IABC Orange County: A value proposition for prospects and members?

Ad hoc committee heads efforts to regain relevance in 2018 and beyond

This week I had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Anthony D’Angelo, chair of the Public Relations Society of America and a professor of public relations practice at Syracuse University.

D’Angelo sounded the warning that in a very short time 70 percent of the American workforce will be made up of millennials. Millennials – who treasure data-driven, socially responsible actions by prospective employers and spend little time traditionally networking – are a new breed.

Seasoned pros like me and many of our IABC Orange County board members are sitting up and taking notice of these new professionals in communications fields. As D’Angelo says, millennials and Gen Zers consider activities such as our organization’s backbone, the monthly Knowledge & Networking lunch, out-of-touch or unengaging.

So, how does IABC remain relevant in this new communications environment? That is the question we are wrestling with, and we would like your help to solve it.

Judy Iannaccone, VP for Membership, is heading up a new effort to listen to what prospective and current members of IABC want in terms of programming, networking, and education in the coming years. Judy has formed an ad hoc committee to study this issue, and we would love your input, as well.

We want to mold IABC Orange County into a responsive organization that provides critical know-how when members need it most. With that in mind, we’re asking these kinds of questions:

• Are lunch programs viable ways to reach our members with cutting-edge insights?
• What kinds of presenters, speakers and panels can generate attendance at IABC events?
• Do younger potential members and members prefer drop-in events with casual speakers?
• Are there ways the Orange County chapter can provide education and insights online rather than in person?
• What are some of the burning questions that young people in communications are asking? How can we provide answers?

If you have thoughts about these and other topics that relate to IABC’s ongoing relevance in our ever-changing and developing communications fields, please let us know. You can seek any board member out at our events, volunteer to assist with the ad hoc committee, or email Judy at j_iannaccone@hotmail.com, or me at cdouglas@cathidouglas.com. We welcome your opinions – they are critical to growing IABC Orange County into the kind of organization you want and need to belong to in 2018 and beyond.

Cathi Douglas
IABC/OC president, 2018