• A Message From The President
• Find out about the November CIASTD Meeting
• October meeting recap
• Member Profile
• New Members
• Can't attend Fall Forum?
  Join us for Thursday evening Reception

Other Links:

• Click here for more Fall Forum info

If you haven't yet registered for The Fall Forum: "Reality Revolution" call Chapter Services at (317) 841-1395 to sign up.

A Message From The President
From Sharon Boller
President, CIASTD

Volunteer Bucks = Great Stuff!!!

For the past several years, the Board has wrestled with the thorny question of how to recognize chapter volunteers. Numerous people put in an amazing number of hours so that all members can benefit from terrific monthly programs, ongoing member communications, and an absolutely outstanding fall conference each year. Some people dedicate small bits of time to the chapter; however, others dedicate significant numbers of hours each year. How do we best show appreciation in a manner that recognizes the efforts of every volunteer while rewarding people based on their efforts?

The answer we arrived at last year was "volunteer bucks." Volunteer bucks are play money that members "earn" through various endeavors. For example, every time you attend a monthly program you should receive $5.00 in volunteer bucks when you sign in at the meeting. If you serve on a committee, you receive $10 for every committee meeting you attend, and even more money if you function as the committee chair. Last year, I accumulated almost $300 in volunteer bucks, which I spent at our first annual Spring Fling program and silent auction. I walked home with a movie basket, Nipper and Chipper (the RCA dogs), and a pile of great books— which I'm still reading.

Recently, we've decided we need to greatly expand the program and re-promote it. There are too many people who seem unaware of this terrific incentive. Too, we didn't want people waiting for a one-time event (the Spring Fling) to use their bucks. So now you can spend bucks monthly. At each monthly meeting, we'll have gift certificates or gift baskets available for bid at a monthly silent auction. At the October meeting, we had two (yes, two!) $50.00 gift certificates to Outback Steakhouse. We'll have even more stuff at the Fall Forum coming up on November 8th.

Even better, we're expanding the program so that external consultants and vendors can use it to help promote their business. If you are an external consultant, consider sponsoring one of the monthly silent auctions. Put together a gift basket that shows creativity and lets people know what you do. Lots of people will see your name and one of them will be lucky enough to walk home with your stuff. (No free consulting hours or business books, please. The gift baskets should be FUN!) This is a really cool way to promote your business in a manner that members can all appreciate. Coffee, tea, and chocolate lovers, look for my gift basket at the Fall Forum! May the person with the most bucks win it!

CIASTD is always on the lookout for more great volunteers. Contact any member of the Board to find out how you can get involved in chapter activities. The Board of Directors wants to send all CIASTD members the message that we truly do appreciate the efforts of chapter volunteers. We also want to emphasize that it pays to volunteer (both literally and figuratively.) You get the satisfaction of helping the chapter, meeting new colleagues and making new friends. You also earn "bucks" that can buy some great stuff!

Volunteer Bucks
Members may earn Volunteer Bucks by doing the following …

Sharon is the founder and president of Bottom-Line Performance, Inc. She has been in the field of training and development for more than 15 years and has gained extensive experience in instructional design and performance consulting.

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November Meeting: Fall Forum

Special Addition: If you can't attend the conference, we have an opportunity for you to participate in the pre-conference reception and cocktail party. When: Thursday Time: 5:00- 7:00pm Where: The Fountains, Carmel, IN. Cost $20 for members            30 nonmembers Register at the door

Connect to the reality of today.

• Are you adding value, driving initiatives, and making a real difference in your organization?

Reality in Training and Development—

• In times like this when companies are cutting back on their training and development dollars, and spending only for real effect on their business results!

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October Meeting

Improving performance is a key factor for any organization and its employees. In the October CIASTD meeting, Patrick Whalen gave a presentation titled, 'Program Results Based Performance Improvement.' The presentation was a short seminar intended to assist members in developing performance consulting, analysis, and evaluation strategies for any intervention. Patrick Whalen is Director of Analysis and Measurement for the Jack Phillips Center for Research, a division of Franklin Covey.
                                              

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Member Profile
by Judy Hasselkus, CIASTD Newsletter Committee

Meet Bill Fischer
IT Professional/Liaison between Technical and User Communities

Endurance. Webster's dictionary defines it as fortitude; the ability to last, continue, or remain; to withstand stress or fatigue. A road cycling enthusiast, Bill Fischer knows something about physical endurance. In the past two years, he has cycled more than 2000 miles annually. Twice he has peddled from one side of the state to the other in the Ride Across Indiana, an event that starts at the Illinois state line west of Terre Haute and ends at Earlham College in Richmond. Each year, Fischer tops off the ride with a return trip to Indianapolis for a total of 240 miles of cycling in one day. It's a test of endurance—and Fischer enjoys the ride.

Fischer also knows about career endurance. "Most of my career has been working for software service vendors or software development vendors, most of which have been acquired or gone out of business," Fischer explains. He has witnessed firsthand several waves of acquisitions, layoffs and closings in the information services industry. A former director of education and training, Fischer created a training group that developed technical and user training for employees and clients. He also saw it dissolved. Fischer observes: "Unfortunately, when things get tight in an IT organization, training and documentation functions seem to be the first areas to be dismantled." Most recently, Fischer—-who has also served as a project and account manager—was with Financial Services Group of Computer Sciences Corporation. He is in career transition after the company's latest 10 percent across the board layoff of about 450 employees.

Like his approach to road cycling, Fischer's approach to navigating change in the workplace is to enjoy the ride. Although the IT field is very volatile, Fischer focuses on the challenge and opportunity it has afforded him. Fischer believes that working for IT service providers and vendors has provided him with unique opportunities to learn, develop transferable skills, and remain flexible. "I have had the opportunity to work in numerous companies doing feasibility studies, sales presentations, system installations and implementations, and conduct user and technical application system training," Fischer states. "And I have had the opportunity to work in many capacities in the information services field." Fischer especially enjoys using his problem solving, communication, and project management skills to add value to an organization by facilitating effective and efficient communication and transfer of information.

A graduate of Purdue University with a degree in computer technology, Fischer began his career in data processing and soon found his niche. "Once I started working in information systems I saw how important it was to understand what the end-user was describing and how difficult it was to get an accurate description of all the processes involved," he says. Fischer found that he "enjoyed digging for the complete story" and began focusing on process analysis and documentation. He moved into training and documentation development fueled by the realization that technical and user training delivered by most software vendors was inadequate to meet user needs. Along the way, Fischer earned a masters degree in business management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Fischer is also a member of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. He has organized and conducted public education classes on boating safety and is trained as a Master Instructor.

Fischer became a CIASTD member in September of 2002. He is already a CIASTD volunteer, having made calls to prospective exhibitors and attendees about the Fall Forum: Reality Revolution.

A lifelong Indianapolis resident, Fischer is married and has a son and twin daughters—both freshmen at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN.

Advice to persons new in the field: "Keep current in the field and with the tools used in executing your job to remain valuable in your position. Network in your field and related fields."

Best advice Fischer has received in his professional life: "Learn as much as you can, remain open to new ideas and concepts, and network."

Original career goal (What did you want to be when you grew up?):
"I wanted to be a bush pilot and fly in and out of remote lakes and landing strips."

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New Members

In each issue of The Facilitator, we will list members that have joined or rejoined CIASTD since the previous issue. Since the last issue of The Facilitator, we have signed 9 new members. To see a list of the new members, click here. If you are a member of CIASTD, and would like access to the complete membership list, visit our site at www.CIASTD.org.

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