Membership Board Report
July 2010

by Berk Claiborne
Membership Chair

The last year has been challenging for most IIDA Northland members. While we were faced with a slight decline in overall membership, many people joined the organization to take advantage of membership benefits.  We currently have over 300 members who are actively engaged in the Northland chapter.

While there are many reasons people enjoy IIDA, the most frequent reasons we hear are the following: opportunities for continuing education; incredible interest in FAB, Fusion, and the fantastic monthly Forums; interest in licensure for interior designers; and the opportunity to stay connected to fellow professionals. By the way, did you know the IIDA Northland Chapter held 25 events last year? It’s really very simple—being a member of IIDA is the easiest way to promote the profession of interior design.

Over the last year, we have made some progress in our approach to Membership. A few highlights:

• We have implemented a New Member Orientation twice a year to give new members the tools and knowledge they need to get the most out of their membership.  Visit www.iida-northland.org or check out our Facebook page for more information about the first orientation on August 4th.
• We held a membership brainstorming session to help identify creative new ways to attract members.
• We are closely tracking different types of members so we can be more proactive in identifying and communicating with potential members.

We’re just getting started with our membership initiatives. Over the next year, we’ll implement a number of fun ideas to help our current members get the most out of their membership and to attract new members to the IIDA Northland Chapter.

As Membership Chair, I’m excited to have Lia Makousky from Genesis Architecture join us as Membership Chair-Elect. Lia is a natural fit for the position. She is experienced as an interior designer, genuinely interested in our membership, and a smart and creative addition to our Board.

If you’re a member of IIDA, I’d like to personally thank you for your ongoing contribution. If you’re not a member, please consider joining the IIDA Northland Chapter. You’ll find that this essential organization is vibrant, relevant and a great way to help promote the profession of Interior design.