May 2009 seminar: Our next seminar will be held May 20th 2009 in San Francisco: The topic will be Digital TV – look for detail in our upcoming flyer!

Co-chapter meeting: There will be a Co-Chapter meeting with the Sierra, Central, and Golden Gate Chapters Friday May 29th at Squaw Creek Resort near Tahoe.  Discussion topics will include “social networking”, membership, seminars and certification – please contact one of your board members if you have comments you would like to see discussed

Chapter Leadership Conference 2009: Bob Acheson, Billy Vance, Woody Cash and Mark Harrigan represented the chapter this year in Salt Lake City April 28th through the 30th, a few notes.

• Chapter awards: The Golden Gate chapter was in complete compliance in all categories and was one of three nationwide to have done so for three years running with a 25% improvement over the previous year.
• Social technology: There are more “Social technology” (twitter, facebook, etc, etc venues available out there than you can shake a stick at to which speaker Jeff De Cagna spoke eloquently on how chapters might want to look into tapping into these “new fangled techno tools” as a way to connect with “young and old” alike as a way to get more folks to join the SCTE and stick with it.  Do we as a chapter stick our tow into the water here by setting up a chapter facebook?  Your comments are always solicited!
• Seminars: Thinking outside the box, IE traditional “Cable 101” type training by trying topics such as time management, public utility commission standards, things that our members are probably not going to get from their employer.
• Outlook calendar seminar invites: To the extent practical we may want to look at sending out invites to our seminars via Outlook as a way to possibly increase attendance and get a better idea how many plan to show up.

SCTE Certification: Successful completion of the study material, all work, and the certification exam in the BPS (Basic), BDS, BTS, or BTCS (Basic) programs will earn: Reimbursement of test fees (for tests passed only), National Dues paid for the following year at time of renewal] and $100

• Successful completion of the study material, all work, and the certification exams for all 3 of the endorsements [Data, Video, and Voice] for either the previously completed BPS or BTCS programs will earn: Reimbursement of test fees (for tests passed only) and $200.00
• Successful completion of the study material, all work, and the 7 individual certification exams for BCT or BCE will earn: National Dues paid for the following year [at time of renewal] and $300
• Pay outs: Since the certification incentive started we have paid out thousands of the $5,000 the chapter has allocated and more folks are in the pipe line – time to take the plunge folks!

Next Golden Gate Chapter Board Meeting: Our next board meeting will be held May 27th between 11:30am and 1:00pm at a yet to be announced San Ramon location, all members are welcome to attend, just give one of us a call!