Northwest Branch Strategic Plan

INTRODUCTION

This document is the Strategic Plan for the Northwest Branch (Wisconsin Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers). The branch has annual activities that are carried out routinely by the Board through guidance of the members each year. The Strategic Plan describes activities and objectives that are beyond the standard annual activities and may take more than one year to implement. The Strategic Plan reflects the Board’s vision for the branch in the next year and many years to come. The Strategic Plan should be reviewed annually by the Board after the change in leadership. The Strategic Plan should be updated to eliminate old action items that no longer require attention and to add new initiatives, goals, and objectives. The Strategic Plan is intended to be a straightforward statement that will guide the growth and development of the Northwest Branch.

VISION

The Northwest Branch is an organization that provides professional, social, leadership, educational and public involvement opportunities for Civil Engineers.

MISSION

To provide essential value to our members, our partners, and the public through:

  • Developing leadership
  • Advocating lifelong learning
  • Promoting the profession of Civil Engineering
  • Fostering professional relationships among members
  • Enhancing and encouraging public and political involvement

LONG-TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The mission of the Northwest Branch will be carried out by:

  1. Formulating an action plan and schedule of annual activities
    1. Updating the Strategic Plan annually
    2. Creating an annual schedule after the change in leadership
    3. Hold at least 4 meetings before the next change in leadership (Required by the Northwest Branch Bylaws)
  2. Increasing membership
    1. Officers encourage current members to recruit new members
    2. Demonstrate the value of membership through the newsletter
    3. Vary meeting locations throughout the Northwest Branch
    4. Reach out to recent graduates, younger members, and government employees
  3. Increasing involvement
    1. Maintain a fully seated board
    2. ASCE Section Committees and leadership at local, state, and national levels
    3. Social Activities Committee
    4. Education and Scholarship Committee
    5. Tours Committee
    6. Inform members via Newsletters and Emails one month in advance of activities
    7. Matthew Rynish honorarium
  4. Developing and strengthening partnerships with other professional organizations through programs of mutual interest.
    1. WSPE Northwest Chapter
    2. WSPE Wisconsin Valley Chapter
    3. WSPE Western Chapter
    4. Neighboring ASCE Branches and Sections
  5. Increasing positive exposure for Civil Engineers
    1. Local media (news releases, website, etc.)
  6. Maintain the Northwest Branch website
    1. Consider creating social media pages for the branch
  7. Promoting the growth of future Civil Engineers
    1. Award Goodell Scholarship to Recipients

2016-2017 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goals of the NW Branch for 2016-2017 are to provide maximum value to our members and increase membership.  The idea is not necessarily to increase the numbers of meetings or the number of newsletters.  The goal is to design each meeting to provide something of value to our members such as professional development hours, networking and enjoyment.  The Branch has recognized the challenges our large geographic area presents to good Branch management.  However, we are committed to overcoming these challenges through implementing innovation, technology and effective planning.  Maximizing value and increasing membership can go hand in hand.  With a stronger membership, the Branch add more value through economies of scale.  The Branch will focus on transitioning more student members to traditional members, securing the interest of younger members, and encouraging increased membership from the public sector.

The Northwest Branch will more effectively carry out its mission during the next year by:

  1. Board organization
    1. Update an Annual Calendar
    2. Hold a board meeting every month
    3. The President will be in charge of opening up the lines of communication with board members, keeping board members updated with the status of tasks, and holding the board members responsible for completing there tasks
  2. Member communication
    1. Send out newsletters 4 weeks in advance of meetings/activities (minimum of 3 weeks)
    2. Send an EVITE 2 weeks before the meeting
    3. Have the President host a board meeting at home at least once during the year so board members can meet face to face
    4. Investigate the use of social media
    5. Appoint a membership chair
  3. Professional Development
    1. Educate members on Wisconsin’s new professional development requirements for licensure
    2. Provide Professional Development Hours (PDHs) at most meetings
    3. Develop a meeting to satisfy the ethics requirements for professional development and involve other branches as a possible revenue source
    4. Continue to develop a meeting and/or review course for the PE Exam and involve other branches
  4. Increase Membership
    1. Develop a system to track student members that enter the Branch and help them transition to traditional members
    2. Encourage participation amongst younger members to retain and increase membership
    3. Develop methods to encourage increased membership from the public sector
    4. Bring at least one new attendee to each Branch meeting/activity
  5. Board Members are strongly encouraged to attend a annual conference each year.
    1. January – Regions 3, 6, & 7 Multi-Region Leadership Conference
    2. March – Wisconsin Spring Technical Conference
    3. August – Region 3 Assembly
    4. September – Wisconsin Annual Meeting
  6. Geographic Challenges
    1. Hold at least one Branch Meeting in the La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Wausau areas
    2. Find a way to incorporate the Hudson Members into the branch activities
    3. Strengthen partnerships with other professional organizations through programs of mutual interest
  7. Continue to improve the size and quality of our K-12 outreach program
    1. Present civil engineering to students at the STEM events at UW – Stevens Point
    2. Provide a scholarship for students to attend the event
  8. Plan and hold the ASCE WI Section Annual Meeting or Spring Technical Conference
    1. Spring Technical Conference—Spring 2019
    2. Annual meeting—Fall 2017
Most people dream about doing great things, Civil Engineers make great things happen.