The IAAP Two Rivers Chapter Blog!

APW 2009 looks to be fantastic!!!

2009-04-20T08:10:00.001-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter has an amazing 5th Annual Administrative Professionals Week event. Thanks to the generosity of the Holiday Inn Select, Maggiano's Little Italy and the Naperville Convention and Visitor's Bureau, we are once again able to offer this event free for all attendees. This stellar evening will include dinner, a vendor expo, motivation speaker Greg Risberg CSP, MSW, entertainment provided by Celebration Authority, and an informational overview of IAAP.

December 8, 2008 Meeting

2008-11-18T15:12:00.003-06:00

What a great meeting we have planned in December. Dr. Timothy J. Hayes, Psy,D. will present on "Your Key to A Better Life: Your Mind-Body Connection".

In addition, we are asking that all attendees bring something to contribute to our auction (could be a white elephant, bake sale item, etc.). The proceeds of our auction will go to charity.

End the year on a high note with education, networking and fellowship at the Two Rivers Chapter!

PowerPoint 2007 Study Group Planned

2008-11-13T10:56:00.000-06:00

The Excel 2007 Study Group has been a phenomenal addition to the Two Rivers Chapter’s lineup of special offerings this year.

Mark your calendar for mid January, when we will be starting up a PowerPoint 2007 Study Group which will last five weeks. Price will be $5 (total) for members and $10 for non-members. It will be held at the Edward Hospital Education Center again.

Sept. 9, 2008 (2nd TUESDAY!) - Next Meeting

2008-08-21T11:50:00.002-05:00

The first meeting of the 2008-2009 program year will be held on September 9, 2008 at BP Cantera III (NOTE: New night AND New location!). Our speaker will be Sue Fignar of Pur*Sue Inc. who will present on the topic of Making a Powerful First Impression. This program has been approved for one CAP/CPS recertification point. Our catering will be provided by BP's Wild Bean Cafe. Our Vendor of the Month will be Morton's Steakhouse, who will also be providing a great door prize for us that evening. You'll also receive news about a very special networking event we'll be holding in late September.

Come and learn about the many new initiatives IAAP and the Two Rivers Chapter are launching this year, including a book club, the Member of Excellence Program, and our new study groups to prepare for Microsoft Office Certification.

In addition, we will summarize our Job Search Bootcamp for those that weren't able to attend, and update you on our preparations for the Illinois Division Professional Enrichment Program on October 4, 2008.

This is going to be a really exciting year!

Job Search Bootcamp Flyer

2008-08-11T14:53:00.002-05:00

The flyer is now available for the http://www.iaap-tworivers.org/flyers/2008JobSearchBootcamp.pdf for the Two Rivers Chapter's Job Search Bootcamp. You won't want to miss this fabulous 1/2 day workshop with these great programs:

- Preparing for an electronic job search
- Handling tough interview questions
- Four steps to move your career forward

This is a great opportunity to brush up your job searching skills. In today's economy, there is no such thing as a "safe" job and you should be regularly updating your resume and keeping your career development skills up to date.

Word 2007 Study Group

2008-08-07T15:01:00.003-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is embarking on new territory! We will be hosting a Word 2007 study group beginning August 20, 2008 and going through September 10, 2008. The study group will meet on Wednesday nights from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at Edward Hospital. Cost will be $5 for Two Rivers Chapter members and $10 for guests. Attendance is required at all four sessions. We have submitted this program for 8 CAP/CPS recertification points (tentative - not yet approved).

Attendees are required to purchase the Microsoft Press Word 2007 Step by Step book and also a voucher to take the exam.

Please note that we will not be discussing prior versions of Microsoft Word. Join us and learn about Word 2007 and prepare to sit for the certification exam.

View the flyer here:
http://www.iaap-tworivers.org/flyers/Word2007StudyGroup.pdf

Final Regular Convention Day...

2008-07-30T18:05:00.002-05:00

No business sessions today.... Just educational workshops and the Banquet. During the banquet various awards are given out and the incoming president normally gives a speech. Apparently our incoming president won't be able to be present and has taped a message. Very odd beginning...

Tomorrow is the post convention leadership workshop where we will receive information for the coming year. We are certainly anxious to see what they have come up with.

Wow! What a Day!

2008-07-29T23:03:00.002-05:00

Well the day started bright and early (or rather dark and early - at 4:00 a.m. the sun has not yet risen!). Why was the chapter delegate up so early??? Well, it is Convention, after all! We were hosting the interchapter brainstorming breakfast this morning and it was a sold out affair with standing room only - 80 individuals came to share their ideas and best practices as we reviewed the upcoming Pathways to Excellence program. What a great time was had by all. I have promised though to investigate the possibility of holding this session on Saturday afternoon next year. We'll see though - have to review all the conflicts that exist.

Next it was on to the business session and what a business session it was. The officers were announced from yesterday's elections:

President: Barb Horton CAP
President-Elect: Susan Shamali CPS/CAP
Vice President: Mary Ramsey-Drow CAP
Secretary: Janine Reimersma CPS/CAP
Treasurer: Karlena Rannals CPS/CAP
Northeast District Director: Judith Yannarelli CPS/CAP
Northwest District Director: Valerie S. King CPS/CAP
Southwest District Director: Antoinette Smith CPS/CAP

Affiliate Representative: Jennifer Sandra Hinkson CMP

RTF Trustees: Kelly Reggio CAP & Patricia Row CPS/CAP

Then it was on to the new motions that were proposed. The International Board came out to oppose both of these motions. However, the members were adamant and both proposals ended up passing. This chapter delegate was privileged to speak in support of the second motion.

After this, the chapter delegate met with a Canadian member to discuss the specific challenges of large chapters and new chapter building.

During the afternoon, great educational workshops were attended.

The Illinois Division had its Division outing to a bowling alley and had a great time bowling and listening to great music and chowing down on appetizers.

Andy Child (remember him from the Nashville Convention?) was tonight's entertainment and did a fabulous job.

The new convention location for 2014 was announced - Milwaukee, WI - wow that is a surprise! Great news for the Two Rivers Chapter, as we are within two hours of Milwaukee.

Bylaws Are Done! Whew!

2008-07-28T22:51:00.002-05:00

Well it was quite the challenging business session, but we finally made it through, thank goodness. For those of you wondering, the results were:

Amendment 1 (allowing board to do business by email): PASS
Amendment 2 (allowing Board to set rules for campaigning): FAIL
Amendment 3 (sanctions for violating rules): PASS (after amending to strike the phrase "to a lifetime ban from seeking office in all future elections).
Amendment 4 (stating that Nominations Committee enforces rules): PASS
Standing Rule Amendment 1 (to remove current campaigning rules): FAIL (as a result of amendment 2 failing)
Standing Rule Amendment 2 (allowing 30 day overlap of terms): PASS

The voting had a second ballot (but you'll have to find out from someone else who the two candidates were). Official results come out tomorrow as to who won the elections.

Two motions were submitted for consideration:

1) A motion requesting that guidelines be created to define "misconduct"

2) A motion requesting that online chapter registration be provided to all chapters.

These two motions will be voted on tomorrow.

Our keynoter was fabulous. Unfortunately the pictures I took of him were lousy... :)

Off to bed now... Have to be up in about five hours to host interchapter brainstorming breakfast!

Convention Officially Starts...

2008-07-28T00:23:00.006-05:00

The Convention started officially today with our very impressive business session. The stage is quite large and dramatic, featuring the various road signs of the IAAP 2008-2009 Forward Moving Year. We always kick it off with the Parade of Nations flag processional, which is quite inspiring, as flags representing all the nations represented at convention are brought across the stage. It reminds us all that we are truly an International organization.

The attendee numbers were higher than HQ had expected. Over 1900 attendees had already been checked in. Here's a small glimpse of the general business session, but it doesn't fully capture just how large this room actually is or how many people are actually crammed into that room!

Various amounts of exciting business today - a move to restore good of the order was defeated. SEVEN (7!) candidates were nominated from the floor (for a total of 27 candidates for all the offices). As you can imagine, the candidate speeches took a fair amount of time. Something new added this year was a time slot for the delegates and alternates to meet the candidates. Definitely an improvement over last year.

Also held during the afternoon was the Office Expo, an excellent opportunity to interact with many IAAP sponsors and vendors (and get plenty of goodies!).

The evening brought the Evening of Welcome - a party New Orleans style. This friendly face greeted us and got us in the mood to celebrate the night and meet and greet old friends and new faces.

Some of the attendees fully embraced their mission!

Arrival in New Orleans for Intl Convention

2008-07-26T21:35:00.007-05:00

Well the excitement is thick in the air (along with the humidity). The Two Rivers Chapter delegate has arrived in New Orleans for the 2008 International Convention and Education Forum. Today was filled with educational workshops (the phenomenal Gini Courter who has conducted a seminar for the Two Rivers Chapter previously) and the International Headquarters Bulletin Board Users Networking event this evening.

The beautiful fountain outside our hotel:

One of the tour boats at the port right next to our hotel.

The Bulletin Board users networking event:

Job Search Bootcamp - September 6, 2008

2008-07-24T21:40:00.003-05:00

Mark your calendar for September 6, 2008 when the Two Rivers Chapter presents a very special Job Search Bootcamp. You'll hear speakers on the topics of Conducting an Electronic Job Search, Handling Tough Interview Questions, and Career Challenge: 4 Steps to Move Your Career Forward. So many companies in our area are cutting back, laying off, closing locations. No job is completely safe. Be sure to keep your job searching skills current, even if you aren't currently looking. It never hurts to be prepared!

Sign Up Soon for our May 17, 2008 Computer class

2008-04-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is very pleased to be able to offer free hands-on computer classes to our members. Non members may attend for a small fee. Our next computer class will be held on May 17, 2008 at Edward Hospital and will focus on Sharing Data Between Office Programs. We'll cover some of the various ways you can share your information across programs - from mail merges to charts to copying and pasting shortcuts and linking data. Discover the myriad ways you can share data more efficiently.

Sign up soon. There is limited seating and spaces are going quickly!

Speaker Change for May 12, 2008 Meeting

2008-04-23T08:57:00.001-05:00

Due to a scheduling conflict for our planned speaker in May, we have rescheduled our weather-canceled February program instead. Paula Kosin of Career Vision will be speaking on Square Peg in a Round Hole, which will focus on helping you identify your best niche. You won't want to miss this educational meeting and we really need our members to come out in force because we will also be electing our chapter officers for the 2008-2009 program year. Please join us! Visit our website (iaap-tworivers.org to learn more).

What a FABULOUS Event!

2008-04-23T08:53:00.003-05:00

We truly believe this has been our best Administrative Professionals Week event ever! Almost 250 attendees had the opportunity to visit our vendor expo (sold out with 49 booths), sample the delicious dinner provided by On The Border Catering, listen to the awesome Ac Rock acapella band, learn more about the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) and the Two Rivers Chapter, and discover Networking Skills for Administrative Professionals, which was lead by Lillian Bjorseth of Duoforce Enterprises, Inc.

What an absolutely wonderful evening we had!!! Of course, no matter how fabulous it was, that doesn't mean we aren't already thinking about how we can make next year even better!

Welcome to the 12 new members that joined our chapter at this stellar event.

RSVP date extended through Tue. 4/15/08

2008-04-14T05:21:00.002-05:00

Well if you haven't gotten around to RSVP'ing for our April 21 extravaganza, we've granted you a small extension. You have until tomorrow - Tuesday, April 15, 2008, to sign up for this amazing event and join over 200 of your peers in celebrating Administrative Professionals Week by Discovering the Possibilities of IAAP.

Our vendor expo is sold out with 49 vendors standing by to show their products and services.

If you'd like to help, Two Rivers Chapter members are asked to come out for our folder and goodie bag stuffing party on Wednesday night, April 16 at the Holiday Inn Select. The chapter will be providing pizza and salad.

We'll see you there!

Update on Fabulous APW Event - April 21, 2008

2008-03-24T14:51:00.003-05:00

Well how many different ways can we say Wow! Fabulous! Phenomenal! Awesome! ?

We'll keep trying to come up with new ways, but we are sure you will agree with us when you see all that we have to offer you at our free Administrative Professional's Week event on April 21, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Select in Naperville, IL, possible through the gracious donations and financial sponsorship of the Holiday Inn Select, the Naperville Convention & Visitor's Bureau, and On the Border Catering.

Not only do we have the previously described fantastic dinner donated by On The Border Catering, the ribbon cutting ceremony presided over by Naperville Mayor George Pradel, the wonderful vendor expo (more than 40 vendors signed up already - we are almost sold out!), the excellent Lillian Bjorseth of Duoforce Enterprises, Inc. speaking on Networking Skills for Administrative Professionals, AND our fabulous wonderful terrific door prizes galore (from gift certificates (Best Buy, Macys, etc.) to vouchers for training classes to overnight getaways) but...

We have also added some extra special "Two Rivers" touches this year:

How about the ability to get a professional headshot taken by a professional photographer? (optional - cost is $20, appointments required in advance - and they are going fast!)

How about a relaxing chair massage from the great folks at Soma Massage in Plainfield?

How about a mini computer training session offered by Directions Training?

How about some entertainment in the form of a brief acapella concert by AC Rock, a local band?

If you haven't already signed up to attend, you'd better do so asap. Advance registration is required. Seating is limited and almost half the attendee spots have been filled already. This event has "sold out" every year that we have offered it, and this year looks like no exception.

Get more details here:
http://www.iaap-tworivers.org/2008APW.shtml

Let the Countdown Begin!!!

2008-03-11T13:20:00.002-05:00

The registration period is now OFFICIALLY open!!! Two Rivers Chapter members - you can now register to attend the Administrative Professionals Week Event. You only have priority registration this week. Come Friday, registration opens to guests and members from other chapters. Seating is limited and the Two Rivers Chapter reserves the right to accept or reject registrations from outside the chapter.

You won't want to miss this amazing event!!!

We'll have over 40 vendors in our Vendor Expo, with Mayor George Pradel conducting a formal ribbon cutting ceremony to kick it off. Then dinner will be provided by the amazing On The Border Catering. Finally, Lillian Bjorseth will be presenting a program on "Networking Skills for Administrative Professionals".

With hundreds of door prizes and goodies galore, you will definitely want to make plans to attend this stellar event.

And the best part??? We were once again able to keep the entire event free for all attendees this year.

So join us and celebrate the honor of being Administrative Professionals!!!

TRC Members - Bring Your Passports to our March Meeting

2008-03-03T10:28:00.001-06:00

TRC Members - don't forget to bring your passports to the March meeting. If you have it with you, we'll allow you to sign up in advance for our fabulous 4th Annual April Administrative Professionals event on April 21, 2008. You won't want to miss this very special opportunity to beat the rush.

Networking Event - March 27, 2008 - Wine and Cheese Tasting

2008-02-13T09:12:00.001-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is proud to announce our very special networking event planned for March 27, 2008. We'll be hosting a wine and cheese tasting at Tasting DeVine in downtown Naperville, IL. There is a small cost involved in this event and guests are allowed to attend as well. Join us for this great chance to mingle with your fellow members in a casual setting.

Next Meeting - March 10, 2008 - Phone and Email Etiquette

2008-02-13T08:47:00.001-06:00

We have a terrific program planned for you for our March 10, 2008 meeting. Marcia Tillet-Zinzow from Upwrite Press will be presenting a program on Phone and Email Etiquette. You may be surprised at what you learn in this special presentation.

Be sure to join us!!!

Round Peg In a Square Hole - Feb. 11, 2008 meeting

2008-02-04T14:57:00.000-06:00

Our February meeting features Paula Kosin of Career Vision on the topic of Round Peg in a Square Hole. This program will focus on how to find your unique niche within the administrative profession and how to best utilize your assets and strengths. Join us for this fun and informative evening.

Feb. 9, 2008 Winter Seminar - Discover Confidence!

2008-02-04T14:55:00.001-06:00

What a fabulous lineup we have for our Winter Seminar being held February 9, 2008.

Discover Confidence!

Beating Your Inner Critic Into Submission (overcoming negative thinking)—Felicia Slattery

Presenting Yourself with Confidence (Public Speaking Skills)—Dick Poirier DTM

Getting Others to Recognize Your Value (Becoming assertive without being aggressive, getting your boss and others to recognize the unique skills you offer)—Dr. Laura L. Bokar Ed.D., LMFT,
LCPC, ACS

This fabulous half day long workshop will award 3 recertification points to attendees. You won't want to miss this very special FREE event! Register now, before it's too late!

New Year Starts Off With a Bang

2008-01-11T13:06:00.000-06:00

We have a phenomenal presentation lined up for attendees on Monday night with our speaker, Christina Klein CPA discussing "Finance for Non Financial People". This is a tremendous opportunity to learn about a topic many of us are mystified by. What do all those reports and financial statements mean anyway? What do they say about the company that I work for? What do they tell me about a company I am considering going to work for? Learn this and more on Monday night at our first meeting of 2008.

Fabulous Holiday Meeting

2007-12-12T06:50:00.001-06:00

Great food, fun games, community service, fellowship, education - our December meeting had everything you could ask for. We raised $100 for Toys for Tots with our silent auction. In addition, we brought in a number of new toys and several members made individual direct contributions to the organization.

There was great fellowship and conversation throughout dinner, and a chance to sharpen your wits with a trivia game composed of questions that could be answered from our chapter website.

Although we had a last minute speaker cancellation, all was not lost as member Marie Herman stepped up to offer an impromptu computer class.

Everyone had a great time and we look forward to seeing you next year!!! Have a Happy and Safe Holiday Season!!!

December 10 Meeting - Very Special Event

2007-12-07T05:47:00.001-06:00

We'll have two very special guests at our December 10 meeting. Lance Corporal Pope and Lance Corporal Pugal-Vidal of the United States Marines will be on hand to accept donations of toys for the Toys for Tots campaign. In addition, all attendees are requested to bring either toys or a donation for our silent auction, the proceeds of which will be donated to the Toys for Toys campaign. It's going to be a very special evening.

We are having Ingrid Markwork of Workplace Solutions - Employee Assistance Programs speak to us about Managing Emotions in the Workplace. This time of year seems to heighten everyone's emotions, both the good positive spirits as well as the sadness, depression and loneliness. Ingrid will provide us with some tools to help us manage the emotions we face in the workplace (and control our own!).

In addition, we'll have our usual fellowship and networking with our chapter members and naturally, we'll be offering a few door prizes. Don't forget to bring your Passports with you!

Fall Professional Development Seminar Lineup - 11/9/2007

2007-10-17T06:55:00.000-05:00

2007 Fall Seminar

Date: November 9, 2007
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $115 for IAAP Members; $140 for non-members

Location:
Eaglewood Resort and Spa
1401 Nordic Road
Itasca, IL 60143

Please join the Two Rivers Chapter as we host our 3rd annual Fall Professional Development Seminar.

The Agenda:

Understanding and Leading Others through Change - Bill Forssander of CODA Consulting Group, Ltd.

Finding a Success that Matters! - Thomas Perrucci, of Designer Baskets, Ltd.

Office Politics: Who Elected You To Deal With It? - Trisha Svehla, President, Managing the Mosaic

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About HR Issues But Were Afraid To Ask - Leslie Day, SPHR, Director of Client Services, Precision Human Resources LLC

Togas, Tights & Ties – 2,500 Years of Business Advice in 60 Minutes - Wayne Turmel, Achis Marketing

Join us for this FANTASTIC event which will be packed full with engaging learning opportunities. This program is being submitted for .5 CEUs and 5 CAP/CPS points.

Announcing the Passport to Discovery Program

2007-10-09T06:22:00.000-05:00

Attendees at last night's meeting (with a fabulous presentation by Stephanie Danner of OfficeTeam on Ten Tips For Communicating With Your Boss) received a very special item last night - their Passport to Discovery! This passport will be stamped at all future events - networking events, computer classes, regular meetings, etc. and will document your involvement with the chapter. The top three stamp holders will receive prizes at our June meeting and we'll also have a wild card drawing for a fourth prize drawn from all eligible entries.

If you weren't able to make it to the meeting, you'll want to be sure to pick your passport up at the first available opportunity or contact Lisa Olson, chapter president, to arrange to receive yours!

Great door prizes were given out last night including a gift certificate for a $50 dinner and a gift certificate for a two night stay at Country Inn and Suites, which was our featured vendor of the month. Also given out were professional development books and audio tapes, as well as two $5 gift cards for Starbucks.

You never know what fabulous opportunities await you at a Two Rivers Chapter meeting!

Fall Professional Development Seminar!

2007-09-18T14:16:00.000-05:00

More details will be coming out shortly, but we wanted to get the date on your calendars. Our 2007 Fall Professional Development Seminar will be held on November 9, 2007 at Eaglewood Resort and Spa in Itasca. Please plan to attend this fabulous event, which will include a one day educational seminar and (optional for those that wish to participate) an overnight hotel stay and spa getaway. MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

Next Regular Meeting - October 8, 2007

2007-09-13T11:30:00.000-05:00

On October 8, 2007, we'll be having our next regular meeting of the Two Rivers Chapter. Our program will be Ten Tips For Communicating With Your Boss and will be presented by Stephanie Danner of OfficeTeam. Members are encouraged to invite their executive to attend this meeting and the chapter will provide dinner to the bosses at no charge.

New Treasurer - Catherine Korth

2007-09-13T11:28:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to our new Treasurer for the 2007-2008 year, Catherine Korth. It was a hotly contested election with three candidates stepping forward. We are so excited to receive this wonderful response from our members and we hope that the two members that were not elected will step up to fill other roles within our chapter. We welcome their involvement.

Another Example of What a Great Chapter We Are

2007-09-06T09:19:00.000-05:00

Recently our treasurer announced that due to logistics (she was driving an hour to get to our chapter), she was going to have to resign, as she was planning to transfer to a newly forming chapter that was much closer to her workplace/home. Naturally that made us a little nervous, but we are thrilled that after announcing this change to our members, they have stepped forward to take on the role. Looks like we will have our chapter's first contested election for this position at our September meeting.

We have also had members respond to our requests for volunteers to take over web site maintenance, develop a newsletter and more!

In yet another example, we recently learned that we would be unable to meet where we thought we were going to be meeting. Members stepped up and found us alternative meeting locations to save the day.

What a great chapter we have and we are so proud of our members!!!

First Program of the Year - Sept 10!

2007-08-31T05:49:00.000-05:00

You won't want to miss our first meeting of the new year, when we have Robin Sutton of DCG Training in Naperville provide us with an overview of the brand new Microsoft Office 2007. This software upgrade has completely revamped the Microsoft Office Suite and you need to know what is new about it! Keep up on the latest technology and have fun catching up with your fellow Two Rivers Chaptermates. This program is being submitted for a CAP recertification point.

Please note the NEW LOCATION!!! We are meeting at the Naperville City Hall, 400 S. Eagle Street (by corner of Aurora Avenue, along the Riverwalk and across the street from the Naperville Settlement). Due to unforeseen circumstances, we needed to change our meeting location.

We have LOTS of exciting new things planned for you this year. You won't want to miss it as we implement our 2007 Theme -The Renaissance Admin: The Age of Discovery!!!

Sept 29 - Computer Class - Making Web Pages

2007-08-31T05:47:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter will be offering a special extra long computer class on Saturday morning, Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to noon at Edward Hospital. Here's your opportunity to learn how to create web pages using HTML. The class is free for members. There is a cost for non-TRC members and guests to attend.

We are excited to be offering these exclusive training opportunities to help our members keep their skills cutting edge.

Successful Ice Cream Social

2007-08-31T05:46:00.000-05:00

What a fitting end to summer - the Two Rivers Chapter's ice cream social, which was held at Edward Hospital last night. Lisa Olson, our Chapter President did a phenomenal job organizing the event, which was provided free of charge to chapter members. It was a great opportunity to get to know your fellow chapter members in a more intimate social setting.

Two Rivers Chapter is proud to sponsor these members only networking events as a benefit of membership.

Phenomenal International Convention

2007-08-21T06:00:00.001-05:00

What a phenomenal international convention in Tampa, FL!!! The Two Rivers Chapter had four members attend this networking and education extravaganza. We were able to host an interchapter brainstorming breakfast attended by almost 100 attendees. We also received our third Avery Dennison Great Results Chapter and Division Achievement Award (honorable mention with a prize of $500) and we were so thrilled to be able to cross the stage to receive it. Our chapter president (who unfortunately was unable to attend) was also awarded the Chapter Distinguished Chapter President award. The Office Expo was terrific with tons of great samples and plenty of marketing literature (you can expect to see some of the samples awarded as door prizes during the coming year at our meetings).

We strongly encourage all members to save their pennies in order to be able to attend!

We're getting ready to go!!!

2007-08-21T05:50:00.000-05:00

The 2007-2008 year has arrived and the program committee has been hard at work over the summer break organizing speakers for the coming year. We'll be posting our full lineup in a few weeks, so be on the alert!

This is going to be a very exciting year for the Two Rivers Chapter. We will once again be offering our full day professional development seminar this fall.

We recently held our chapter strategic planning workshop and we'll be trying out all sorts of new ideas to increase our member involvement. Something new we are planning - a chapter newsletter! Stay tuned - the first issue will be distributed shortly after our first meeting in September.

Speaking of September meetings, be sure to mark your calendar for Sept. 10 when our first meeting of the new program year will be held. Connie Sutton of DGC Training will be giving us an overview of Office 2007 - you won't want to miss your chance to preview this great software!

Our (free for members) computer classes will be starting up again shortly as well. Our next computer class will be on making web pages. Here's your chance to learn this useful skill!

Final Days - APW event on the horizon

2007-04-18T06:16:00.001-05:00

We are down to the final days before our amazing APW event. Every year we wonder how on earth we can possibly top what we have done in future years. It seems impossible, and yet, this year we have done it once again.

We have almost 50 vendors lined up for our vendor expo (almost double the size of last years).

We have gotten a larger venue that allows more attendees. In prior years we maxed out with 100 and a waiting list. This year we will have 170 attendees (and likely a waiting list).

We have received committments for some absolutely amazing door prizes, from our Grand Prize from Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa in Galena for a two night stay with 2 breakfasts, dinner, and spa services to a fabulous getaway at the Herrington Inn and Spa to tickets to Great America, the Cubs, Kane County Cougars to Mario Tricoci Gift Certificates, we've got it covered.

Today is the last day to sign up for our event (and we may need to close the RSVPs early as we are just about maxed out). Be sure to contact us if you are interested in attending.

We are also planning some special announcements at this meeting, so you WON'T want to miss it!

Wow! Where has the time gone???

2007-04-05T11:17:00.000-05:00

What an amazing couple of months it has been! The Two Rivers Chapter is teetering on the brink of 150 members!!! We stood at 148 as of March 31, 2007. Unbelievable for being only 3 years old.

We have been working feverishly to prepare for our Administrative Professionals Week event being held on April 24, 2007 from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. We have got even MORE vendors than last year, plus a larger room that allows us to bring in more attendees. We are so excited to be able to offer this wonderful event to our members and guests. Over 100 attendees have ALREADY signed up, so be sure to send in your RSVP very soon, as space is limited and you don't want to miss out!

We recently held our March 31 Image Enhancement Workshop and it was phenomenal! Great speakers, fun topics, our professional photographer - who could ask for a better way to spend a Saturday morning?

February Updates

2007-02-09T05:15:00.000-06:00

We've been very busy at the Two Rivers Chapter planning a number of great events, which we will post more on shortly. Mark your calendar though!

February 12, 2007 - Our next chapter meeting featuring Christina Klein CAP speaking on Finance for Non-Financial People. Join us for this educational and fun evening! We'll be giving away a copy of Microsoft Office this evening.

March 12, 2007 - Chapter meeting featuring Marie Herman CAP, CIWD, ATM-B giving you great tips and insight on Negotiating Your Career. Whether preparing for job offers or your next performance review, learn the fine art of negotiation to enhance your career options.

March 31, 2007 - Image Enhancement Workshop - 3 great speakers on different aspects of the topic of Projecting a Professional Image, a small vendor expo with image enhancement vendors, and a photographer on hand to take professional headshots. What a great way to spend a Saturday morning!

April 24, 2007 - the countdown is on... You KNOW you want to be there. Our annual Administrative Professional's Week event will be bigger and better than previous years. We have a fantastic evening planned for you with executive recruiter Andrew Traficanti speaking on What Executives Seek in the Executive Assistants, a vendor expo with MORE vendors than previous years, MORE door prizes, and dinner once again being provided free compliments of BP's Wild Bean Cafe. Get your reservation in early! Although we have a larger meeting venue lined up than last year, there is still a space limitation!

The Two Rivers Chapter actively seeks new opportunities and benefits for our members. Why not visit our next meeting and get to know us?

December 11, 2006 Meeting Promises to be Special

2006-11-22T06:24:00.000-06:00

Our December 11, 2006 chapter meeting will be extra special. We're going to be having a potluck so that our members can share their special holiday dishes and desserts. Janel Eaton of Avery Dennison will be speaking to us on World Class Meetings and we're sure she won't be able to resist bringing in some samples of their great products for us to enjoy. We'll also be having an optional white elephant gift exchange for anyone that would like to participate. This exchange is intended to give you an opportunity to re-gift past gifts that you have received (but no gag gifts please). Finally, we will be collecting donations for the Family Services Shelter, a domestic violence shelter in Wheaton. We are looking for bath and body products like shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, etc. as well as gift cards for fun outings for these very stressed out families. Please join us for this festive and informative evening.

What a GREAT Professional Development Seminar

2006-11-22T05:58:00.000-06:00

Our November 17, 2006 professional development seminar was an overwhelming success. We received very positive feedback on our awesome speakers and there was so much great knowledge shared that day. Several attendees commented that they don't bother with any other seminars - they save their training dollars for the Two Rivers Chapter events and they never regret that decision!

Thanks to everyone who worked together to organize this stellar event. Keep an eye on the calendar, because we plan to offer this again next year.

November 13, 2006 Meeting (Silently) Promises to be Awesome!

2006-11-01T07:01:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is preparing for our November 13, 2006 meeting with speaker Felicia Slattery presenting on Non Verbal Communication Skills. Felicia is a life coach with Transformative Journeys (http://transformativejourneys.com). We are very excited to have her at our meeting and we hope you will be able to join us.

November 17, 2006 - Professional Development Seminar

2006-10-12T13:54:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars for our fall professional development seminar, being held on November 17, 2006. This all day seminar ("The Power of Professionalism") is looking to be a fantastic event! We are focusing on the skills needed to become the premier executive assistant. Here's the program lineup thus far:

1st session: Becoming More Dynamic - Enhance Your Communication and Personal Styles (Barbara Dwyer of the BEE Attitudes, Inc.)

2nd session: The Executive Assistant's Guide to Successful Business Etiquette (Anna Wildermuth of Personal Images, Inc.)

3rd session: Preparing Yourself for Promotion (Paul Shanahan of Randstad)

4th session: Somebody Needs You Today (Mary Kay Slowikowski of "Making It Happen!")

5th session: Critical Thinking Skills (Professor Jon Mueller of North Central College)

It's going to be a fantastic day! More details will be posted shortly, but you'll definitely want to be there and bring your friends and co-workers! The cost will be reasonable and will include a continental breakfast and lunch. Brochure will be available shortly and will be emailed to all members.

Members Only Networking Event! November 6, 2006

2006-10-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is very pleased to partner with Dinners Together, a dinner preparation establishment, to offer a great members only networking opportunity. Join us on November 6, 2006 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. at the Dinners Together store at 1292 Rickert Drive, Suite 108 in Naperville. Every attendee will be making an entree to take home (either Pecan Crusted Chicken or Pasta with Meatballs in Balsamic Tomato Sauce)

Call now (630-717-7776) to make your reservations!!! Be sure to identify yourself as being with the IAAP Two Rivers Chapter! It's free for all attendees and you get to take home the entree you make for a future meal (it can be frozen)!

What a Great Program CyberCrime Was!

2006-10-12T13:44:00.000-05:00

Well we were surprised at just how well the CyberCrime program went. There's always a little fear that it will be a dry topic or so technical that no one will understand it, but nothing could be further from the truth. Pravin did a great job using easy to understand language and answering all the questions that were thrown at him. There was a lot of audience interaction and the evaluations were highly complimentary.

We started the evening with a fun networking activity - BINGO! Every attendee was given a bingo card with each square listing something, which they had to find a person who matched (i.e. is the youngest, is wearing red, etc.). It really gave everyone a chance to mingle and get to know their fellow members and guests. Lots of great conversations taking place in the room!

October 21 - Excel Formulas Class

2006-10-04T05:40:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter continues our tradition of offering free computer classes to our members to help them keep their technology skills cutting edge. Non-TRC IAAP members and guests can attend for a fee. Our first computer class of the 2006-2007 year will be Excel Formulas. This basic/intermediate class will cover introductory formulas, as well as some intermediate level formulas that you may not be aware of, but which can really help you on the job with their usefulness. Join us for this educational hands-on class. We thank Edward Hospital for the use of their computer lab.

October 9, 2006 - CyberCrime program

2006-10-04T05:36:00.000-05:00

Our October meeting looks like another terrific opportunity for networking and learning. Pravin Rao of the Illinois State's Attorney Office will be sharing with us about CyberCrime. We all get those ridiculous emails asking us for our account information or telling us we've won a prize from Nigeria. You probably already know about those scams, but Pravin will be sharing with us the many sneaky ways you may not be aware of that criminals try to capture your personal data or access and control your computer to commit crimes. This is scary stuff, but it will all be explained in easy to understand language and give you an opportunity to ask the questions you've always wondered. This is also our Executive Night and we encourage you to invite your boss to attend.

Year started on a high note

2006-10-04T05:35:00.000-05:00

What a great meeting our September event was. The Herrington Inn and Spa went above and beyond to provide an awesome experience to every attendee. From the tours of their fantastic property to the exquisite food (how about orchids on a plate as a garnish?) to the fanciful serving of the food (the waiters only needed waltz music to make it more perfect), everyone agreed that this was a fantastic evening. Our speaker was the icing on the cake, with his presentation on Humor in the Workplace, where we learned about the history of humor, some applications for humor in the workplace and why this "funny" subject is "serious" business.

Preparing for our 2006-2007 Program Year

2006-09-07T10:50:00.000-05:00

Our first meeting of the 2006-2007 program year will be held September 11, 2006. The wonderful Herrington Inn and Spa in Geneva has stepped forward to host us and provide our dinner. Over 100 attendees will be making this a phenomenal event. Our speaker will be Doug Stevenson who will be talking to us about Humor in the Workplace. On a day like 9-11, it's very important that we remind ourselves that even in the direst of circumstances, we can find a place for humor and that it's important for us to try to do so. Please join us for this festive evening filled with great food, a wonderful facility, a terrific speaker and networking opportunities galore.

Awesome International Convention

2006-09-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

Delegate Marie Herman CAP attended the International Convention and Education Forum as the Two Rivers Chapter delegate. This fabulous week long event featured entertainment, educational workshops, business sessions, networking and more. It was a terrific opportunity to recognize the international part of our association name with attendees from around the world present. While there, Marie accepted the Avery Dennison Great Results Chapter Achievement Prestige Award on behalf of the chapter along with a check for $3000. We're not sure what we are going to be doing with that check, but we're certain we'll be able to come up with some creative ideas!

Six new members added in July

2006-09-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter was happy to discover that we have added six new members during the month of July. This looks to be another fabulous year!

It's official - 123 members

2006-07-14T08:09:00.000-05:00

The June 2006 membership numbers have been released and it is official. The Two Rivers Chapter is ending the fiscal year with 123 members! What a phenomenal year this has been. Thank you to everyone: our board, members, guests, speakers, vendors, supporting companies, and everyone else that has been involved in building this amazing chapter. We couldn't have done it without you!

Countdown to Reno International Convention

2006-06-22T06:17:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter will be represented at the International Convention being held in Reno, NV on August 7-10, 2006. Everyone should consider attending this fantastic event, which features dynamic keynote speakers, awesome educational sessions, a large Vendor Expo, great entertainment, and the opportunity to network with literally thousands of administrative professionals from around the world (usually about 2,000 of us!!!).

You'll make new friends that will stay with you for life!

2006-2007 Program Committee Prepares for Meeting

2006-06-16T05:38:00.000-05:00

The 2006-2007 Program Committee will be meeting on Tuesday night, June 20. If you have any input for programs for the coming year, please contact Lisa Olson, chapter vice president or Marie Herman, outgoing chapter vice president. We are always looking for great ideas for chapter programs as they are critical to the chapter's success!

Fresh City Catering Tasting - August 2

2006-06-16T05:36:00.000-05:00

Fresh City, a new restaurant near the AMC theater at Diehl and Winfield Roads, will host the Two Rivers Chapter members on August 2 at a catering tasting. This members only event allows attendees an opportunity to get to know each other better in a more intimate setting than our meetings allow.

Strategic Planning Meeting - July 19, 2006

2006-06-16T05:34:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter will host our annual strategic planning meeting on July 19, 2006 at Edward Hospital. Dinner will be provided. Please make plans to attend this very important chapter function. We will be setting our chapter's vision and focus for the year and determining where our priorities should be. Every member's input is welcomed and appreciated.

June Meeting - Great Surprises, Learning and More!

2006-06-16T05:29:00.000-05:00

Attendees at the Two Rivers Chapter's June 2006 meeting were greeted with a surprising treat. The Herrington Inn and Spa in Geneva provided a certificate for a free lunch and tour of their property, to be followed by a free overnight stay for every attendee that night! You can be sure we'll all take advantage of this very special giveaway. Thanks Herrington!

John Gordon of Acco Swingline provided us with a great overview of the office tools that have been designed to make our jobs easier. Some of the items proved especially popular, such as the stapler with a built in staple remover!

JoEllen Pickett CPS, the 2006-2007 Illinois Division President, installed the Two Rivers Chapter's 2006-2007 officers:

President - Katrina Brown
Vice President - Lisa Olson
Treasurer - Norma Kassanitz
Secretary - Margaret Bucholz

Marie Herman CAP will represent the chapter as delegate to the International Convention in Reno this August.

June 12 - Acco Swingline Demonstration

2006-06-06T10:26:00.000-05:00

The June 12, 2006 meeting is rapidly approaching, signalling the end of our fiscal year. Join us for this very special meeting featuring product demonstrations by Acco Swingline. A very special gift is being given to every attendee, so you won't want to miss this meeting! We'll also be installing our officers for the 2006-2007 year.

Membership continues to grow

2006-05-10T06:20:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter continues our phenomenal membership growth. We are now at 117 members (plus however many joined at our May meeting) representing several dozen companies throughout Naperville and the surrounding communities.

As we approach the end of our fiscal year on July 1, 2006, we look forward to a transition to a new board who will be bringing fresh ideas to our chapter. We are always looking for new benefits for our members and new programs and special events to offer.

We have some amazing things planned for the next year!!!

The May 8, 2006 Meeting Was AWESOME!

2006-05-10T06:18:00.000-05:00

James Taylor and Jason Jeffords of CompUSA did a TERRIFIC job with their topic of Making the Mobile Warrior. They brought in all kinds of exciting gadgets and showed us some of what is on the horizon to make us and our executives more efficient.

The Naperville Hilton hosted our meeting and provided a buffet of heavy appetizers. Attendees were also able to take a tour of the hotel.

A copy of Microsoft Office was given away as a door prize.

Chapter Fundraiser Coming Soon

2006-05-10T06:15:00.000-05:00

A very special chapter fundraising event is coming later this summer. Keep your eyes on this blog for details as it all unfolds, but we can guarantee, this will be a VERY SPECIAL event that you won't want to miss!

Not many spaces left in May 20 computer class

2006-05-10T06:11:00.000-05:00

There are only a few spaces left in the May 20, 2006 computer class on Word: Forms and Macros. Sign up soon if you are interested in attending. These computer classes are free and a benefit of membership for Two Rivers Chapter members. IAAP members from outside the chapter and non-IAAP guests can attend for a fee.

Two Rivers Chapter wins Avery Dennison Chapter Achievement Prestige Award

2006-04-28T06:11:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is thrilled to discover that we have been selected as the Prestige Award winner of the Avery Dennison 2006 Chapter and Division Achievement Awards. This award is given to chapters that exemplify excellence, as demonstrated through member growth, strong programs, innovative ideas, a focus on education and more.

We will be receiving the Award and a check for $3000 at the International Convention in Reno, NV in August 2006.

Thank you to Avery Dennison for selecting us and thank you to our members, speakers and sponsors who have helped us reach this distinction.

Tonight's The Night - APW Event

2006-04-25T06:03:00.000-05:00

We are only hours away from our unbelievable Administrative Professionals Week event. The vendors are lined up (over 25 of them!), the food is being prepared by the wonderful Corner Bakery, the special guests have been briefed, the motivational speaker is ready to go and the attendees are PSYCHED! Months in the making, this special event is already the talk of the town and will likely go down in Chapter History as one of the finest nights of our existence.

We'll celebrate our chapter's two year anniversary and the milestone of reaching 100 (now 112) members with wonderful food, friends, and freebies. Our door prizes will blow you away.

Come prepared to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day with the finest group of administrative professionals in Naperville, IL!

May 22, 2006 Interchapter Chat - Increasing Member Involvement

2006-04-24T20:56:00.000-05:00

The next unofficial interchapter brainstorming chat will take place on May 22, 2006. The topic for this chat will be Increasing Member Involvement. Join us for this exciting and inspirational session where members of dozens of chapters around the world provide ideas and strategies for the benefit of all participants.

Job Postings

2006-04-21T06:18:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter has recently been approached by a large corporation which is moving its headquarters to Naperville. They wanted assistance in finding high quality administrative professionals and they knew we were the place to start! We are very honored to be able to assist them in their search and we are also pleased to be able to offer our members an "inside track" on executive level positions that might not be widely publicized otherwise. It is still very true today that personal networking is a key factor in getting jobs at the higher levels in companies. A professional association membership is worth its weight in gold!

IDAM has arrived!

2006-04-21T06:16:00.000-05:00

The Illinois Division Annual Meeting begins today with a seminar and continues through the weekend. The Two Rivers Chapter will be represented at this annual event, which includes an Office Expo, educational workshops, business meetings and a banquet. It's a wonderful chance to meet old friends and make new friends and learn something along the way. We encourage everyone to check out the Annual Meeting.

APW Vendor Expo Continues To Grow

2006-04-12T06:17:00.000-05:00

We have more than doubled the number of Vendors that we had at last year's Vendor Expo. Over 25 vendors will be joining us on April 25, 2006 from 5-6 p.m. as part of our Administrative Professional's Week event. You won't want to miss this very exciting event and just wait until you see the awesome door prizes we have received!

You can learn more by visiting:
http://www.iaap-tworivers.org/2006APW.shtml

Awesome Networking Opportunities

2006-04-12T06:14:00.000-05:00

The Two Rivers Chapter held an interchapter brainstorming chat with chapters from around the world on April 10. Turnout was fantastic and many great ideas were exchanged. A copy of the transcript is available.

On April 11, we held our chapter members-only networking lunch at Fontano's Subs. They wowed us with their awesome food! Several attendees had not realized that this restaurant offers catering in addition to carryout. The misleading exterior (which looks like a typical sandwich shop in a strip mall) doesn't reveal the wonderful secrets of fresh Italian food inside!

We work hard to make these opportunities available so that our members can learn from each other and build up a network of friends and business associates to call upon for assistance.

Article in Naperville Sun

2006-03-28T11:03:00.000-06:00

A terrific article was published on our chapter and profession in the March 28, 2006 Naperville Sun! Thanks to the newspaper staff (Larry Avila, the Business Editor in particular) for writing such a complimentary article.

Here's a link to the story (minus the pictures in the printed version):
Everyone Out of the Steno Pool

Only one spot left, then we form a waiting list!

2006-03-28T10:57:00.000-06:00

There's only one lonely little spot left for our April 25 Administrative Professional's Week event. After that we'll have to start a waiting list. We are trying to locate an appropriate larger facility.

We'll keep you posted if we have any success.

The clock is ticking to RSVP!

2006-03-24T06:07:00.000-06:00

There are only a half dozen slots left for our Administrative Professional's Week event. We will definitely have to have a waiting list this year. If you have signed up and can't make it, please let us know as soon as possible so someone else will be able to attend.

April - Busy but Productive Month Ahead!

2006-03-22T06:16:00.000-06:00

April is going to be a very busy month!!!

On April 10, the Two Rivers Chapter hosts the interchapter brainstorming chat on "Converting Guests to Members". Chapters from around the world will participate in this online event.

On April 11, the Two Rivers Chapter hosts a members-only networking lunch at Fontano's Subs in Naperville, IL.

On April 21-23, the Illinois Division Annual Meeting will be held in Deerfield, IL. The registration form has been posted on the Illinois Division Website: http://www.iaap-illinois.org.

On April 25, the Two Rivers Chapter hosts their amazing Administrative Professionals Week event (see below for more details). This event is rapidly approaching sell-out with more than 80 individuals registered to attend already!

April 26 is Administrative Professionals Day. The Two Rivers Chapter will be participating in a special open house breakfast at the College of DuPage to get the word out about our organization. Thanks to the College for offering us this opportunity!

As you can see, April is going to be a very busy month, but what a lot we are going to get accomplished!

Update on our amazing APW Event

2006-03-16T04:31:00.000-06:00

The countdown is on for our April 25, 2006 Administrative Professionals Week Event. We are expecting a full house with a maximum capacity of 100 attendees. Registration has been opened up for Two Rivers Chapter members. Beginning March 17, 2006, registration will be open up to guests. You WON'T want to miss this fantastic event, which includes a Vendor Expo from 5-6 p.m., a free dinner catered by Corner Bakery, an overview of IAAP and the Two Rivers Chapter, and motivational speaker Dr. Lucia Murphy discussing "Leaving Your Footprints in the Sands of Time".

Our Vendor Expo already has the following vendors scheduled to participate:

Andy's Candy Creations
Bic
Corner Bakery (also providing our wonderful meal)
Courtyard by Marriott
Directions Training
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Equity Housing
Fellowes
Hobson Travel
Naperville Holiday Inn Select
Naperville Chauffeuring
Naperville Convention & Visitors Bureau
Open Table
OfficeTeam
Productivity Point
Randstad
Sanford
Staples
Super Suppers

Additional vendors may be confirmed. Watch our website for updates!

We have commitments for a truly amazing variety of door prizes, including a $500 gift certificate for Herrington Inn & Spa in Geneva, 20 full versions of Microsoft Office 2003, several overnight getaways, certificates for free classes, restaurant gift certificates, and MUCH MUCH more.

We'll also be having lots of special items to give away to EVERY attendee, including Avery sample packs, Bic product samples, a BP gift card, a Microsoft demo CD of Office 2003 and OneNote, and more!

We'll be celebrating our chapter's 2nd anniversary, our milestone of reaching 100 members, and Administrative Professionals Week! It will be a fantastic night and we look forward to seeing you. You'd better get your RSVP in quickly if you want to be included in this awesome event.

April 10, 2006 Brainstorming Chat - Converting Guests to Members

2006-03-16T04:27:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter will once again act as host for an unofficial IAAP inter-chapter brainstorming chat. Chapters from around the world will share their thoughts on what it takes to encourage the guests who visit your meetings to become a member of your chapter. Past chats have been lively and informative with the participants responding with dozens of enthusiastic ideas. Bring your input and be prepared to be inspired!

The Mystery Revealed!

2006-03-14T10:07:00.000-06:00

We know you were dying to know who our 100th member was, so here's the inside scoop. Congratulations to Shelley Anderson and her sponsor Teddie Lyons!!! These two individuals received an American Express Gift Cheque courtesy of Randstad to go and spend as they wish.

WE DID IT!!!

2006-03-10T16:21:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter Did It!!! We passed 100 members according to the February 2006 scoreboard. And we didn't just squeak in either. We landed squarely in the three digits with 102 members. We have barely begun advertising the chapter yet. Our stellar growth has been the result of the word of mouth efforts of our amazing members who are so happy to share with their colleagues and other administrative professionals the exciting things taking place within our chapter. From free computer classes to monthly educational programs to networking lunches, there is something for every administrative professional at the Two Rivers Chapter.

Are you wondering who the 100th member was (and what fabulous prize they and their sponsor received)? Sorry, you'll have to wait until we announce it at our March 13 meeting to find out. You'll be in good company though. We are expecting 80 attendees at this meeting with our extremely relevant topic of Memory Skills: How to Increase Your Memory 500%!!!

Fabulous Interchapter Chat - Great Tips!

2006-03-10T16:19:00.000-06:00

What an awesome chat we had on March 9, 2006! We focused on Generating Positive Publicity for Your Chapter and we received an amazing turnout once again. The ideas were flying! The transcript is available. It's so wonderful watching the various IAAP chapters from across the world communicating and sharing their best practices.

April 11, 2006 - Next Members Only Networking Lunch

2006-03-01T05:57:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter offers periodic members-only networking lunches. This gives our members who have conflicts with our evening meetings a chance to meet and interact with their fellow members at a lunchtime session instead. We'll be holding our next lunch on April 11, 2006 at Fontano's Subs in Naperville (at Ogden and Aurora Avenues in the same strip mall that has Jewel). Fontano's has awesome food with sandwiches, pasta, and more. Many people don't realize that they also have a delicious Italian menu and offer catering. Drop in any time between 11:45 and 1:15. We hope you can join us!

May 20, 2006 - Word Forms and Macros Class

2006-02-26T08:02:00.000-06:00

The next hands-on computer class will be Word Forms and Macros on May 20, 2006. These classes are held at Edward Hospital and are free for Two Rivers Chapter members. IAAP members from outside our chapter can attend for $25 and non-members can attend for $50. These classes have proven to be a very popular benefit of membership. We do have limited space, so sign up early! Visit the contact us page at http://www.iaap-tworivers.org/contact.shtml.

Next Brainstorming Chat - March 9, 2006

2006-02-25T06:33:00.000-06:00

The next brainstorming online chat has been arranged for March 9, 2006 at 12:00 central time. This will provide an awesome opportunity for IAAP chapters across the world to participate in exchanging ideas with their fellow chapters. The topic of this chat will be Generating Positive Publicity for your chapter.

All IAAP members (not just officers) are welcome to join this chat.

March Meeting Promises to Be "Memorable"!

2006-02-17T05:44:00.000-06:00

Our March 13, 2006 meeting is rapidly approaching with speaker Doug Crowe showing us "You Have a Perfect Memory... Strategies to Increase Your Memory 500%." This promises to be an evening of useful tips that will benefit you no matter what you are doing in life!

We'll have a special door prize of two copies of Microsoft Office on that evening. We also expect to be announcing who our 100th member is!!! (Keeping our fingers crossed!)

In addition, the evening will be extra special because we'll be having our guests: several students from College of DuPage who are coming to learn about the value of a professional association.

It's sure to be a memorable evening and you won't want to miss it!

PowerPoint Class Full!

2006-02-14T09:26:00.000-06:00

Our PowerPoint class scheduled for Feb. 25 is full! We only have 28 computers and every spot is filled (plus a few, so we'll bring in an extra laptop or two). We are happy that so many of our members are taking advantage of this training opportunity. You can still sign up and be added to a waiting list, since we may get some cancellations. Also, if enough additional people are on the waiting list, we may look at adding a second class.

Terrific First Networking Luncheon

2006-02-14T05:55:00.000-06:00

Thirteen individuals broke bread together at Connie's Pizza on February 7 during our first members only networking luncheon. This gave us an opportunity to learn more about each other with a more leisurely time for talking than our meetings allow. It was a great success and we plan on hosting these events in the future.

What a great February meeting!

2006-02-14T05:46:00.000-06:00

Fifty administrative professionals gathered together to learn about the Sarbanes Oxley law and what impact (if any) it held on our jobs. This rather dry topic was given a fresh discussion by Roger Herdrich of M&R Printing with a lot of audience interaction and questions.

We received some unfortunate news that our special guests, the students from College of DuPage would have to wait until our March meeting, as their instructor had been hospitalized for a brief period of time. We are so happy to hear that she is on the road to recovery and we look forward to seeing her next month.

All the attendees at our February meeting were in a drawing for a copy of Microsoft Office, which was donated by Microsoft. There are so many reasons to attend our meetings, but this certainly added an element of excitement to the evening, especially when it was announced that we would be giving TWO copies away as door prizes at our March meeting and TWENTY copies away as door prizes at our April 25, 2006 Administrative Professionals Week Event.

We were not able to announce who our 100th member was, because the January report reflected a very dramatic 99 members! We are nonetheless very excited to have arrived at this milestone and since three individuals turned in their membership applications last night, we are certain this will be the month that we take the amazing step of moving into 3 digit membership.

APW Event is coming together!

2006-02-05T06:22:00.000-06:00

The Administrative Professionals Week event, "Cruise to Success" is coming together! As posted previously (http://iaap-tworivers.blogspot.com/2006/01/laying-ground-work-for-fantastic.html), we already have Corner Bakery providing a wonderful dinner and we have Dr. Lucia Murphy, a motivational speaker, presenting the topic "Leaving Your Footprints in the Sands of Time". In addition, one of our members has stepped forward to offer her company's beautiful auditorium and a large conference room to accommodate our group. While we will still be capped at 100 attendees, we'll have the opportunity to bring in more vendors for the Vendor Expo.

Each of those vendors will be requested to provide a nice door prize. We already have commitments for multiple copies of Microsoft Office as door prizes and assorted office toys for each attendee, plus demo CDs. Super Suppers will be exhibiting and they have donated a certificate for cooking six entrees at their facility. Productivity Point has signed on and plans to donate a certificate for a free class. The Holiday Inn is providing a weekend getaway for two including the Saturday night Prime Rib Buffet dinner and Sunday brunch for two. We are also in discussion with several more vendors and expect this to be a top notch expo!

The entire evening is free, but because we do expect to "sell out", we strongly encourage you to RSVP early if you want to come. We'll be giving our members a few days notice before we start allowing guests, but once those few days have passed, it's first come, first served!

Awesome Job Search Bootcamp

2006-02-02T05:36:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful job search bootcamp we had this past Saturday. Almost 40 attendees braved the dreary wet January morning to attend our fantastic sessions. The first speaker, Sally Morrison of LDS Services and the Naperville Career Center, walked us through the steps of preparing a cover letter that gets you noticed. There were numerous requests for her handouts, which will be posted on our links page. Sally was followed by Paul Shanahan and Mike Flickinger of Randstad teaching us How to Handle Tough Interview Questions. The audience decided this topic had enough meat that we could have made it three hours long and still not covered everything we wanted to! The final speaker was Jeff Korhan of True Nature who provided us some insight on determining our career path in life. We received excellent feedback from all the participants on these fine speakers.

Following our seminars, we held a vendor exhibit area, which gave our attendees the opportunity to learn about the various resources in Naperville for job seekers. Our thanks to Directions Training, the Illinois Education and Training Center (it was great to see our June 2005 speaker again Richard Oberbruner!), the Naperville Career Center, the Naperville Public Library, OfficeTeam, Randstad, Robert Morris College, St. Thomas the Apostle Job Club, and True Nature.

Finally, we thank Gwen Ray of Packer Engineering and Paul Shanahan, Mike Flickinger and Jessica Masterson of Randstad for providing free resume reviews for our attendees. More than twenty individuals took advantage of the chance to receive an HR individual's opinion of their resume.

We really enjoyed this seminar and we hope to be able to offer it or something similar in the future.

WOW! WOW! What an Inaugural Brainstorming Chat!

2006-01-25T12:33:00.000-06:00

Well, goodness! Who could have anticipated the level of excitement in the chat room? Almost 120 people joined us (from more than 40 states plus Canada, Bermuda and Puerto Rico) for our very first inter-chapter brainstorming chat. We discussed impact meetings (which is an internal term IAAP uses for new member drives).

Ideas were flying all about the room! We are in the process of gathering all that information and consolidating it. We'll be emailing the chat transcript to the attendees and posting information about it on the IAAP headquarters bulletin board.

We sure learned a lot and hope to make some improvements in future chats, but we want to thank everyone that participated. What a great time we had!!!

Special Guests for February Meeting

2006-01-16T05:40:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is honored to have been contacted by a local college this week. The coordinator of their administrative professional program would like to arrange a field trip for about 10 students to our February meeting. The goal is to expose these future administrative professionals to a professional association and demonstrate how these organizations can help you develop your career. This will be so much fun!

Job Search Bootcamp Exhibitors

2006-01-12T06:51:00.000-06:00

Have you been curious about what exhibitors we might have at the free Job Search Bootcamp on January 28? So far, the following have confirmed:

- Adecco
- Naperville Career Center
- OfficeTeam
- Randstad
- Robert Morris College (to showcase Admin Asst programs)
- St. Thomas The Apostle Job Club
- True Nature (personal coaching)

We have asked some additional firms to participate, but they are not yet confirmed.

We'll also have handouts to highlight great resources for job seekers. Sign up soon! The registration deadline is January 20!

Update on Interchapter Networking Chat

2006-01-12T05:31:00.000-06:00

WOW! What a response!!!

An email was sent off to all the chapter and division presidents in IAAP advising them of the January 24, 2006 interchapter brainstorming chat.

The feedback has been amazing! It looks like we are going to have a tremendous turnout for this exciting event!

Members Only Networking Lunch

2006-01-11T16:24:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter strives to provide plenty of networking opportunities through out the year. With our accelerated rate of growth though, we are concerned that our members might not have a chance to get to know one another. To help out in this area, we are offering our first members only networking lunch! We'll be meeting at Connie's Pizza on Iroquois at Ogden in Naperville (across from the K-mart and Dominicks) on February 7, 2006 from 11:45 to 1:15. Cost will be $12 all inclusive (buffet, tax, gratuity, soft drinks included).

We hope to have a great turnout for this special event. RSVP by January 31 if you plan to join us, so we have an idea how large a table to reserve.

Laying The Ground Work for a Fantastic Administrative Professionals Week Event!!!

2006-01-11T16:17:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is thrilled to announce that Corner Bakery (www.cornerbakery.com) will be donating the meal for our Administrative Professionals Week Event. This terrific program might just exceed last year's unbelievable night, though that would be hard to imagine.

Motivational speaker Dr. Lucia Murphy will be flying in from Philadelphia to teach us how to Leave Our Footprints in the Sands of Time.

In addition, we'll be having our Vendor Expo and dozens of door prizes, plus a brief informational meeting about IAAP and what all the excitement of Two Rivers Chapter is all about. As if all that weren't enough, we'll be celebrating our chapter's TWO YEAR anniversary!

Last year we had to cap attendance due to space limitations. We may run into the same issues this year, so be sure to register early if you are interested in attending!

Mark your calendars for April 25, 2006 from 5-8 p.m. for a fantastic evening of professional development, fun, and networking!

February 2006 PowerPoint Class Scheduled

2005-12-29T10:39:00.000-06:00

Our Chapter really tries to focus on professional development, because that is an area our members are especially interested in improving. As a result, we offer computer classes three times a year for free to our members. Our next class has been scheduled for February 25, 2006. The topic will be PowerPoint: Finessing Your Presentations.

Now maybe you think you already know PowerPoint, but you might be surprised at the many fun areas you can explore to enhance your presentations. Come on, take a chance. What have you got to lose???

Sign up early though, because space is limited.

InterChapter Brainstorming Session

2005-12-27T11:53:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is proud to be hosting an interchapter brainstorming session via chat on January 24. Each month we will be focusing on a different area that impacts all IAAP chapters. Our first session will be Impact Meeting Ideas - Creating Standing Room Only Crowds! Impact meetings are new member drives within IAAP.

We are so excited to be using technology to better communicate with chapters around the world!

Members Only Area Launching Soon!!!

2005-12-19T06:02:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to be putting the finishing touches on our chapter website members only area. It will be live by year end. This special section will include

a. Roster
b. Member news
c. Bylaws
d. Minutes of meetings
e. Results of strategic planning meeting
f. Section for mentoring (that will be a future addition)
g. Member announcements and awards

This section will grow to be a valuable addition to your Two Rivers Chapter membership!

Season's Greetings

2005-12-18T06:52:00.000-06:00

Our December speaker, Gwen Onatolu, provided us with some interesting insight to the various holidays that different cultures around the world celebrate at this time of year in our program "Cultural Diversity and the Holidays". She has inspired us to look beyond our own holidays and recognize people from these other cultures and make an effort to learn more about their customs and traditions.

Whether you celebrate a Christian Merry Christmas, a Jewish Happy Chanukah, a Buddist Bodhi Day (Enlightenment Day), a Muslim Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast) after Ramadan, a Chinese New Year, the Winter Solstice, or some other holiday that hasn't been listed, we wanted to take a moment to wish you all the very best and our hope that you have a happy and safe holiday season.

The Two Rivers Chapter Board

Thoughts on nearing 100 members...

2005-12-18T06:47:00.000-06:00

The Two Rivers Chapter is very close to achieving an amazing milestone: 100 members! We are so excited and yet, it also seems like a good time for reflection on all we have accomplished in an incredibly short time. We celebrate our two year anniversary in April 2006.

This rapid growth brings some challenges... How do we make our members feel connected to one another? How do we prevent our members from feeling "like a number"? How do we maintain the closeness of the chapter? What can we do to involve more members in participating in the chapter beyond simply being on the mailing list or attending meetings?

These are serious questions that will require a great deal of thought, but they are critical to the long term success of our chapter.

If you have any thoughts on this, feel free to post your comments here.

Job Search Bootcamp on the Horizon

2005-12-18T06:26:00.000-06:00

This week, the Two Rivers Chapter board members are working hard on final details of the (FREE) Job Search Bootcamp being held January 28, 2006 at Edward Hospital. We have posted a beautiful flyer on our website, designed by our very own chapter president. She is so talented at graphic design.

We have learned that one of our speakers is changing jobs and that we may need a substitute. Fortunately the company she worked for is reviewing the possible choices and will let us know within days.

We want to have a really nice display area showcasing exhibitors and resources in the Naperville area, so we have contacted almost a dozen different companies and organizations - everything from the library to the Naperville Career Center to the unemployment office to a computer training company to staffing services. This is the kind of information you hope you never need to know, but if you do, wouldn't you rather know it in advance so you are better prepared to be proactive? Even if you aren't actively looking for a job, this is just too valuable not to learn about it.

We are also in the process of confirming appointments for attendees to get their resumes reviewed. How often do you have a chance to sit down for 15 minutes with an HR rep and get the straight feedback on why your resume didn't make the cut and what changes you can make so it would have caught their eye? This is a great opportunity to hear it all from the inside.

We really appreciate everyone's efforts to publicize this terrific event!