Thursday, January 06, 2005
Being Retired Doesn’t Mean Goodbye ($)
Opportunity: Managers are retiring faster than you can say ’30 and out’. Retired managers should be encouraged to remain active members in their association, and they also give us a large new group of customers for which we might develop products
We ought to look at retired managers the way universities look at graduated students as a group to keep involved as advocates—and to look to for money. Ideas include:
***Alumni status in the association as a special category. Benefits might include special dues, breaks for conference attendance, a reception at the conference, special ‘look back’ articles in PM about things that managers have accomplished that reflect our tradition of excellence, etc.
***Encouragement to ‘endow’ one year fellowships in a ‘give-back to the profession’ effort. This could be done by managers during their career, after their retirement, or in their will. For instance, I might endow a 1 year fellowship in City Management for a graduate of Indiana University—so we could get an ICMA and university linkage working together. It might not be a ‘full ride’, but even $10,000 to allow a student to work in a local government for a year would be pretty cool. (Seems that if we did this to protect the profession that we have shown the ability to deliver on ideas bigger than ourselves.)
Dave Childs and Jon Bormet, driven by a need to keep older members hanging around so they aren’t the oldest guy in the room, will lead this effort and report back to the Membership Team. But you need not have gray hair, remember the Kennedy administration, or know a time when horses could talk, to contribute. Leave those ideas right here!!!!
We ought to look at retired managers the way universities look at graduated students as a group to keep involved as advocates—and to look to for money. Ideas include:
***Alumni status in the association as a special category. Benefits might include special dues, breaks for conference attendance, a reception at the conference, special ‘look back’ articles in PM about things that managers have accomplished that reflect our tradition of excellence, etc.
***Encouragement to ‘endow’ one year fellowships in a ‘give-back to the profession’ effort. This could be done by managers during their career, after their retirement, or in their will. For instance, I might endow a 1 year fellowship in City Management for a graduate of Indiana University—so we could get an ICMA and university linkage working together. It might not be a ‘full ride’, but even $10,000 to allow a student to work in a local government for a year would be pretty cool. (Seems that if we did this to protect the profession that we have shown the ability to deliver on ideas bigger than ourselves.)
Dave Childs and Jon Bormet, driven by a need to keep older members hanging around so they aren’t the oldest guy in the room, will lead this effort and report back to the Membership Team. But you need not have gray hair, remember the Kennedy administration, or know a time when horses could talk, to contribute. Leave those ideas right here!!!!
# posted by Jon : 9:30 PM
Comments:
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How about marketing overseas trips (like last year’s Eastern Europe or Ireland trips) to retired managers so that they can take trips in their areas of interest. (How about a Rathaus tour of Germany—how cool…) Retired managers have time AND money!!!
# posted by 
: 9:45 PM
: 9:45 PM
Ok, maybe this is morbid, but we should celebrate the lives/careers of our members when they die, just like alumni magazines do—a paragraph provided by the family or acquaintance in PM or maybe in the Newsletter, would be a nice touch to honor the service of a member—not just the employment listing from Who’s Who.
# posted by : 9:46 PM
: 9:46 PM
Maybe this is corny, but ICMA ought to have a social secretary—someone who could send letters of condolence and maybe birthday cards, to retired members, to make sure they know we remember. And while it would be a nice thing to do, it might also prove financially beneficial. In return for our efforts, I think retired members would be more inclined to stay involved, and even give some money every now and then
# posted by : 9:47 PM
: 9:47 PM
Antoher angle is to adopt an annuity concept. It gives retirees a monthly income, and the goes to the ICMA Fund when the estate is settled. If this concept has merit, ICMA may wish to engage a development expert who structures these kinds of things.
# posted by : 5:29 PM
: 5:29 PM
Some former managers become range riders and some start their own business so they can help cities recruit new managers when needed. Maybe retired members could be encouraged to help the local government they live in - either by being a consultant to newly hired managers or by being a "data base" where the manager could discuss concerns and asked for advice on how to handle issues that come up, especially in times where there is a need but appears to be no money to fund the need.
# posted by : 2:36 PM
: 2:36 PM
Titles are important to people in our profession. "Alumni" is a much stronger title than retired member or even life member, in my opinion. Whatever we do, we should set up the Alumni status as something that has "action" and participation built in. Senior Advisor is another way to engage older members...let's make sure that they support and build on one another rather than compete or confuse. And, let's make sure that we fund it porperly...the idea of "social secretary" is great...and that extra touch needed to help members feel value for their dues.
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# posted by : 4:37 PM
: 4:37 PM<< Home
