MEETING MINUTES – August 14, 2002

Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Association held on Wednesday, August 14, 2002, at the Best Western on Smokey Park Highway.  Should you have any questions, comments or corrections, please contact Bridget Downey, PHR,  our Chapter Secretary.

BUSINESS MEETING:                                                                             
Chapter President-Elect Lorraine Poe opened the meeting and welcomed new members and guests.

Chapter Announcements:
The Greenville Area Human Resources Association will be presenting a special workshop on September 11, 2002.  Contact Lorraine Poe for details.

The Harry W. Clark Memorial Scholarship Fund Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, September 6, 2002 at the Kenmure Country Club.  John Daniel, former senior executive of Square D will receive the WCI Heritage Award at the banquet immediately following the tournament.  Contact Michelle Bachelor at Western Carolina Industries  for more information.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be opening an office in Fairview near the Reynolds High school

The District Wage and Hour Office in Charlotte has announced it will be concentrating on medical offices, particularly smaller clinics.

The slate of officers for 2003 will be presented at the October meeting.  Interested members are encouraged to complete the Volunteer Leadership Form, available online.

A letter from President Terry Clark was sent out with the August meeting announcement.  This letter also appears on the meeting announcement page on the website.  Those members forgetting to make reservations will be asked to wait until 12:00 noon before being seated, to ensure that those making reservations are accommodated.

Terry Clark’s letter also reminded us of our mission:

The mission of the Western North Carolina Human Resources Association is to represent, inform, guide and lead the human resource professional and profession through the support and collaboration of other likeminded  professionals.  The Association will strive to facilitate the dissemination of information of value to human resource professionals individually and  collectively, and to promote the standards of excellence and professionalism  in every phase of human resource management. 

Because we attend to grow as professionals, solicitation is not appropriate at meetings.  Vendors are welcome to respond to member inquiries, but should not approach members.

Frank Pomeroy and Rachel Smith have the scholarship program set up.  One change is that the need for candidates to be working in the Human Resources profession has been eliminated to allow more student applicants.  If interested, or if you know someone who is, contact Frank Pomeroy.  It is possible that we may be able to award as many as four $500 scholarships this year.

Registration forms will be sent out shortly for the September 26, 2002 HR Workshop.  This event will be held at the Holiday Inn on Airport Road.  Look for these announcements and sign up early, as there is a reduced rate for early registration.

Our web site has had over 1230 hits!  Several new pages are under construction, but new ideas are always appreciated.  Contact Donna Cator if you have some thoughts on improving our site.

Featured Vendor:
Frank Pomeroy introduced Tom Dieterly of FastSigns, the featured vendor for August, recommending them for last-minute needs.  In addition to a full line of signs, FastSigns also creates 3-D raised logos used in business lobbies.  They can complete most work within 24 hours, and accept PC or Mac files in a variety of formats.  They are located on Patton Avenue near Leicester Hwy, but will be glad to visit your business.

August Program Presentation: 
John Yarborough introduced our guest presenter, Sharon Willen, the Director of Business and Industry Services at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.  Ms. Willen gave information and instructions on the Western North Carolina Talent Bank.  Employers can easily register on the site by selecting the “Work In Asheville” link from the Chamber’s home page at http://www.ashevillechamber.org/, choosing “Western North Carolina Talent Bank”, and following the simple instructions.  Thanks to the support of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce and AdvantageWest, this service is free.

The Chamber of Commerce is promoting Asheville as a place to locate high-tech industries, as these positions tend to pay above the regional average.  One challenge in attracting new businesses is the area’s high cost of health insurance.  Ms. Willen encourages employer promotion of lifestyle changes as a way to reduce costs.

On October 8, 2002, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce will present a Workforce Summit, featuring Manufacturing Leadership Awards, Best Practices, and a Dialog between Business and Educational Leaders.  More information can be obtained on the Chapter web site at http://www.ashevillechamber.org/ or by contacting Sharon Willen at swillen@ashevillechamber.org.  The deadline for sponsors for this event is August 22.

Ms. Willen also recommended  the services of the Chamber of Commerce as a source of information for employers.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.