Commander's Message

As I embark on my year I will continue with Bobs good work as a starting point. Beginning with iMIS and Marine SEO, a more proactive interface is needed as well as keeping squadron commanders current as these two initiatives develop. Social media is not going away anytime soon. It is essential our organization utilize this resource. For example, posting squadron events on social media is one way of keeping members informed and could possibly attract non-members. Marine SEO stands at the ready to assist in making existing squadron Facebook pages more effective or helping other squadrons create new ones. The iMIS implementation involves moving considerable amounts of data and that effort is progressing.

We are all aware our membership continues to decline. How can this trend be reversed? Various things have been tried. An excellent example was the doing business as (DBA or alias) Americas Boating Club name. The decision to do this was an informed one backed up by data and was expected to reverse the decline. It did not. This same sort of thing sometimes happens in corporate America. As my year progresses, I will be reaching out to the squadron commanders as well as the district bridge and committees soliciting ideas on how we can increase membership. Some of our squadrons are healthy whereas others are not. Ways needs to be found on how we, as a district can help those squadrons that are not doing so well.

In closing, I am going to encourage all squadrons whenever possible and practical to join with your neighboring squadrons to share events such as rendezvous, attending one anothers membership meetings, cookouts, sharing ideas, or assisting other squadrons as needed in staffing boat show booths, just to name a few. Let us all move forward, district and squadrons alike as a team for a successful year.

Bill