the 2012 edition of the DSP will move to version 5.0.

APICS CPIM Courseware Update (BSCM and DSP Module)
All five APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) modules were entirely redesigned and rewritten over the last four years. Minor changes to the Exam Content Manuals (ECM) and changes to the references for these exams in 2012 require us to make more substantial changes to the APICS BSCM and DSP courseware. The amount of change to the content of the exam is minimal and the exams are not changing in 2012.

In addition to the ECM and reference changes, we reviewed and incorporated instructor feedback from the instructor log in these two courses. The new content is being reviewed by a team of North American and non-North American subject matter experts to ensure that operations management and supply chain management professionals around the globe will benefit from the courses. The new APICS CPIM program materials will be available for preorder on December 1, 2011, from the APICS Bookstore. The new materials will begin shipping December 16, 2011.

Replacement Options and Ordering Information (APICS Master Planning of Resources, Execution and Control of Operations, and Strategic Management of Resources modules)
The APICS upgrade kit includes the net change document, updated instructor guide pages, and updated or new PowerPoint slides will be available for download through the APICS Instructor Center on December 16, 2011.

The APICS upgrade packet includes printed copies of the detailed change document, updated instructor pages, and the complete PowerPoint visuals CD-ROM is available for preorder starting December 1, 2011, through APICS Customer Service, for shipment beginning December 16, 2011. The cost of the packet is $25. Contact APICS Customer Service at 1-800-444-2742 or +1-773-867-1777 or service@apics.org.

APICS CPIM Participant Guide returns
APICS partners (chapters and international associates) that have unused APICS CPIM Participant workbooks that were purchased after September 1, 2011, will be able to return them for replacement until February 28, 2012. When sending a return, please include the front cover only, original purchaser's name, address, and approximate date of purchase. A receipt is not mandatory but appreciated. Please send the covers to the following address:

Attention: APICS Customer Service
APICS The Association for Operations Management
8430 West Bryn Mawr Avenue
Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60631 USA

NOTE: Do not send the covers to Gilmore Global. This will create additional expense for you and will delay the replacement of your books. For more information, contact APICS Customer Service at 1-800-444-2742 or +1-773-867-1777.

If you have any questions or need of further information, please contact us.

Chapters: pdadmin@apics.org
International associates: globalservices@apics.org

Note: This information also will be shared on the instructor listserv, but we recommend you share this information with your instructors.

Reminder: APICS CSCP updates
As we informed you in April, to support APICS' strategic priority to implement a process to regularly update APICS courseware and ensure APICS certification programs reflect current professional practice, the APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) program will be updated for the 2012 educational year. This update will enable APICS to maintain the credibility and high quality standards of the certification.

North American chapters: Read the notice now.
International partners: Read the notice now.

James Greathouse Certification Scholarship program donations and applications
APICS is honored to announce the James Greathouse APICS Certification Professional Scholarship. This scholarship honors the legacy of James Greathouse, CPIM, the APICS Certification Committee chair from 2006 until the time of his death in 2010. Greathouse was a staunch supporter of APICS certification and the role it plays in advancing the careers of operations and supply chain management professionals. This was true not only in his volunteer leadership, but also in his long career at Parker Hannifin, where he mentored many professionals and supported the pursuit of APICS certification.

The scholarship supports individuals who are seeking the APICS CPIM designation or the APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation. Because of your involvement with volunteerism and leadership, we hope you will consider expressing your support for future APICS certification designees by making a donation.

Make a contribution
Please make checks payable to the APICS Educational & Research Foundation with a note on the check memo that the funds are for the James Greathouse APICS Certification Professional Scholarship Fund. Donations should be sent to:

APICS Educational & Research Foundation
Attn: James Greathouse APICS Certification Professional Scholarship Fund
8430 West Bryn Mawr Ave, Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60631 USA

Learn more about the James Greathouse APICS Certification Professional Scholarship and find the application and eligibility information at apics.org/greathouse.

APICS membership update
In Q2, APICS redesigned the welcome mailing for new members as well as the membership cards and renewal mailings. These items will begin to be mailed next week to new members and individuals renewing their memberships.

In June, APICS membership grew again to 35,635 members.

2011 year-to-date highlights

• APICS is 4.2 percent (1,441 members) ahead of the 2010 year end membership total.
• APICS added 1,024 new members in June and 6,470 new members YTD. This is 23 percent more new members that this first six months of 2010.
• In Q1 and Q2, APICS has decreased the member lapses by 337 members compared to the same period in 2010.

Review membership counts on C-BOX.

Notice: APICS CFPIM price update
Please note that, beginning January 1, 2012, the APICS CFPIM application price will increase from $30 to $50.

Welcome to the latest APICS international partners!
APICS is pleased to welcome the following international partners to the global APICS community:

International associate
•Gesellschaft der Supply Chain Professionals e.V. (GSCP)—Planegg, Germany