Leadership with Mertz and The Chapter Bonus Factor

by Manning Salvage & Lee December 1, 2006

The election last year of ASHI’s first woman director was a milestone in Society leadership. MS&L spoke with Miki Mertz, ASHI’s first woman director, about what her election means to the profession, what she’s learned and why she stays involved.

Q: As a long-time Member of ASHI, can you tell us a little bit about your leadership role within the Society and explain what it means to you to be the first woman to hold a national leadership position? 

 

Miki-Mertz.gif I am very honored to be the first woman elected to the board of directors. Truth be told, the way was paved for me by other women who worked on committees and in other leadership positions. I am proud that my peers on the Council of Representatives thought enough of me and my qualifications to vote for me. I will try hard not to let them down. I think they want from me the same things they want from all elected officials. They want me to do my homework and to educate myself on the issues that come before the board for a vote. They want me to listen, to make fair decisions and to speak up when necessary, without pushing my own agenda.

Q: Was there something specific that motivated you to run for office when you did? Was it simply a matter of the right timing?

Timing had a lot to do with it. For a few years, people had asked me to run, but I wasn’t ready because of my family situation. I was very involved with my daughter’s sports and music activities when she was in high school. As soon as she went to college, I no longer had that time commitment. I was ready.

Q: What are the rewards and drawbacks of volunteering at this level?

On the surface, the biggest drawback of serving on the board is business, time and money lost due to the commitment. Travel time, telephone and e-mail time take away from running a business and doing home inspections. But I’m discovering that the more time I spend around the officers and directors on the board, the more I learn about being a better inspector and businessperson. The networking is great. I now have friends all over the country I can call on for advice.

Q: Prior to being elected to the board, how active were you at the chapter level?

When I first joined ASHI, I got involved in my local chapter because they had been helpful to me. The guys were willing to answer my rookie questions and to help me to avoid the mistakes they made when they were new. It was only natural to serve on a committee when one of my mentors asked me to do so. From there, I just kept moving up the line. I was elected chapter secretary, then vice president, president and council rep twice. I have been on our chapter’s board of directors continuously since 1993. I have also served as Candidate Coordinator and Education Chair. Being active at the chapter level allows me to give back to the community, and it keeps me “in the loop” so I know what’s going on locally.

Q: Do you believe you bring anything special to your leadership position because you are a woman?  

I don’t think it matters if I’m male or female, but others have told me this proves that the board isn’t a “good ol’ boys club.” Others have expressed that the board meetings will be run more politely than they may have been in the past. I don’t know about that; my fellow inspectors have always treated me with kindness and respect. Perhaps I bring a different perspective or different communication skills as a woman, but the most important thing for a board member to do, male or female, is to represent the members. That’s what I try to do.

PUBLICITY POINTERS FROM MS&L:
JOIN A CHAPTER

Miki Mertz, ASHI’s first woman director, spoke with MS&L about her positive experiences as a member of the Great Plains chapter. Later, the public relations consultants spoke with Bob Kociolek, ASHI’s director of chapter relations and state affairs, to learn more about the chapter membership bonus factor.

Being a member of a large organization such
as ASHI allows for professional development beyond the typical workday. Involvement at chapter committee or leadership levels often leads to advanced
technical and business understanding, heightened exposure to Realtors® and homebuyers, and countless networking opportunities. Furthermore, according to

Kociolek, “activity at the chapter level greatly impacts legislative action and the home inspection industry.”  
Kociolek provides the following information for ASHI Members and Candidates seeking the unique camaraderie and educational opportunities that accompany involvement at the chapter level:

• Find a local chapter by visiting www.ASHI.org and clicking on the “Home Inspection Profession” link. The left-hand menu includes a link to a listing and a map of all ASHI chapters. Local contact information and details about meeting locations and times can be found in this section.

• Contact the local leader listed on the Web site or attend a meeting.

“Chapters are really the heart of the ASHI experience,” said Kociolek. “It is there that members find individuals who care about their development and their business. There’s an inherent understanding of the unique highs and lows that inspections provide that lends to mentorships and life-long friendships.”

Beyond the surface-level social benefits of joining a local chapter, Kociolek pointed out the role chapters take in affecting change in the deeper issues that affect the home inspection profession. “Chapters rally members to engage in grassroots efforts, including attending committee hearings and meetings with their local legislative representatives. Some chapters make voluntary assessments to hire professional lobbyists to watch out for member interests 24/7.”  He also added that “chapters act locally as the voice of the profession and I find it hard to imagine any successful statewide or national legislative efforts without their active participation.”

The work of the Suncoast ASHI Chapter to defeat two highly opposed proposed bills in the state of Florida is a prime example. In 2005, Suncoast ASHI, in the Tampa/St. Petersburg region of Florida, led a grassroots letter-writing campaign to Governor Jeb Bush against a bill awaiting his signature. In a testament to their hard work, according to Kociolek, Gov. Bush’s office contacted Suncoast ASHI to better understand why so many inspectors were opposed to the bill. Gov. Bush vetoed the bill.

ASHI IN THE NEWS

ASHI Member Kevin Stenson, Buy-Rite Home Inspection, Homer Glen, Ill., was interviewed on the Sheri and John Show, WIND-560 AM, between 5-6 a.m. on September 30. He talked about home inspection, mentioning ASHI and his chapter, Northern Ill. (NIC), several times.

ASHI Member Joe Kelly, Advanced Home Inspections, Virginville, Pa., reports seeing “Take The ASHI Home Inspection Virtual Tour” by Broderick Perkins on RealtyTimes.com, October 31. The article promoted having a home inspection and described in detail the consumer-education tool available on ASHI’s Web site.

“Take time to check out credentials,” written by ASHI Member Paul Luczyk, A Team Home Inspection, Mukilteo, Wash., was published in the local Everett daily paper Wednesday November 1, and it appeared online. He wrote it in response to an article published in the Sunday real estate section of that paper that failed to cover the lack of state regulations or licensing.

Watch for ASHI press releases to appear in your market

Almost immediately following its release, The Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond, Va., picked up ASHI’s November press release and published it November 5, under the headline, “Home-inspection advice in Spanish: Trade organization’s translated documents break language barrier.”

Monthly press releases distributed by MS&L show up in print and online for months after their initial release. They are one of the tools ASHI uses to educate consumers on the importance of a home inspection and of using an ASHI Inspector.

When you see positive mention of ASHI or an ASHI member in the news, let us know by e-mailing Sandy Bourseau, sandyb@ashi.org.


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