Dear SMPS Members and A/E/C Colleagues,
Happy New Year! I can’t begin to tell you how happy I was to see the last minutes of 2009 tick away. I’m sure many of you will agree that 2009 was an extremely challenging and difficult year. While I was on vacation between Christmas and New Year’s, I reflected on the curve balls that were thrown at me during the last twelve months. I am proud that even though my count might have been full, I didn’t strike out. When I woke up on January 1st I vowed to make this a better year, both personally and professionally. I have begun to create a list of things that I want to accomplish this year, or at the very least, get the ball rolling in the right direction. One of my goals is to branch out and become more involved in the A/E/C community. My term as SMPS Chesapeake Chapter President is winding down and I’m looking at several opportunities with other organizations that will reestablish relationships with SMPS - ultimately fostering growth and benefitting our members.
As you think about the goals you hope to achieve during this first year of a new decade I hope you will add getting more actively involved with SMPS to your list. I would like to take the rest of this space to share a letter with you from a former Chapter President, Anthony Crocamo, Manager, Business Development with Buchart Horn/BASCO Associates.
Dear SMPS Chesapeake Members:
SMPS – what’s in it for you?
The real money in the AEC industry goes to the men and women who can land the work, who can bring in the contracts. You can be a cog in that process, a proposal drone, and make proposal drone money or you can set your sights on bigger and better things.
Active participation in SMPS is a clear career path to the higher, more rewarding levels of marketing in the AEC industry. By serving as a chapter officer you get to:
- Network with potential teaming partners
- Build relationships with professionals within the AEC industry
- Establish yourself as a leader
- Make your firm, and yourself, visible to others within the industry
- Meet with representatives of National Firms (The Annual President’s Meeting is a priceless opportunity to network with firms nationwide)
- Influence the Educational Programming
- Define and direct the goals of the Chesapeake Chapter
- Connect with speakers, trainers, and presenters brought in to conduct Educational Programs
You can stand on the sidelines and watch the game others develop. You can even complain about their game plan. Or you can put yourself on the path of leadership, recognition, and reward and take charge of your Chapter: serve as an officer of SMPS Chesapeake.
Set your sights on becoming the President. It is the most prestigious and (big secret) least demanding of all the officers positions - with a strong team in place, all the chairs do the heavy lifting.
Having the title of an officer of SMPS Chapter on your resume is instant accreditation as a serious leader in our industry. Take charge and continue to move your career to the most rewarding levels.
Sincerely,
Anthony T. Crocamo
Former President of SMPS Chesapeake
Current Manager, Business Development
Buchart Horn/BASCO Associates
A full-service international engineering and architectural design firm.