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Professional Development Chair

The Professional Development Committee Chair is responsible for planning and organizing two state-of-the-art professional development mini-conferences per year that will create new or enhance existing skills, knowledge and abilities for HRP-MN members. This position reports to the Vice President Member Services.

Duties

• Selects and determines topic areas for the year, based on survey results from previous mini-conferences or from monthly program evaluation surveys.  Coordinates all the details for the seminars or workshops (two events annually) through a committee of experienced HRP-MN members who carry out the following:
• Schedules the event, with input from Vice President Member Services
• Secures speakers or trainers
• Negotiates fees with space providers and/or caterers
• Determines workshop price in cooperation with Vice President Member Services and the Board
• Markets the program to HRP-MN members and other professional HR groups, in cooperation with Public Relations
• Manages registration logistics
• Selects a location
• Publicizes the event externally, in cooperation with Communications Chair
• Monitors its implementation through a committee of seven to ten HRP-MN members (see list of volunteer duties)
• Evaluates its success, based on evaluations completed at the event
• Coordinates contracts for all mini-conferences and submits to President for signature with the Vice President—Member Services
• Recruits and provides leadership to the Professional Development Committee. Holds meetings of the committee at least monthly prior to an event, starting 120 to 150 days before the date of the event.

• Retains and presents HRP-MN’s commitment towards accreditation and professional development.
• Maintains committee budget records and provides budget requests to Vice President Member Services for the next fiscal year.

Calendar

• June: Recruits committee members (7 to10 members recommended). Outgoing Committee Co-Chairs assist with this by communicating with the existing committee.
• July: Contacts Past President to provide input to annual survey process, in applicable years.
• July: Determines programming topics and schedules, and determines committee member responsibilities.
• Monthly: Keeps Vice President Member Services informed of all activities.
• Attends HRP-MN Board meetings at least two to three months prior to each event and keeps the Board informed of progress toward the next mini-conference, speakers needed, topics, dates, and selected location.

Committee Interface

• Vice President Member Services: When Mini-Conference schedule dates are selected, communicate to avoid duplication with Program Committee.
• Through the Vice President Member Services, forwards all contracts to President for signature.
• Vice President Public Relations: Coordinates mini-conference brochures and email blasts.
• Program Committee Co-Chairs: Works closely regarding topics to avoid duplication and to gather information from monthly program evaluation forms regarding desired topics for future mini-conferences.
• Professional Development Committee: Holds meetings at least monthly for 90 days preceding the event.
• Board: Attends Board meetings two to three months before the event as well as other required Board meetings.
• Vice President Finance: Submits Event Revenue & Expense Report after each event. Ensures that invoices from vendors and space providers are correct before payment.

List of Professional Development Committee Positions and Descriptions

1. Registration: Coordinates all elements of registration with Reservations/Facilities Chair, including on-line process, revenue tracking, on site check-in on the day of the event, and tracking billing of no shows. Determines deadline for registration and coordinates with other committee members who need to track number of attendees. In coordination with the Professional Development Committee Chair, tracks number of registrants and confirms the number with the site and catering service. Takes care of getting name badges printed and delivered to the mini-conference site on the day of the event. Sits at the front desk on the day of the event. Recruits a group of 2-3 greeters depending on the facility and logistics.

2. Speaker Liaison: Coordinates all aspects of recruiting and working with the speaker(s), including written confirmation to the speaker 90 days prior to the event; gathering speaker bio and presentation outline (immediately sends to Communications Chair for external publicity); distribution of speech outlines (includes photocopying when necessary, prior to the event); meeting speaker(s) on the day of the event and handling any requests; determining audio visual needs and ensuring that equipment needed is secured and in working order; developing an evaluation form and having the correct number available at the mini-conference; and sending thank you letter(s) after the event. Consider having a lead volunteer and assigning an individual to each speaker.

3. Brochure and Publicity Coordinator: In coordination with Vice President—Public Relations, designs and produces mini-conference brochures. Handles printing and delivery of brochures to association management firm for mailing. Coordinates securing mailing list(s) or other advertising to other professional organizations and follows through on the process. Makes event announcements at HRP-MN monthly program meetings. Coordinates articles and announcements in Update, at least 90 days in advance of the mini-conference date. May need an additional volunteer to carry out full spectrum of this role.

4. Facility Coordinator: In coordination with Reservations/Facilities Chair, handles all aspects of the location of the mini-conference, including the following factors: audio visual equipment, restrooms, food and catering services, menu, coat racks, parking (cost, if applicable), and room capacity. This role works closely with the Professional Development Committee Chair to secure a site and set a date for the mini-conference. Sites must be visited in person before confirmed. Once contracts are obtained, they are sent to the Vice President Member Services who secures the President’s signature. Obtains a facility map to be used in the brochure, on our web site, and published in HRP-MN Update.

HRP-MN Professional Development Committee Volunteer Positions

1. Registrar:

• Name and address are on brochure to mail registration to and to call for more information.
• Obtain a current membership list from Vice President Membership.
• Check registration against membership list.
• Call those who are not members and register as such. Keep a list of registrants name, title and company on a database for PageMaker to do nametags in advance and for a complete registration list for the day of the event.
• Solve other problems.
• Get enough people to help with registration on the day of the event.
• At deadline, notify Facility Coordinator for a food count.
• Determine whether or not you will be able to last minute cancellations and registrations.
• After deadline, make an ASII disk of the registration for PageMaker to do nametags.
• Phone last minute registrations to this person.
• Day before the event, make a current registration list. Be sure money and registrations equal and that those who owe are indicated for the collection on the day of the event.
• Staff registration table on the day of the event.
• Deliver checks, registrations and any other supporting material to the PD Chair. Turn over any information to the Chair for files.
• Turnover any information to the Chair for the files.

• Speaker Liaison:

• Call speaker to get commitment to speak. Be sure to indicate that we appreciate their speaking for us gratis. Work out date and time for the event.
• Ask speaker if there will be any need for AV materials.
• Ask about hand-outs. We will duplicate if they speak gratis. Encourage hand-outs. Our members like them.
• Be sure to confirm in writing.
• At deadline, call with number registered.
• Get hand-outs copied.
• Bring to event and distribute as speaker desires.
• Make sure AV equipment is ready and working. You may need to contact facility for location of lights.
• Get an insignia item for speaker gift. May need to buy gift bag.
• Before the event, determine who will present the gift and when the gift will be given (at end of presentation before everyone leaves or quietly afterwards).
• Be sure speaker gets a thank you note.
• Turn over any information to the Chair for the files.

• Brochure and Mailing Coordinator:

1. Design brochure with help of PageMaker person. We like to have an HRP-MN “look.” Choose a printer. We have a blue ink look and we like the brochure folded and ready to be mailed. 
2. HRP-MN has bulk mail indicia that you must use. It requires that the Update editors address be the return address on the brochure.
3. Get mailing lists of other organizations.  Request labels in charge and have a particular way that you must request the lists.  Other organizations that you might consider are MN Career Development Association, American Comp and TC Comp Assns. Depending on the topic of the seminar; there are lots of specific organizations that can be considered. There are HRIS groups, for instance. Buying TCPA’s list seems to guarantee that we have enough registrants to break-even. Determine how labels will be attached. When ready, it needs to be delivered to the bulk mail post office. You must be prepared to pay the mailing cost that day to mail or have the Vice President Finance pay the mailing cost that day to mail or have the Vice President Finance submit sufficient funds to the account BEFORE you need them.
4. Turn over any information to the Chair for the files.

• Facility Coordinator:

• Things to consider in choosing a site – room need
• AV needs
• Restrooms (more for women)
• Menu
• Number of serving lines for breaks
• Coat racks
• Telephones
• Parking (free or low cost)
• Contact possible places to determine if event’s needs can be met (space, food, parking, etc.) The board wants alternate locations between a Minneapolis and St. Paul site. Discuss food, Av and room needs.
• Once a site has been chosen, be sure to visit it. Go over the facility and determine if there are enough women’s restrooms in relation to the proportion of women who attend out events.
• Ask for or be prepared to change men’s room signs the day of the event to accommodate this.
• Find out from the registrar the number attending (be sure to include the speaker) and let the facility know.
• Find out if they will bill HRP-MN
• This may require Treasurer fill out some forms
• Get a map for the brochure. Be available the day of the event to solve last minute problems. May need to know where the lights are, for instance, if the speaker shows slides or a video.
• Have the bill sent to you. Check it for correctness and send to Professional Development Chair for submission to the Vice President Finance.
• Turn over any information to the Chair for the files.
• Insist on adequate Women’s Rooms and multiple food lines to facilitate breaks.

Special Information

• You will need to take care of such things as evaluation forms, submitting bills to the Treasurer for payment and submitting the registration checks to the Treasurer, and sending thank you notes to committee members.

• Set up a time-line for each event. Start with the day of the event and work backwards. When is the last day the facility will take numbers for food count? Set deadline two days before that to cover last minute things. How long do people need the registration information to get checks cut and make the deadline? Is there a major holiday in this time? We found 6 weeks worked well.