ESA Newsletter Information for the Members of the Entomological Society of America MARCH 2006 • VOLUME 29, NUMBER 3 Membership 2005: Year in Review By Chris Stelzig, Director of Membership we get too far into the year, I wanted to fin- not withstanding, this is a great, inexpensive and Marketing ish the update on 2005. way to get general feedback from you on a Sections and Branches—The Pacific wide range of topics. Headquarters uses this For the first time since 1992, ESA posted Branch saw the most growth when we com- data for planning purposes. In the Member- two back-to-back years of membership pare 2004 to 2005 with a 12% increase in ship Toolbox on the website (http://www. growth. This is a milestone, especially when membership. Only the Southeastern Branch entsoc.org/membership/toolbox/support_ coupled with the fact that just five years ago saw an actual decline, and that was merely esa/survey.htm), you will find a list of all our we were losing members by the hundreds by one person (a case in point to say that active surveys and an invitation to partici- every year and our funds were quickly dry- EVERY membership renewal is important!). pate in one. ing up. You’ve heard me say “Strength in Section B saw the largest growth last year, Performance—About 80% of members Numbers” for nearly five years now. The leaping more than 10%. who responded felt that they were satisfied reason for this is that membership is the Membership Types—As I mentioned with performance from ESA headquarters. lifeblood of ESA. When there are more above, in 2005, we welcomed 990 new About 70% felt the same about DMG (our members, there are more papers published, members (or returning members after at membership services vendor), the Govern- more journals read, more symposia heard, least a two-year absence). Included in this ing Board, and Ingenta (the online journal more posters submitted, and so on. We owe amount are 458 regular members (26% host). The numbers were lower, though our success to you—to each of you, the ESA more new members than in 2004) and 513 still generally positive, for both Cadmus members. new student members (a jump of nearly (manuscript submission vendor) and Confex In 2003, I started writing this annual sum- 18%). These are solid gains! I would like to (Annual Meeting technology vendor). These mary to give us all a benchmark for how the propose that every single member pledge numbers remain on par with responses from Society leaders were doing on meeting your to help welcome these new and returning this survey conducted in the last two years. needs and to give us a snapshot of the mem- members. Our best prospects for long-term Of those 60 members who contacted bership experience. membership are these folks. They are in ESA or DMG about a problem in the past Year #1 of what we hope to be a 30-year+ year, 83% indicated that the problem was Where We Are membership term! resolved satisfactorily. Of those that remain Our year-end membership number for At the same time that we are pleased to unresolved, several problems are still being 2005 was 5,960, an increase of 4.31% from welcome these new members to the Society, addressed and several were general com- 2004. 1,182 of those members were not there are an almost equal amount who have plaints about business practices. 78% of re- paid members in 2004, and 990 of those not renewed. As of this writing, there are spondents were at least “somewhat pleased” were either new members or members who 837 people who were members in 2004 that with how their problem was resolved. had sat out for at least two years. I calcu- didn’t renew for 2005 and so far have not About ESA—It is interesting to note that late our retention rate based upon a yearly renewed for 2006. I would also ask that you the #1 reason cited for joining ESA was ca- comparison of your membership ID num- look around your department or organiza- reer enhancement, but as time goes by, that bers. Using that factor, the 4,778 members tion and see who is not a member. Help us slips in importance. On the other side, only who were in the Society in 2004 and 2005 build our membership roster. 65% list “promote entomology” as a reason gives us a renewal rate of 80.17%, a slight Certification—Our certification programs for joining ESA (the lowest of all surveyed increase when compared to the previous continue to do well. The Board Certified reasons), but 90% list it as a reason for re- year’s retention rate of 80.12%. Entomologist (BCE) program welcomed 13 newing each year. The other top reasons for The 2005 Standing Committee on Mem- newly certified individuals in 2005. All but joining ESA are the Annual Meeting and bership was led by Dr. Rayda Krell, and two of them chose the “Urban and Industrial reading the journals. The other top reasons her (and the committee’s) tireless efforts to Entomology” specialty. The Associate Certi- Continued on page 6 increase membership clearly paid off. We fied Entomologist (ACE) program, which was all owe these members a great big “Thank launched in May 2004, grew by 30 ACEs in In this issue.... you!” Floyd Shockley, this year’s chair, has 2005, with a year-ending total of 45. This already shown a lot of drive and innovation, growth underscores the fact that ACE is Common Names .............. 3 so we’re confident that 2006 will be great meeting a need in the pest control industry. Member News .................. 4 for us as well. Our membership numbers at the end How Are We Doing? 2006 Annual Meeting ....... 5 of January 2006 have us ahead of January ESA has a subscription to the internet Job Opportunities ............. 7 2005, so we’re on the right path. But before survey tool Survey Monkey. Funny name March 2006 ESA Newsletter 1 P RESIDENT ’ S C ORNER Frank E. Gilstrap, 2006 ESA President ave you ever wondered how and Entomological members. The Certification Board notes that many volunteers it takes to make Foundation awards. it needs additional member participation— our Society functional, sustain Numerous other op- check these needs out at the ESA website its growth and success, assure portunities also exist node for the Certification Board. Ha scientific meeting each year, and publish at the Society level My point with all the foregoing is that our journals on time and with consistently for giving back time, many opportunities and needs exist for ESA excellent quality? If you are like me, prob- energy and skills. members to serve our Society. Some service ably not. Our Society’s benefits generally The Governing Board positions rotate annually and others rotate accrue without fanfare, and volunteers move consists of 11 members elected from Sec- after multiple years of service. Some require almost seamlessly into and out of Society tions and Branches, and five officers elected special prior service, but most require only assignments. There really is not an obvious by the entire ESA membership. a genuine interest in your Society and a need for any of us to think about this ques- Publishing in and receiving ESA jour- willingness to serve. All offer the benefit of tion, and certainly, we need not think about nals are key membership benefits, and this satisfaction from contributing, developing it routinely for the needed work to get done. enterprise also provides opportunities for professionally from a larger circle of col- But we all owe a big “Thanks” to our col- members to serve, learn, and help assure a leagues, and expanding one’s leadership leagues who volunteer. bright future for the Society. Much of our and organizational skills. My Annual Meeting theme this year, publications process centers on the Publi- By my count, in 2006, ESA will have “Give Something Back,” is intended to stir cations Council, a group of seven Section engaged 155 members as volunteers in all of us to think more about how we can representatives, and Governing Board and standing and presidential committees, 176 return value to our Society. Because vol- headquarters liaisons. The Council works in the ESA publishing enterprise, 48 in the unteering is fundamental to survival of our with eight editorial boards, most of which Sections, 212 or so in the Branches, and at volunteer-run Society, I decided to explore are comprised of an editor-in-chief, six to 11 least 30 in our certification programs. These some numbers dealing with ESA volunteers Section representatives, and a headquarters total about 629, or a little more than 10% in this month’s column. My ultimate goal is liaison. of our entire membership. So think about to encourage more of you to make signifi- serving in 2007! E-mail Society Relations cant gifts back to ESA. If you do, all of us in Real generosity toward the Officer Lisa Spurlock ([email protected]) ESA can face our societal future with even future lies in giving all to the expressing your desire to serve. greater confidence and with healthy expec- Service to ESA—what a great way to give tations for success. present. back to our discipline and profession, and An early presidential task was to prepare —Albert Camus earn a personal dividend of satisfaction, pro- charges to each of our standing committees. fessional growth, and peer recognition! After I completed this effort, I decided to go Beyond formal editorial board assign- Until next month.