Leads & Introductions
Members introduced themselves, announced leads and shared something positive...mostly.

Member Reports
Carole Weishaar and Don Ellis are both recovering well from their recent surgeries.

Bio Photos
Several members have not had their pictures taken.  Herb Stokes will be setting up at MABE on Friday February 12th.  Please make sure to be here if you need to be photographed.  

Member Spotlight
This week's spotlight is Steve Chilton.  Please keep this member top of mind this week for referrals.

Featured Program - Being a MABE Board Member
Dave Crissman has been on the board for about a year.  He has a concern after seeing the survey results.  It is not clear to him what the members expect from the board and its president.  We have board elections coming up.  He is not sure who will be able to serve as president.  The election process over the past 17 years has been the same.  Nominations are a last minute thought.  Its hard to get something going the way we do things.  Maybe things are stale.  Maybe we need to change the way we run things on Friday mornings.  With that said...

What are your expectations?

• For me it has always been about the knowledge this group has.  Even past the business part of it.  How do you face personal challenges?  This group has motivated me to put together a list of professionals we can all use in our lives. 

• I would really like to see the group have more open forums, like today, rather than scheduled speakers.  Let people talk openly about a subject matter.

• A lot of us have similar interests that never get to the board.  We need to share more of this, find out what connections we have with others. 

• This is a group for people that want it not for people that need it.

• We've lost certain categories and brought in zero potential replacements.  There are members holding down categories that are dead weight. 

• A lot of long-time members that have left were for reasons that most don't realize.  Their needs have changed and they feel they have outgrown the group.

• I think we are more in a transition.  We are more diversified than we used to be.  I don't think we are dying.  I thing we will slowly rebuild.  Things change.  Those that left were borderline for many years and just now made the decision to leave.

• I agree that the president should only be expected to serve as moderator.  I was on the board in three different positions and spent most of the time spinning my wheels not know what was expected of me. 

• Most people consider MABE as part of their business to some degree.  If you only think about MABE a couple of hours on Friday morning, how much can you expect to get out of it?  Are you willing to give MABE more effort during the week?  The group is only going to survive and grow if we dedicate time to it during the week.

• The answer is simple...People need to do what they said they are going to do.  When you join you agree to attend meetings, pay dues, make referrals, etc.  Do it.

• Not one things causes us to be where we are.  Certainly the economy is a factor along with other personal items.  We bring all that here.  Each president brings his own personality to the group during his term which is good.  Some people embrace changes or new ideas and some don't.  If you are going to bitch about the way things are going, get involved and make a difference, make a change.  Every group needs a leader but it is very difficult for just one person to run this thing and keep it interesting.  The president needs support. 

We have a guest speaker next week but we will continue this discussion in two weeks before we do elections.