Welcome LaTresa Tucker

LaTresa Tucker joined the ASHI staff on July 10 as the new membership & marketing assistant. She has more than 10 years of administrative experience, including positions at TCF Bank, ComEd and Motorola, and is a 2002 graduate of Triton College in River Grove, Ill.

With the addition of LaTresa to staff, Kate Zarko has been promoted to membership & marketing coordinator with responsibility for membership inquiries, dues invoicing, MRC programs and the verification process.

First dues notice distributed via e-mail

The first dues notice was distributed via e-mail, complete with a link for easy online payment. Even those who received their notice by land mail because they did not have an e-mail address on file with ASHI can pay online using their membership number and password to log in to the membership only area.

There are two payment options: lump sum or, for a small processing fee, a 12-month plan with a direct deduction from a checking account or credit card. It has never been easier or more convenient to renew membership in ASHI.
What’s more, ASHI is pleased to report that dues for the 2006-2007 year will not increase.

• Member: $395
• Canadian Member: $150
• Candidate with Logo: $395
• Candidate: $295
• Canadian Candidate: $100
• Retired Member: $85
• Affiliate: $645

All who joined ASHI on or before Oct. 1, 2005, are required to submit an MRC Claim Form (done electronically this year) for 20 hours. Anyone who joined ASHI on October 2, 2005, or later will not owe 20 MRCs until September 30, 2007.

Welcome Back Program

As of August 7, ASHI has seen the return of 48 Members through our Welcome Back program. The Welcome Back program, which began on July 1, allows full Members who left ASHI from Jan. 1, 2000, to return to ASHI for only the cost of this year’s dues. (See Report from the President, July 2006.)

Besides the 48 Members who returned, the summer months have shown to be nearly record recruitment for ASHI. As of August 7, ASHI’s Membership is at 6,548 – just 452 short of our 7,000 goal (by December 1) and a 9.9 percent increase over last year at this time.

Member Get A Member

ASHI has welcomed 223 new Candidates as a result of this program. The program began in Jan. 2006 and will be offered throughout the 2006-2007 year. For more information, click here.

Represent ASHI at NAR® conference in New Orleans

We are currently seeking volunteers from our local chapters to assist as booth personnel during the National Association of Realtors Conference, November 10-13, 2006, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A schedule of available shifts is now available. If you’re willing to help, e-mail or call Angela Orlando, angelao@ashi.org, 847-954-3187.

Share your chapter PR projects

The Chapter Relations Committee knows many local projects have been planned and completed by chapters around the country to raise ASHI awareness among potential buyers, real estate agents and brokers and the general pubic, and to inform homebuyers why they should insist on an ASHI inspection.

CRC would like to know what your chapter has done or is planning to do. For a report form, contact Bob Kociolek at bobk@ashi.org.

Announcing ASHI’s newest chapter!

ASHI Los Angeles-Ventura Chapter was formed to meet the needs of the ASHI Membership in the area bound by Burbank and Glendale on the East, Santa Monica and downtown LA on the South, Valencia and Santa Clarita on the North, and Ventura and Oxnard on the West. Congratulations to Bob Guyer and the other ASHI members who have worked so hard to form the new chapter. This is ASHI chapter #85.

Attention Chapters hosting high-attendance annual seminars

ASHI staff has booth and will travel, if invited, to a limited number of chapter seminars. In addition to a presence in the exhibit hall, the membership and marketing department staff are willing to help promote the event to non-members.

Photo: At a Great Lakes Chapter event in July, Jessie Cannoy, a new Candidate with Logo Use Privileges from Huntley, Ill., visits with Anthony Snyder, ASHI membership & marketing director.

There are just a few rules:

1. ASHI must be invited, with complimentary registration fees and/or exhibit fees provided.

2. Planned attendance for the event must be at least 150 inspectors.

3. If the schedule allows and a tabletop booth is available, ASHI will be there at its own expense to sell ASHI-branded merchandise and answer membership questions.

4. The chapter shall provide ASHI HQ with a list of qualified prospective members (non-members) who can be mailed a chapter-produced flyer or brochure about the conference, along with membership material for ASHI. (The special application sent to these individuals will include a reduced application fee.)

Due to scheduling conflicts, budget and availability of the booth, ASHI cannot guarantee a representative for every large chapter event, but every effort will be made to help chapters succeed with their seminars.

For more information, contact Anthony Snyder at anthonys@ashi.org.

ASHI holds the line on advertising rates

ASHI advertising rates for the new fiscal year,2006-07, remain the same as for the past two years. Download a copy of the new advertising kit from the ASHI Web site, click on Media and Publicity in the blue bar at the bottom of the home page, then choose ASHI Advertising Kit 2006-07.

Chapters are encouraged to reserve Reporter ad space for seminars now because advertising space is limited and many issues sell out months ahead of publication. Questions? Contact Sandy Bourseau, sandyb@ashi.org or at 847-954-3179.

ASHI calendar of events

• Oct. 19-20, 2006, Chapter Leadership Days, Rosemont, Ill.

• Oct. 21, 2006, Board Meeting, Rosemont, Ill.

• Jan. 9, 2007, Council of Representatives Meeting, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.

• Jan. 10, 2007, Board Meeting, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.

• Jan. 10, 2007, PARR/FEMA Training Course, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.

• Jan. 10-13, 2007, InspectionWorld California, Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, Calif.   

• April 13-14, 2007, Board Orientation and Meeting, Rosemont, Ill.

• July 13-14, 2007, Town Hall Gathering and Board Meeting, TBD