The next annual Region 5 conference will be held April 16-19, 2009 in Lubbock Texas. Plan now to attend! Check back here for details on this and the GREEN conference.

This is an opportunity for sections to add revenue up to $1250.00.

The IEEE-USA Special Membership Recruitment Incentive needs your help.

As a Membership Development reminder before the upcoming Board Series, the IEEE-USA has authorized a Special Membership Recruitment Incentive for all U.S. Sections during the fourth Quarter of 2007. Details of the incentive can be found atlink.

I would like to ask the Region 1 - 6 Directors to remind their Sections that this incentive is available and challenge them to win the competition. As specified, this incentive allows both large and small Sections to compete.

This incentive is especially important because a much bigger IEEE goal is within our reach. Some data:

• The previous all-time IEEE membership record achieved in 2002 was 382,483 members
• Year end 2006, we had reached 374,767 members
• As of Sept 2007, we're at 360,767 members. We're ahead 7,618 members compared to Sept 2006
• Year end 2006 + gains as of Sept 2007 = 382,385

Overall we are within striking distance of the previous all time high. By coordinating the IEEE-USA incentive with the other year end programs from IEEE MDC, we can make the IEEE bigger than ever before.

But you may say that while it's a big number, it's not significant growth. That's true but it's very important to the overall membership growth program. It will be very significant if we can say by the end of 2007 that the IEEE is the biggest ever and that we are on a positive growth curve. If we can work together and reach this goal, we will boost the spirit of all those involved in Membership Development and lay the foundation for 5 to 10% growth in 2008.

Please make a special effort to reach out to your Sections and promote the IEEE-USA Special Membership Recruitment Incentive and the goal of a bigger stronger IEEE.

Contact Lee Stogner, IEEE-USA Membership Development, (Mobiile) 864-360-9415, email, if you need help or want to tap into his motivational speech.

To ensure that you receive your 2007 IEEE Annual Election ballot materials, please verify that your IEEE member profile contains your current postal and e-mail addresses. Please make sure that your member profile information is updated by 12:00 noon EDT (16:00 GMT) on Friday, 29 June 2007. All eligible voting members will be mailed a ballot based on this information on or before 1 September 2007.

To access and update your profile, visit myIEEE or the Update Profile Application. If you encounter any problems, contact IEEE Member Services at member-services@ieee.org or at +1 800 678 4333 or +1 732 981 0060.

This year's annual election ballot has 18 categories and 42 nominated candidates. To view the slate of nominated candidates, and those seeking to be petition candidates, please visit the IEEE Annual Election page. Individuals seeking petition candidate status need to submit all required signatures to the IEEE Board of Directors by 12:00 noon EDT (16:00 GMT) on Friday, 8 June 2007.

If you have a question about an IEEE issue that you would like to ask the President-Elect candidates, send it to Election Questions by 15 May 2007. Responses to select questions will be broadcast over the IEEE Election Website, and on IEEE.tv, during the voting period.

Significant Change -- Annual Election Booklet

• The IEEE Board of Directors, at its February 2007 meeting, approved several changes to the 2007 election process. This year, the ballot and booklet containing the candidates’ biographies will be mailed only to members who voted by paper ballot in the 2006 election. These will also be mailed to new members, and those elevated to Member or Graduate Student member grades, on or before 30 June 2007, and who are eligible to vote for the first time.
• Members who transmitted their ballot electronically, or failed to vote in last year's election, will not receive the booklet. Instead they will be provided with information on how to access the booklet electronically from the annual election Web site when available.
• The 2007 annual election ballot package will be mailed to all eligible voting members via first class mail on or before 1 September.