Three Win Full Registration to IW Phoenix

Welcome to all who have renewed their membership for 2010-11 and congratulations to the three who won the Early Bird Renewal Drawing for full registration to InspectionWorld Phoenix:

James Fang, Hacienda Heights, Calif.
Terry Haynie, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kerry Parham, Wichita, Kan.

The contest closed at midnight September 1, but all the benefits of ASHI membership are still yours when you pay your annual dues. Here’s just a few:

• Listed on Find an Inspector.

• Being associated with the only third-party recognized home inspector certifying body.

• Eligible for free online Smart Track and other educational opportunities.

• 12 issues of the ASHI Reporter, online and in print, and more.   

If you have ideas on how to make ASHI even more valuable, let your leaders know. ASHI is a member-led organization. Names and contact information for all the officers and directors is listed on page 4 and is available in the online membership directory.

2012 Call for Volunteers

Do you have the skills and enthusiasm necessary to help ASHI achieve its goals and objectives? If so, let the committee chairs know you’re willing to serve in 2012 by filling out and returning the 2012 Call for Volunteers form. Request the form by emailing headquarters at hq@ashi.org, or download it from the Members Only website under Downloads and Forms.  
 
All New ASHI Marketplace is Live!

The new ASHI Marketplace is stocked with products to promote your business at prices you’ll like. You must be an ASHI member to purchase the educational and marketing materials and ASHI apparel.

October is Leadership Training Month

Chapter presidents have responded to the invitations mailed in August, and ASHI’s current and future leaders are scheduled to attend the annual training session in Chicago. It opens on the afternoon of Thursday, October 20 and continues through Friday, October 21. Look forward to your leaders sharing what they learned at the next chapter meeting.

Elections
Nominating Committees Slate Officers & Directors

The Officer Nominating Committee and the Director Nominating Committee met during September.

Officer Slate for 2012:
President-elect: Bill Jacques
Vice-president: Bill Loden
Secretary: Alden Gibson
Treasurer: Scott Warga

Anyone who submitted a matrix but was not slated was eligible to request a petition form from headquarters.

Director Slate for 2012
Eric Barker, Tim Buell, Michael D. Conley, Shannon Cory, C. Blaine Illingworth, Johnny Kay, Jory Lannes, Frank Libero, Bob Sisson and Bill Sutton

Five directors and one alternate will be chosen based on the number of votes received. The names of members requesting petitions, if any, and any changes to the Director Slate were published in the October 1 electronic newsletter First Thing and are available online in the archived copy of that newsletter under Publications in the Members Only website.

The following is from the ASHI Policy and Procedures Manual, also available under Publications in the Members Only website.

15.8A
2. Petitions
a. All Petition Candidates are to complete and submit the official Nomination Matrix Form prior to the official election. ASHI will provide the official petition to the member requesting the petition. ASHI will notify the ASHI membership by email of the member who is requesting the petition. The notice will be sent out 2 times by ASHI (the last week of September and the 2nd (second) week of October) and shall include the names of those candidates chosen by the nomination committees. If the official petition form is changed in any manner, the petition will NOT be accepted with the exception of a change to the fax or phone number and email of the candidates. The candidate will be allowed to purchase only the ASHI mailing list of addresses. Email addresses and fax numbers will NOT be provided to nominated or petition candidates. The mailing list may only be used for the current election cycle. Revised 7/30/2011

b. A valid petition containing the names of a minimum of 10% of the then in good standing ASHI Certified Inspectors submitted to ASHI headquarters shall cause the name of the qualified Member to be added to the ballot as a candidate for a specified (named) office.

c. Petitions must be presented upon a special form available only from ASHI Headquarters and requires the name (printed) and the signature of each petitioner, as well as the office in which the petitioner would serve, if elected.

d. The form must be received by mail or fax at headquarters at least 10 days prior to the distribution of the ballots.

e. Staff will verify the validity of the petition prior to placing the name of a candidate for office on the ballot.

3. Official Instructions for Those Obtaining Petitions for the Office Elections

a. All petitions must be received on or before October 21, 2011 at noon (CT) at ASHI Headquarters, 932 Lee Street, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016 by physical delivery, U. S. mail, email or FAX at 847-759-1620 directly from the candidate. Postmark dates or mail “stored” at the post office will not be counted.

b. An ASHI Certified Member may sign more than one candidate’s petition for the same position- but only one signature per individual candidate.

c. If the Official Petition Form is changed or altered in any manner, the petition will not be accepted – with the exception of the insertion of the fax to phone number or the email to the prospective candidate.

d. All fields on the petition shall be filled in. The signature and printed name of the signor must be original.

e. All petitions must be submitted directly from the prospective petitioning candidate to Headquarters, not from signers. Petitions faxed, emailed, sent by US mail or delivered by anyone other than the petition candidate will not be counted.

f. Qualified ASHI voting members (ACIs and retired members) may also sign petitions.

g. ASHI will inform members twice by email that a member has requested a blank Official Petition Form.

h. You may purchase and use mailing labels from ASHI. You may not purchase email, fax or telephone number lists from ASHI. ASHI will not sponsor or send email blasts for any prospective or actual candidate.

15.9A Policy: Campaigning
1. Campaigning positively by or about any candidate is permissible, as long as no ASHI assets are used.

2. Staff, Nominating Committee, ASHI legal counsel, and Election Committee members shall not participate in campaigning.

3. Nominees or Petition Candidates for an Officer or Board of Director position may purchase mailing labels or lists of qualified voting members’ contact information from headquarters at cost. The mailing list will only have the USPS address of the member. Email addresses and fax numbers will not be provided to any individual, petition candidate or nominated candidate. Revised 7/30/2011

4. Negative campaigning (against candidates or nominees) is not permitted. The Election Committee should preview campaign statements or materials in advance if there is any uncertainty about the appropriateness of their contents.

5. Election and Campaign policies shall be published in the Reporter for 3 consecutive months prior to the formation of a slate for an election.

Registration is Open for IW Phoenix

Check out the outstanding educational sessions, book your hotel room at the world-renowned Arizona Biltmore and then register for InspectionWorld Phoenix online at www.inspectionworld.org. Four optional pre-conference courses are offered as well as a golf outing and trip to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. Find complete info online.

ASHI has negotiated a deeply discounted room rate at the historic hotel property in order to offer you the professional conference for home inspectors in a spectacular setting. Kick-start your success in 2012 by attending InspectionWorld, January 4-7, 2012.

Meet Mark Lester

Mark Lester joined ASHI four years ago as a part-time fulfillment assistant. His duties included shipping Associate welcome kits and Certified Inspector toolkits, processing mail, supply procurement, fulfilling orders and primary copier operator. Promoted to office services coordinator, Mark added assisting with membership renewals and general inquiries, updating members profile information, entering continuing education credits and maintaining the ASHI Online Marketplace, equipment service placement, product inventory and petty cash. He also is responsible for everyday operational and custodial duties, even including landscaping! “To say I wear many hats is an understatement,” says Mark. Previous background in office management, customer service and retail sales prepared him for his challenging role as office services coordinator for ASHI. In his spare time, Mark likes to write, play music, pursue photography and attend events of an artistic and/or cultural nature. His interests include music, art, psychology, religion, and philosophy.

Current ASHI Membership
ASHI Certified
Inspectors: 3,468
Associates/Logo: 129
Associates: 1,556
Retired Members: 116
Affiliates: 80
Total: 5,349

ASHI Mission Statement

To set and promote standards for property inspections and to provide the educational programs needed to achieve excellence in the profession.

ASHI Event Calendar

• Oct. 20-21, 2011Leadership Training  Conference, Rosemont, Ill.
• Oct. 22, 2011, Board Meeting, Rosemont, Ill.
• Jan. 4-7, 2012, InspectionWorld, Phoenix, Ariz.
• Jan. 13-16, 2013, InspectionWorld, Las Vegas, NV