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Membership Is Their BusinessKathy Cotter and Luann Alm work closely with MHEDA members.Kathy Cotter, Membership ManagerA 20-year veteran of association management, Kathy Cotter got her start with the Illinois Optometric Association and other medicine-related associations. It was during a stint at Associated Equipment Distributors that she served on a committee with MHEDA Executive Vice President Liz Richards. The two stayed in touch after Cotter left AED, and she joined MHEDA seven years ago when the association had an opening in the membership department.
Cotter is technically a contract association employee and is in the MHEDA office only on Tuesdays. Still, she works closely with members. She is responsible for recruiting new members, serves as staff liaison to the Membership Committee and gathers Convention sponsorships. Among the creative ideas Cotter and her committee have developed over the years is the Dues Rebate program, whereby a member can get a dues discount by bringing in new members. Creative ideas like this are what make Cotter so happy with her MHEDA experience. “The biggest challenge we have is filtering through all the really good ideas and deciding where to spend our time and resources. We can't do everything, and we're in a fortunate position that we have more ideas than we have resources to implement.” Cotter says that working with members to develop and foster such creativity is the favorite part of her job. “When you work hard for a group that's so energetic and appreciative, it really makes the full experience so much more rewarding,” she says. She also enjoys the working environment fostered by her fellow MHEDA employees. “Everybody gets involved and operates as one big unit, and the team aspect appeals to me. Plus, this job allows me the flexibility that I appreciate.” Outside the office, Cotter enjoys spending time with her two children, 11-year-old Laura and nine-year-old John. “I'm a believer in balance. I work hard, and I also play hard,” Cotter says. She volunteers at her children's school, is part of her neighborhood book club and loves to garden. Luann Alm, Membership Service LiaisonLuann Alm refers to herself as a people person. That's what drew her to MHEDA three and a half years ago and it's still true today. “I like working with all kinds of people so I love that I get to talk to our members so
She gets to talk to members a lot, in her responsibilities following up leads on potential new members and collecting advertisements for the MHEDA Membership Directory. Alm gained experience in customer service before leaving the work force for eight years and working as a stay-at-home mom. Now she's back at work 18 to 20 hours a week, and you can find her in the MHEDA office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. She started at MHEDA with a long list of prospective new members and followed up with all of them about membership, many of whom eventually joined the association. Her duties also included getting all Convention signage made. It all keeps her busy during her three office days. “I make sure to keep lots of notes—I have little stickies all over the place!” She stays busy outside the office, too, tracking the sporting events of her three children. Matthew, 16, plays golf, and her 14-year-old twin girls, Carly and Kelly, run track and play softball. |
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