I would like to thank everyone who responded to the recent Professional Management survey. The responses were varied, but showed that most members of the committee feel that we should be working toward expanding paid positions. The major question is when is the right time.

Thirty-three of thirty-eight respondents indicated that USMS should be working toward expanding paid positions. Five indicated that USMS should not plan on expanding positions in the foreseeable future. Of the thirty-three people who feel that we should expand, nineteen feel that we should expand within the next two years. Twelve more feel that we should be expanding in five to six years. One showed ten years, and one showed twenty years.

I believe that these results show that the subject has extreme importance to members. Since the subject is important, I recommend that the committee propose a resolution to the USMS House of Delegates so that the entire house can determine the direction on professional management.

In early July, I contemplated sending a ballot via e-mail/US mail. However, responses would likely be returned after the deadline for committee reports in the convention packet. As a result I decided to include a proposal in the convention packet so that all delegates are aware of the subject. I have spent the past few weeks improving the initial draft of the proposal. We will address the proposal during the Professional Management Committee meeting at 4:30 on Wednesday, September 30. During the committee meeting we can decide whether or not to send the proposal to the house of delegates, with or without amendments.

The USMS House of Delegates authorizes the USMS Executive Committee to expand the current USMS national office by January 1, 2000.

The office shall be headed by an Executive Director who shall hire the necessary employees to complete the tasks assigned to the office.

The Executive Director shall be hired by and report to the Executive Committee and shall not be allowed to make USMS policy. The Executive Director, with concurrence of the Executive Committee, shall hire and oversee all employees and contractors. The Executive Director shall be in charge of the operation of the national office.

The initial annual budget for the combined office shall be no greater than $200,000.

The national office will perform the tasks currently performed by the National Executive Secretary, National Registrar, and Controller.

Additionally, the office will provide improved services to USMS members and LMSCs by:

• Soliciting and providing liaison support to national sponsors
• Providing assistance to national committees as requested by committee chair or Executive Committee
• Providing assistance to LMSCs as requested by LMSC chair or Executive Committee
• Performing tasks assigned by the USMS Executive Committee

I welcome the Professional Management committee to start debate on the issue prior to convention by responding to this e-mail. Please include all members of the committee while debating the issue. If you do not have e-mail, send me your comments and I'll send an e-mail for you. If you are unable to attend the committee meeting on September 30th, send me an e-mail (or regular mail) with your comments and I will try to make sure that your opinion is voiced.

The following is a first draft of a budget for the new office. Note that the resolution does not state where the office is located nor where the employees are located. The employees could be full time or part time. The Executive Committee could decide that the office will be located permanently in a particular city (and require relocation of Executive Director) or that the office moves anytime we hire a new Executive Director. It is possible that the Executive Director decides to create a remote "cyber-office" for doing certain tasks or decides to find "local talent". The office may be a home office or require rental space. As a result, the minimum and maximum amounts are considerably different.

Where will the money come from to fund the new expanded office? Last year's expenses for Executive Secretary, Registrar, data entry for controller, and office expenses totalled $83,500. Therefore, the increase in the budget due to the expanded office is between $22,500 and $96,500. It is anticipated that the Executive Director can offset a significant portion of the increased expenses by increasing marketing revenues. Last year's marketing related income totalled $35,000.

Historically, USMS has created a conservative annual budget which underestimates revenues and overestimates expenses. This is due to growth in membership as well as committees that do not use their entire budget. As a result we generally have an excess of revenues over expenditures. For 1994 - 1996 , these excesses totalled $21,000, $82,000, and $59,000 respectively. The 1997 final financial figures are not yet completed. We could use these excesses to help fund the national office and not increase registration fees.

Hugh Moore
Professional Management Committee Chairman

For your information, the following shows the average score for each of the tasks that were listed on the last survey. The original instructions for ratings were:

• 1 indicates tasks that you feel should be covered by a paid position immediately.
• 2 indicates tasks that we should plan on covering with a paid position in the next 2 to 5 years.
• 3 indicates tasks that we should plan on covering in 6 to 10 years.
• 4 indicates tasks that you don't think should be covered with a paid position in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the lower scores indicate tasks that should be considered for the initial office.

Potential Revenue Generating Tasks:
1.8 __ Soliciting potential national sponsors
1.9 __ Working with current national sponsors (i.e. make sure that they're happy and maintain sponsorship)
2.6 _ Soliciting and coordinating advertisements for national meets
2.4 _ National Membership coordination: answer published 800 number that can be called for information about USMS. The receptionist could take membership over the phone (paid by credit card) and send information and fees back to the appropriate LMSC.

Membership Services:
2.4___ Web site administration
2.8___ SWIM magazine Editor
3.4___ National Championship Coordination
2.8___ Coordinate sponsors at National Championships
3.5___ Coordinate Coach Development Programs
3.2___ Coordinate Club development programs
3.2___ Prepare press releases for upcoming meets (local, zone, and national)
2.9___ Prepare press releases during and immediately after national championship meets (for clubs and individuals)
2.7___ Coordinate, publish, and distribute a national list of "places to swim"
2.8___ Coordinate, publish, and distribute national calendars of events for pools and open water
3.0___ Edit, publish, and distribute Coaches Manuals
3.3___ Top Ten Compilation
2.9___ Top Ten Publication & Distribution

Administrative
1.3___ National Registrar
3.5___ Rule Book Editing
3.0___ Rule Book Publication
2.7___ Controller
2.1___ Director (oversee day-to-operations of all paid staff)
1.4___ National Executive Secretary
3.0___ Coordinate LMSC activities (provide resources to help improve LMSC)
2.6___ Assist LMSCs as requested
2.9___ Coordinate Insurance Policies
2.7___ Audit national financial books
3.7___ Audit LMSC financial books
3.6___ Review all LMSC by-laws & policies and suggest changes for efficiency and consistency
3.0___ Update the LMSC handbook annually
2.6___ Publish and disseminate the LMSC handbook annually
2.8___ Coordinate convention activities
2.7___ Assist all committees in communications with members
2.7___ Assist all national committees with publishing and distributing newsletters and other correspondence
2.7___ Liaison activities with similar organizations (e.g. USS, YMCA, FINA, USAS)
3.5___ Oversee National Committees
3.8___ Make USMS Policy
3.6___ Assume responsibilities that are now the function of the Executive Committee