SDNPA Meeting Format, Scheduling & Coordination

Our most frequent format is a Lunch & Learn

The suggested luncheon format (90 minutes)

  • Serve lunch -15 min
  • Introduction of all attendees, wants, needs, offerings, interest -10 min
  • Introduction of Representatives and Technical Presentation - 45 min
  • Chapter announcements and hand shake time - 20 min

The suggested meeting format for main presenter (90 minutes)

  • Introduction of Representatives and backgrounds -5 min
  • Corporate Biography/history -15 min
  • Career Opportunities -5 min
  • Sales Pitch -5 min
  • Technical Presentation - 60 min

General Information for the San Diego Chapter NPA (SDNPA)

  • The Network Professional Association (NPA) is a nonprofit organization for networking professionals who design implement, and maintain computer networks.
  • The NPA's mission is to advance the network computing profession by educating and providing resources for its members.
  • The NPA differentiates itself by being one of a few organizations not aligned to a particular platform, product or company but is interested in investigating a broad spectrum of solutions from competing technologies.
  • The NPA accepts and encourages multi-vendor certification and education on the part of its members in chapters worldwide, setting standards of technical expertise and professionalism. NPA members are certified Network Engineers holding certifications for Compaq, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Novell and others interested in network and multi-platform support issues.
  • The NPA base of financial support is derived membership fees. In addition speaker fees and corporate donations are solicited.

THE FOCUS OF THE SAN DIEGO CHAPTER

  • The most important aspect of our work is to provide value to our members. SDNPA has adopted a chapter model different from what we have seen in other networking organizations. We are creating relationships with local business thereby providing our members better access to education and career opportunities. I return SDNPA provides business with access to a potential client, consulting and staffing pools. SDNPA is creating relationships with other professional organizations. We advertise, promote and co-sponsor effective activities of other organizations which are relevant to our members. SDNPA is positioning itself to be focal point in San Diego for networking professionals. Through SDNPA we see networking professions finding the contacts and relationships each individual needs to prosper and enrich their careers.

MEETING TOPICS

  • Our chapter is looking for informative topics and presentations for our monthly meetings. As an network engineering group we look for more than a sales presentation during our meetings. We are interested in how products are constructed and technology supporting it. We desire to learn more about the technical basis of your product and therefore request that as part of any presentation you provide an education or training aspect be the main theme of the presentation. Sponsor Topics

MEETING ATTENDANCE

  • Our San Diego chapter normally has 30 to 60 attendees for each meeting. There is a broad range of knowledge and expertise among the NPA members. Many members are working in closed environments supporting monolithic systems where our communication with other talented networking professionals has been limited. The NPA gives us an opportunity to reconnect, learn, and associate with our industry peers during a time not in conflict with or professional positions. We are all interested in what our peers are doing and how it is being accomplished. Monthly chapter meetings are the one venue where we can be assured of getting up to date information on topics which are important to us (and to you).

SDNPA MEMBERS ARE DECISION MAKERS

  • A survey of NPA members found NPA members form a major decision making group: 50% Corporate MIS executives, 15% Independent consultants, 15% Service organization representatives, and 20% VARs. NPA members' role in the sales cycle include: 92% Determine systems capabilities, 88% Recommend manufacturers/brands, 79% Determine need to purchase, 36% Make final decisions on brands and models purchased and 23% authorize expenditures for purchase.
  • What this means is NPA has a "unique Network Computing Audience Focus". At each meeting we have an audience tuned into your product interested in promoting it to others. We will publicize your presentation to our members and guests to provide you an interested and challenging group of listeners.

VENDOR SPONSORSHIP FOR MEETINGS AND EVENTS

  • The goals of the San Diego NPA Chapter include providing to its local members goods and services in excess of their annual membership fee and to its speakers an interested audience of good prospective buyers willing to promote a good product, process, or philosophy. Through your sponsorship, participation and financial support we meet these goals. In return for sponsoring the San Diego chapter of NPA we ask you contribute to NPA in several ways:
  • Pay for the costs of dinner, pizza or sandwiches, and refreshments.
  • Supply a door prize'(s).
  • Your donation defrays the costs of out Chapter meetings, Computer Lab, mailings, etc. To facilitate the determination of your donation and to be very fair we propose you anticipate a total of $200 to $300 or the amount of $17 per attendee at the chapter meeting in addition to appropriate door prizes. You may elect to provide directly for your meeting needs or request SDNPA to do so. Should SDNPA make expenditures or arrangements on your behalf you are expected to either pay the vendors directly or reimburse NPA by check or credit card (add 3% for credit card) at the time of the NPA event. Checks should be made out to: Network Professional Association - San Diego Chapter

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Our chapter provides electronic mailings and web site access to NPA members and guests. Typically, we send an initial announcement to members notifying them of upcoming meeting followed by a more extensive email message containing the description and synopsis of the upcoming meeting. I encourage you to supply a suitable energetic and uplifting script for distribution. We are willing to include or prepare special mailings for you. You may need to cover some additional costs for special postal mailings. The San Diego Chapter of NPA also posts advertisements and links to your company on our web site. As soon as you select a date we can post via the web administrator and add you to the " Calendar". Approximately 30 days before your date we anticipate posting your event on the main page at www.SDNPA.org. Following your event, the event notice, meeting comments, electronic media supplied by you are placed on the SDNPA web site for review and reference by our members and guests.

MEETING LOCATION & FACILITIES

  • Beginning January 1999 we have added a second monthly meeting in order to server our wide geographic area. The first meeting of the month is held on the first Wednesday. This meeting alternates between North County and South County presentation sites. The default monthly meeting site for the North County Meeting is North County Bank in San Marcos. At the end of 2000 the meetings began to take on a luncheon format held in the Mira Mesa area. At any rate you will be notified via email where the location of the next meeting is.
  • The second meeting of the month is held on the second Tuesday in the Sorrento Valley area of the county. The default monthly meeting site for this meeting is Earl Walls Associates (I-805 @ Mira Mesa Blvd., San Diego) in the 1st floor Seminar room. Other meeting sites are used when volunteered by sponsors.
  • We have available an overhead with LCD attachment, slide projector, VCR, and network services. Please advise us of your needs in advance. You may need to provide additional equipment for your presentation. If you have unique requirements we are glad to help facilitate resources for you. Meetings can also be held at a site of your choosing.

MEMBER INFORMATION

The local NPA members prefer to hold the local membership roles confidential and therefore not available for distribution. However, you are free to collect business cards from the attendees present or may request an NPA mailing through our local chapter. Many sponsors provide handouts, product information, evaluation software and/or incentive pricing specials in exchange for attendee information. As a sponsor NPA is more than willing to continue advertising your company's activities and opportunities to our members for an extended period of time

MONTHLY MEETING TIMETABLE

  • Meetings typically last 2 hrs and are held in the evening or during a luncheon. We do schedule 5-20 minute "fast" topics when time permits and allow time for employment opportunities and introductions. A simple meal is provided to attendees. Members are $10, guests are charged $15 for the luncheon meeting. An approximate timetable would be:
  • 6:00 NPA group gathers together for free discussion, social hour, chapter business, and a meal
  • 6:45 Introduction, short topic presentations, employment information
  • 7:00 Main Presentation by Meeting Sponsor
  • 8:30 Open discussion
  • or
  • 11:30 Lunch at a local restauratn
  • 12:00 Introduction of members and guests
  • 12:15 Presentation and/or topics
  • 12:45 Breakup

LOCAL BUSINESS -TRAINING, CAREER, VAR

  • With no prearrangement we encourage local training, career development, and var representatives to attend the monthly meetings, particularly the social hour. Many attendees are interested in opportunities in education, career moves or looking for solutions requiring an out source. We attempt to provide 3-4 minutes just before the main presentation for each representative to introduce their organization and make announcements.

FAST TOPICS

  • Along with our main presentation we like to provide short fast topics related to the networking business and personal achievement. The topics are limited to 10-20 minutes. The intent is to provide you with additional exposure and credibility by providing timely and effective information to our membership. Please make a reservation before the meeting for this time.

OTHER EVENTS

  • One of the biggest requests NPA San Diego has is for evening and weekend events. Most members are not free to take hours away from the office during the day but desire to attend those offered. We would like to schedule a special evening or weekend seminars to repeat day events or offer new topics. Currently we are working to schedule bimonthly Microsoft NT events, instructional and building events for out local school development project, and evening/weekend training events.

INTERNATIONAL SPONSORSHIP

  • NPA is a international organization. Typically our organization provides quarterly benefits to its members by way of a CD and newsletter. This has proven to be an excellent way to promote products, training, and education. You can have international exposure by being part of the benefit package.

REGIONAL SPONSORSHIP

  • Other regional NPA chapters are interested in your presentations as well. We can you provide access to our neighboring NPA chapters. In 1999, SDNPA is looking to have a Southern California Regional Event for NPA members and guests. We are looking for topics that will dare members to have a good time and learn while they are doing it.

OTHER CHAPTER SPONSORSHIP

  • Door prizes, facility tours, discounts, coupons, incentives. As you know these things are what make people happy. Please consider SDNPA worthy of your donations and promotions. Sometimes one really good promotion makes the sale of the year. Help us by letting us help you promote your company or product.