View From HQ - 2010/11

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192 MODEL AVIATION
the field working for you, in addition
to 50 employees who give great
customer service.
We have many programs in the
works and are helping you by not
letting the government regulate flying.
We are updating our Web site to offer
you the most current information and
making it easier to use.
Our latest programs will benefit the
current membership as well as attract
new members. We need your support!
I am going to share my column
with Chris Brooks, who is in charge
of our public relations and fundraising
efforts. Chris has worked for
the Academy for more than a year. He
has some great ideas and is involved
in developing target-specific
newsletters to various groups of
people.
“For the past several months we
have been sending to our membership
its first e-newsletter, AMA Today. As
its editor, I hope you find this monthly
offering of benefit to you as a
member. Communicating directly to
you and receiving feedback is a
critical tactic for enhancing awareness
of all that AMA offers and what its
members are doing in the field. I think
it complements the fine job done by
our flagship magazine, Model
Aviation.
“Part of our communications
strategy is to know what you are
thinking individually. To that end I
include a monthly ‘Quick Poll’ in
AMA Today. I hope you participate
each time because this opinion data is
definitely read and analyzed by AMA
leadership. Your voice counts
mightily!
“For that reason, we very much
need your e-mail address on file. We
only have the e-mail addresses of 60%
of our members. Please, when you fill
out your membership renewal form,
include your e-mail address. It’s
View From HQ
critical for a membership
organization as large and diverse as
ours.
“Whether it is new programs,
special offers, timely announcements,
important news in our dealings with
FAA on your behalf, or whatever the
topic of the moment, getting
connected to you quickly via the
Internet is a major concern at AMA
Headquarters.
“Consider this. If we were to use
the first-class US Postal Service to
communicate with you, it would cost
more than $70,000 each time!
Definitely not a good use of the dollars
you have entrusted in us to use wisely.
Thanks for helping us help you.
“On another note, I have been
asked to lead AMA’s first formal
attempt at fundraising—helping to
secure non-dues-related income. I
will be communicating about what we
offer through our museum,
community outreach, scholarships,
flying site assistance, and other
mission-related programs that need
your extra support.
“I’ll not only be asking you to help
support these programs, I’ll be asking
all of our stakeholder chain such as
manufacturers, distributors, aviation
organizations, foundations,
corporations, and other groups to do
the same. We are a very worthy
investment in helping to not only
advance the hobby and sport but also
as a key tool to help young people
learn about science and technology
through aviation.
“In the coming months I’ll be
asking you to join me in this cause
through donations, wills, trusts, inkind
gifts, and other means of
supporting the Academy. Please send
me your comments at publicrelations
@modelaircraft.org. I’m always here
for you and model aviation.” MA
—Chris Brooks, Public Relations and
Development Director
t is that time of the year again:
renewal season. Along with that
come winter and the holidays for
many of us. Some of you may have
already received your renewal notice
and ballot. It is important that you
renew now; don’t wait.
AMA provides several ways you
can renew your membership. You can
renew by telephone at (800) 435-
9262. Please have your credit card and
AMA number available when placing
the call.
You can renew online at www.mo
delaircraft.org. When renewing
online, be sure that your address and
the spelling of your name are correct.
To change your address you will need
to be logged into the AMA Web site,
then go into your profile section and
make the change. Name changes need
to be made over the phone and it takes
at least 24 hours for the membership
renewal to be processed.
You can, of course, fill out and
return your renewal notice by mail.
If you have not received your
renewal notice, don’t wait. Call AMA
and we can renew your membership
over the telephone.
Don’t forget to vote. The offices of
AMA president and vice presidents in
districts I, V, IX, and X are up for
election this year. All ballots must be
sent to the auditor’s address. If they
are not mailed there, they will not be
counted. Votes must be postmarked
no later than November 12, 2010.
If your e-mail address has changed,
please contact me with your name,
AMA number, and the new e-mail
address. We do not sell addresses. We
use e-mail to relay important
information to our members.
AMA is the world’s best organization
for supporting aeromodelers. There
are more than 130 volunteers out in
I
If we were to use the first-class US Postal
Service to communicate with you, it would
cost more than $70,000 each time!
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