Do you want to get more involved in this year’s retreat? We need you! Your unique experiences and insight as an AIGA chapter board member can help and inspire your fellow leaders from around the country.

Breakout sessions
Volunteers are still needed to help moderate the following breakout sessions:

Business outreach
Finance
How to start/revitalize a chapter
Membership: recruitment
Membership: retention
PR: How to communicate and promote to your members
Retreat planning

Success stories
Learning about successful events and initiatives provide other chapters and communities with the inspiration and guidance to develop solid and actionable plans to achieve their goals. Can you share a success story at the retreat? We will be in touch with chapters who have the most intriguing successes as potential presenters in Omaha! Confirmed presentations and models for success you will hear include:

AIGA China’s cultural involvement
AIGA China’s Advisory Board, comprised of 18 of the country’s top design education leaders, has really worked at listening and understanding how culture and the environment can contribute to certain decisions and results for AIGA China.

AIGA DC’s scholarship fund gala
AIGA DC raised more than $20,000 for a scholarship fund and a future endowment through collaboration with the Art Institute of Washington and students from the culinary school.

AIGA Minnesota’s financial investment plan
AIGA Minnesota has been financially successful by investing money in conservative yet higher returning investments. This financial planning helps maintain the sustainability of a chapter.

AIGA Raleigh’s first poster competition
re|THINK Our environment in the Carolinas is AIGA Raleigh’s first-ever poster competition and traveling show. 120 designs were entered and 20 were selected.

If you would like to moderate a breakout session or present a success story, email Michelle Stanek by Wednesday, April 9.

Reminders
The retreat is just 63 days away! If you haven’t already done so, your chapter should decide which board members to send to this year’s leadership retreat.

Each chapter is required by the affiliation agreement to send at least one board member to the retreat.

Attendee limits. Due to accommodation restrictions of the hotel, we will try to hold attendance to about 220 people. This year, the 10 largest chapters (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, DC, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle) may send up to six (6) attendees and every other chapter may send up to three (3) attendees.

If you know your chapter will not send the total number of board members allotted, please let Katie English know; we’ll then know if there are slots available to chapters seeking to bring one additional board member.

Hotel deadline. Reserve your room now, as the hotel will sell out prior to the May 8 reservations deadline! As a guest of the Embassy Suites Omaha you receive:

• Complimentary shuttle service between the Omaha Eppley Airport and the hotel
• Complimentary full, hot breakfast each morning
• Complimentary manager’s cocktail reception each evening
• High speed internet access throughout the hotel

For more details and to register, visit the leadership retreat section of the workroom wiki.

See you in Omaha!

Presenting Sponsor: Adobe