October 2009 Issue

APICS Update

Access Exclusive Educational Content with the APICS Live Learning Center
The APICS Live Learning Center is an online resource for APICS members and conference attendees to find exclusive, relevant education from the APICS International Conference & Expo.

What's available in the APICS Live Learning Center

1. Educational session PowerPoints—Free for APICS members!
2. Session handouts—Free for APICS members!
3. Downloadable speaker presentation audiofiles—Special APICS member pricing!

All content is complimentary for APICS International Conference & Expo attendees. Nonmembers may purchase content from the APICS Live Learning Center.

Be sure your members know how to access the exclusive content; visit the APICS Live Learning Center today at softconference.com/apics/.

Check Out New Topics and Bloggers on APICS Blogs

The New APICS Blog Launched!
APICS Blogs enable you to see the world through the eyes of fellow operations and supply chain management professionals and others and to share your point of view on a variety of topics. Connect with your colleagues interactively through APICS Blogs and grow professionally.

New Topics. New Bloggers. New Experiences to Share.
This blog is geared toward students and young professionals involved in the fields of operations and supply chain management. We have four featured bloggers—Patrick Cullinane, a senior at Clarkson University; Rebecca Evangelista and Sundeep Mathur, both recent graduates of Syracuse University; and Christina Tsao who graduated from California State University, Chico, in 2008—all currently working in the field.

The bloggers have been posting on the APICS Blog since August 1. The topics are always fresh and engaging and comments are welcome! Recent articles focus on traveling to Asia; the Sustainability Consortium, plant tour experiences, and the value of getting involved in your local student or professional chapter where applicable.

More topics will be introduced regularly into the blog, so stay tuned. Spread the word in your chapter and encourage the members to share their related stories, thoughts, and experiences—get started and view the blog here.

APICS Announces 2009 Head of the Class Competition Winners
During APICS 2009, APICS held its first APICS Head of the Class Competition for APICS scholars and student attendees. This event now replaces the regularly held case competition. The competition showcases and tests students on industry knowledge in a fun and engaging way—plus recognition and awards are given.

About APICS Head of the Class Competition
The student participants begin the competition standing. Students sit down after answering a question incorrectly, and the last student standing is the winner and "head of the class." Most of the questions relate to the operations and supply chain management field, but there are a few general, nonrelated questions.

Encourage the student members in your chapter to get involved with the APICS Scholars Education Program in 2010. Details about the program can be found here.

View here to see the 2009 Head of the Class Competition winners.

Congratulations 2009 APICS Corporate Awards of Excellence Recipients
The APICS Corporate Awards of Excellence were presented at the 2009 APICS International Conference & Expo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in October to recognize companies for significant contributions and performance excellence in the fields of operations management and supply chain management.

APICS Education Award of Excellence
Unilever
Unilever's Plan Learning Framework was awarded the Education Award of Excellence, which recognizes an organization's commitment to education investment and productivity based on the application of educational concepts.

APICS Innovation in Global Ability Award of Excellence
TransAlta
TransAlta, a leader in energy production in Canada, was awarded the new Innovation in Global Ability Award of Excellence, which recognizes an organization's achievement in ensuring its company and employees are able to compete and succeed in the global marketplace, workforce, environment, and economy.

APICS Technology Partnership Award of Excellence
Exactech
Exactech, an orthopaedic manufacturer was awarded the Technology Partnership Award of Excellence for its innovative partnership with solutions providers DemandWorks and AdapChain Inc. to maximize efficiency and profitability.

APICS will accept applicants for the 2010 Corporate Awards program in the spring of 2010. Watch for the announcement as the date approaches.

APICS 3rd Quarter Member Survey Key Findings

APICS New Member Survey
APICS launched a new member survey in September 2009 to assess the reasons why people join APICS. The first survey was sent via e-mail to the individuals who joined APICS from May 1, 2009, to September 16, 2009. The survey will continue to be sent monthly to new members of a specified time period. The results of the first survey are as follows:

Key Findings:

• Over half of the respondents heard about APICS through a colleague.
• Nearly 60 percent identified "to further my career" as a reason to join, and 70 percent listed this as their primary benefit of membership.
• Over 75 percent rated online accessibility to benefits as good or excellent.
• 73 percent of respondents do not belong to additional professional organizations.
• Among students, 95 percent selected "to prepare me for my career" as a reason to join; "networking opportunities" followed (80 percent).

APICS Lapsed Member Exit Survey
APICS launched this survey in May 2009 aimed at discovering the reasons why lapsed APICS members were not renewing their memberships. The results of the surveys sent in the third quarter 2009 are as follows:

Key Findings:
Personal financial reasons continue to be the primary factor in members' decisions not to renew. In addition to that, lapsed members are concerned that they are not receiving enough value to justify the membership cost. This sentiment is particularly prevalent among lapsed members whose companies had been paying their dues but removed it from their budgets this year. Yet, despite the financial concerns, lapsed members were satisfied with their membership experience.

Additional Results:

• Lapsed members tend to have been members for 10 or more years (32 percent of respondents), followed by members for one year (23 percent of respondents).
• Top 3 reasons for lapse: personal/financial reasons, APICS membership is too expensive, did not receive the expected value to justify the cost of dues.
• Top 3 reasons for originally joining: educational opportunities, APICS certifications, and networking opportunities.
• APICS met or exceeded expectations for 63 percent of the respondents; 10 percent said APICS never met their expectations.
• 83 percent would recommend APICS to a colleague.
• Open-response centered on finances (namely dues increase commentary).

If you have any questions about these surveys or the findings, please contact memberservices@apics.org.

Best Practices

2009 APICS Volunteer Leadership Workshop (VLW) Highlights
This year's Volunteer Leadership Workshop (formerly APICS Leadership Institute) offered an array of opportunities to study effective chapter management strategies and to network with leaders from across the globe.

More than 250 APICS volunteer leaders and students attended the event before the opening of the 2009 APICS International Conference & Expo in Toronto. Attendance at the Volunteer Leadership Workshop is complimentary and chapter leaders are also eligible for a substantial conference registration discount when attending this event. This incentive is offered to encourage APICS leaders to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from other experienced leaders and to brush up on their own skills. The event is an open forum and channel partner leaders such as chapter officers and district managers and their support staff are encouraged to network and share best practices.

The program presentations can be found online and can be a great tool for your chapter management training. Topics this year include subjects related to instructor development, membership, strategic planning, and more. These presentations offer an opportunity to gain skills and techniques you can use in your own leadership role.

Make plans to join us next year in Nashville to discover how a volunteer leadership role can positively impact your own professional development.

View the 2009 Volunteer Leadership Workshop (VLW) presentations online.

Chapter Development

Register for the APICS CSCP P&P Exam
Encourage your local candidates to secure this valuable credential by taking the APICS CSCP exam on December 12, 2009.

Visit apics.org/CSCP for more information about the APICS CSCP program, application and registration processes, and testing locations. While you're there, don't forget to review the APICS CSCP Certification Bulletin that contains important information about exam-day policies and procedures.

Share Your Industry-Related Jokes with APICS
Do you have an operations or supply chain management joke that you're dying to share? Your joke could be featured on the APICS Facebook page for nearly 700 of our colleagues to enjoy. Credit will be given to the person who submitted the joke. Please submit your joke submissions to Trisha Ashbrook, Member Services Marketing Manager, at tashbrook@apics.org. Encourage your members to share their funny jokes and pass the humor around!

Q&A

Topic: Certification Maintenance

Q. Where can I find information on certification maintenance (CM) dates for members?
A: Access My Chapter and within real-time reports/advanced criteria, there is an opportunity to search for CM dates for your members. This can help you identify maintenance candidates and will create a report of member's certification maintenance dates.

Q. Does attendance at a chapter meeting, district meeting, and/or board meeting earn points toward certification maintenance?
A: Yes, all instructional portions of meetings of this nature are eligible for points. Participants will earn one point for each instructional hour while presenters will earn two points per instructional hour. Breaks, networking, meals, administrative tasks, and other non instructional time will not be eligible for points.

Q: Does APICS keep track of the points I earn by attending APICS-sponsored events?
A: No, it is the sole responsibility of the candidate to obtain and retain this information.

Q: Where can I get a certification maintenance bulletin?
A: The bulletin is currently available online at www.apics.org/Certification and by calling APICS Customer Support and asking for stock #09033V2010 for CPIM and #09038V2010 for CSCP.

Q: Are CM applications available on line?
A: Yes, if you would like to download a CM application, visit www.apics.org/Certification/Maintenance/.

Q: How can I determine when my application is due?
A: Certification maintenance cycles run in five-year intervals, commencing from the date of initial certification and ending on the last day of the month that initial certification was received. Candidates are required to submit a certification maintenance application by the end of their deadline month. Please call APICS Customer Support at (773) 867-1777 if you need to find out your certification maintenance deadline.

Q: What do I need to document my points for events?
A: The Professional Development Journal (can be downloaded at www.apics.org/Certification/Maintenance/) contained in the Certification Maintenance Bulletin will enable candidates to document and track progress toward certification maintenance during each five-year cycle. Candidates should keep a file of backup materials to substantiate their activities in case their application is audited.

Q: Can I earn points more than once a year for teaching the same class, For example, if I teach the Basics of Supply Chain Management review course three times a year, can I earn points every time I teach it?
A: Points are awarded to instructors only once per topic in a given calendar year.

Q: How many points do I earn for attending the international conference?
A: CPIMs, CFPIMs, and CSCPs earn up to 6 points per day for a total of up to 24 points.

Q: Does my attendance at the international conference earn points toward other certifications?
A: Yes, the APICS conference earns points for certification programs sponsored by ISM and ASQ. Attendee will have to contact these organizations directly to see what will be accepted.

Q: What APICS membership categories are eligible for points?
A: Individuals will earn six points per year as a member of APICS in the following categories: Professional, e-Memberships, Student, Enterprise Professional, Lifetime Member-at-Large, International, International Member-at-Large, Honorary, and Honorary Chapter

You can find more information about certification maintenance by visiting www.apics.org/Certification/.

To find out more answers to frequently asked questions regarding certification, visit www.apics.org/Certification/faq.htm.

Tools of the Trade

E&R Foundation Certificate Now Available for Chapters
The E&R Foundation Board has approved a new certificate for chapters to use when recognizing their speakers. This certificate creation is in response to a request from chapter presidents needing a way to notify speakers that their chapter is making a donation in the speaker's name to the E&R Foundation. The donation is made in lieu of the speaker honorarium.

When a chapter wishes to make a donation to the E&R Foundation in a speaker's name, it can now download a certificate template from C-BOX here. The template can be customized with the speaker's name and presented to the individual at the chapter event.

Sales Strategies for the Department of Defense Webinar
The webinar titled, "Sales Strategies for the Department of Defense—Chapter Resources and Tips for Military Engagement" took place on October 27, 2009 and was presented by Lisa Sallstrom, Director of Certification, APICS. The webinar provides information on sales strategy for the Department of Defense, various chapter resources and tips for military engagement. It outlines the initiatives undertaken by APICS to promote APICS CSCP program to the service members. The webinar recording will be posted on C-BOX in the coming days.

Newly Posted Resources on C-BOX
Take advantage of online tools, services, programs, and information for your chapter or district through C-BOX, the partner collaboration toolbox, at cbox.apics.org/Pages/default.aspx.

C-BOX is primarily organized by program, with resources for each of the APICS three pillars of membership, certification, and education having separate sections. In addition, there is a separate section for chapter management tools, called Chapter Leaders, where you will find resources for running your chapter.

See the latest resources below.

Chapter Leaders, Marketing & Communications section
APICS Corporate E-mail Communications
Deadline Extended for APICS CSCP P&P Exam

Chapter Leaders, E&R Foundation section
APICS E&R Foundation Certificate

International, Marketing section
International Marketing Tool Kit

Membership, Program/Administration section
September Membership Summery Count Report
(Membership Count Reports are also found in Chapter Leaders, Resources section.)

Membership, Marketing section
Presentations
Making APICS Membership Matter

Education, APICS Conference section
2009 APICS Volunteer Leadership Workshop Folder (complete contents)

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