If we were going to continue growing our offerings, programming and membership, we would have to increase our dues. 

 Dear Anne Arundel Tech Council Members:

Earlier this year, the Board of Directors sat down for an intensive look at our strategic vision in coming years. We examined how far the Anne Arundel Tech Council has come in such a short amount of time and where we wanted to see the organization go leading in to the future.

Early on we came to a hard and fast realization: if we were going to continue growing our offerings, programming and membership, we would have to increase our dues. It was not an easy decision, and came only with much debate and discussion.

Beginning Nov. 1, membership dues will increase as follows:

Entrepreneur Rate (purely for sole owners) $150
2 – 10 employees $250
11 – 25 employees $550
26 – 99 employees $750
100 – 400 employees $1250
400 + employees $2000

For renewing members, we are offering a 10% discount if you renew membership in the AATC for the next two years. So the cost for a company with 9 employees to renew for two years is $450, and you won’t see a bill again until 2009!

You can renew, online, now by going to our membership renewal form. Click here to see the new rates structure, including the two-year renewal term.

Even with this rate increase, our dues still remain well below the threshold of other similar-sized associations in the region. These rate increases are nominal, and the value you’ll receive over the next year will increase well over the rate change.

The last time we raised dues, in 2004, we had just over 40 members. Today, we have 227 members, a staggering 467% increase in members in just a few years. That kind of growth comes with increased costs as we’ve ramped up our offerings. Think about just how far the AATC has come in just three years:

• We’ve increased the quality and number of events, going from pure networking events to high-quality, high-impact panels, symposiums and dinners that truly bring insights and connections to our members;

• We’ve launched regular alerts and news for our members, so they can get leads on business opportunities, potential employees and press opportunities and stay connected with the latest tech-specific news in the area;

• We work one-on-one to match members to the people they need to know;

• We offer an info-packed website that offers various links and resources and access to member news;

• We’ve launched the back-end, members-only portal, full of documents, discussion boards and the ability to keyword search for other members;

• And a host of other programs and offerings.

And we’re just getting started. In the coming year you will see our reach and vision expand greatly. We are already in the planning stages for the launch of several new programs designed to help companies grow, help solve the growing tech workforce shortage and provide new business opportunities.

This membership due increase will help us fund an additional hire that will undoubtedly benefit all members: a membership director. The membership director will be working proactively and interactively with members to provide enhanced services, from events and programming that directly meets your needs to one-on-one matching and referrals

Renewing at the new dues rate is an investment in the future of the Anne Arundel Tech Council – and we can tell you, big things are coming.

In fact, you’ll get a taste of the changes on the horizon at the TechAwards 07 celebration on Nov. 6 when we will unveil a new logo – a new brand for a new chapter in the history of the tech council, one designed to take your company to new levels.

Please feel free to contact me with further questions.

Sincerely,


Mark Powell

President, Anne Arundel Tech Council
CEO, Sidus Group