October 2020 Newsletter
President's Letter
Dear NACE Family,
Who knew back in March we would all still be riding this crazy rollercoaster into the end of 2020 and into 2021? This year has not turned out like most of us planned, but as we have to in this industry, we learn to roll with the punches.
As many of our members and colleagues have been furloughed, laid off, received reduced salaries while taking on additional workloads, switched jobs or careers altogether for that matter; our thoughts and cares are with you.
We have had to hold mostly virtual events up until the 4th quarter where we are hosting our first in-person event since March. It will be a Members Only Networking Luncheon at Balcones Country Club on October 13, 2020. Our Annual Meeting and Elections will be November 10th which we have decided to hold virtually. Our hopes are to partner with multiple industry organizations for our Annual Industry Wide Happy Hour in December.
Those of you that are experiencing financial hardships and would like to remain involved in the community, please visit the Membership Support Program page to learn how NACE nationals and the Foundation of NACE can assist in your time of need.
We appreciate all of your support during these difficult times. Please reach out to any board member if there is anything we can do to support you!
Well Wishes,
Heather Hartzog
President
NACE – Austin Chapter
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Calendar of Events
We've missed you all so much, and while it's been great seeing your friendly faces on zoom so much this year, we're ready to cautiously try out an in person luncheon for members only in just a few weeks! Full details below, as well as a few notes for the rest of year's activities.
Hope to see you there!
OCTOBER - Tuesday, October 13th from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM at Balcones Country Club
Come Together and join us for a socially distanced Members-Only In-Person Networking Luncheon! Lunch will be served outside, weather permitting, and we'd love to know whether you'd be more comfortable seated at a table of 4 or 6 to allow for extra spacing between attendees.
Masks will be required except while seated to eat, and we'll provide plenty of hand sanitizer, color-coded name badges to indicate your level of comfort with certain amounts of interaction, and more!
Registration is just $35 per Member until October 6th, when the $10 late fees kick in, so register today!
SPONSORS:
NOVEMBER- Tuesday, November 10th from 1pm-2pm, We're hosting a free Zoom for our Annual Chapter Meeting, at which we will host Chapter Elections! This is an important one, so please make sure you mark your calendar to attend, and make your voice heard! If you're interested in running for one of the Executive Officer positions, or just considering joining a committee or a different board position, please reach out to [email protected]
DECEMBER- We're still working out the details of a joint holiday happy hour with the other Austin Events Industry Organizations!
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Cause of the Quarter
We are so appreciative of our generous NACE Community for the donations received so far for our Cause of the Quarter, B.I.G. Love Cancer Care! Despite our industry being in a time of crisis, and our world being literally and figuratively on fire, it means the world to us that you're still willing to share what you have with those who deserve all the love and support in the world. We can't imagine how difficult it is for these kids, teens, and their families to go through cancer treatments, especially around the holidays, and even more so during a pandemic.
Over this past quarter, as a chapter we've raised $402 for our annual BIG Love holiday giving through direct donations and our mask fundraiser, which is incredible!! However, the holidays are going to look very different this year for many families, so we need to keep the momentum going! Anyone can donate, whether or not they are a member of NACE, so please spread the word if this cause resonates with you!
In this trying time for our industry professionals and community we have decided to dedicate two quarters of donations to one of our annual Causes of the Quarter, While we know circumstances may be challenging for our members at this time, we hope that you will consider supporting a cause that is so close to our heart. In these uncertain times, all contributions are appreciated and aid in our ability to continue the philanthropic spirit in which our organization is built!
We will be sharing more ways to get involved and we'll be accepting donations for the next 3 months that will go towards our big holiday gifting for the kids, teens, and their families.
You can always make a donation during meeting registration, or at any time through our Cause of the Quarter page!
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Welcome New Members!
Unfortunately we did not have any new members join over the past quarter. As winds of change roll through many of our organizations, we look forward to seeing some new faces and hope to see some of the familiar faces return later down the road!
If you have any new coworkers interested in joining NACE, please don't hesitate to share or send us their contact info so our Membership Chair can reach out to say hello!
If it's time or almost time for you to renew your NACE membership, NACE Nationals has kindly offered a COVID-19 Member Support Program with reduced dues rates for renewals and payment plans to make sure you can continue investing in your career at a pace that's right for you and your company's financial situation right now.
Eligibility Requirements
- Renewing members are eligible for the support program.
- If someone has already renewed, they may renew for another 12 months through the support program, however they will not be eligible for a refund.
- Those in the support program are also eligible for payment plans.
Additional Support from NACE Nationals
The NACE National Board has enacted several measures to assist members during Covid-19 and maintain our strong, vibrant community.
- Extended grace period – The membership renewal grace period has been extended from 30 days to 120 days. This means your membership will continue for approximately 4 months after your renewal date without any dues payment.
- Payment plans – Members may request a payment plan for dues renewal. This payment plan can be combined with the extended grace period.
- Expanded online education – Through our Explore 2020 webinar series, NACE National is expanding the amount of online education we are offering to members. This education focus on vital topics during the pandemic helps catering and event professional weather the storm and prepare for recovery. This education is offered free, with a pay-what-you-can option.
- Membership transfer policy – Members who lose their employer-paid membership due to loss of employment will retain their NACE membership for the remainder of their membership term or 90 days, whichever is longer.
- Career Center – The NACE Career Center provides nationwide job listings and career resources.
- Covid-19 Resource Center – NACE’s Covid-19 Resource Center provides a comprehensive clearinghouse of resources and information related to Covid-19, protocols, government support programs (PPP, EIDL) and more.
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Guest Article
If you're like most of us, you're using this strange hiatus or slow down in business to get organized, improve your practices, and try as best as you can to prepare for the future of your career or company.
To help you be your most prepared, we just wanted to remind you of the valuable resources available to you as a NACE Member!
Perhaps better than all of this, is your local chapter network. We're all here for you, and living through many of the same or similar struggles. Lean on your fellow NACE members and reach out to the chapter board if you have questions, ideas, or need anything that we may be able to assist you with!
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Chapter Elections
It is time to begin the election process to choose those leaders who will guide and direct the Austin Chapter for the next 12 months, beginning on January 1, 2021 In accordance with our Bylaws and election guidelines, the Nominating Committee sends this “Call for Nominations” and Application to you to encourage you to nominate for consideration any individual who you feel would be an asset to the Austin Chapter in a leadership position. If you are a NACE Austin Member and did not receive the packet in this email sent from Amber Scott on September 25th, please email her for a copy!
Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee, a committee of the chapter, provides for the board’s effectiveness and continuing development. The Immediate Past President, or in the event there is no Immediate Past President, a past board member shall serve as the chair of this committee and may choose to have up to three addition committee members.
The Nominating Committee is a required best practice to insure that candidate qualifications are reviewed and that there is transparency and consistency in the Chapter Elections process.
Please review the nomination election guidelines. We urge you to respond on the attached form. The deadline for nominations is October 9. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give input to the Nominating Committee.
Elections will take place at a free virtual meeting for members only on Tuesday, November 10th.
All elected Board Member are required to attend the annual Board of Directors Leadership and Planning retreat, tentatively scheduled for January 9, 2021.
Official induction into office will take place in January 2021 (official installation date TBD).
Term of office will begin January 1, 2021.
Please accept our personal appreciation for your interest and willingness to serve. It is YOUR dedication that makes the Austin Chapter of NACE great! Thank you again for participating in this exciting and important association leadership process.
Sincerely,
Amber Scott, Nominations Committee Chair
Jyll Vertuno, CPCE, Nominations Committee Member
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Save Live Events!
This industry means the world to us, and to our clients too! We all need to work together to help make sure our collective industry voice is heard by our local, state, and federal leaders! If you have 10 minutes or less, please consider taking some of the following actions!
- Write letters, call, and tweet your elected officials! Templates are available on the Texas Live Events Coalition website.
- Join the Live Events Coalition Texas! It's free to join and we need the strength in numbers when lobbying our local officials.
- Join the Live Events Coalition (National Group). It’s $25 for individuals to join (or higher depending on your sponsorship level) and funds go to overhead costs (website hosting and design) as well as funding for lobbyists.
- Watch this interview with NACE Austin and Tacy Infante.
Have more questions or want to get involved even more? Contact Tacy Infante at 214.202.3933 or [email protected]
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