Re: [Harp-L] SPAH Election

[Bob Cohen <bob@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks,

I think it's been a long time since people have given much thought about SPAH. After 48 conventions and nearly 50 years, we've come to take it for granted that every August there will be a gathering of some 400 harmonica players someplace in the U.S.

That may not always be true if SPAH doesn't make some changes to how it does business. That's why I decided to run. And that's why a contested election is good.  Regardless of the outcome, we'll at least have had a very necessary discussion about SPAH's identity and future direction.

To that end, my running mate Warren Bachman recently announced his candidacy as VP here on harp-l and elsewhere. My opponent the esteemed Winslow Yerxa responded in great detail.

Tit-for-tat campaigning is a zero sum game. Therefore, I've picked out a few comments which engage two of our central campaign themes inclusion and growth. My comments clarify the debate about SPAHs identity and whether we're going to be what we've always been or hazard a course correction so that we can remain relevant to the next generations of harmonica enthusiasts.

So, please read on.


On Dec 12, 2011, at 5:37 PM, Winslow Yerxa [IN RESPONSE TO AN EMAIL ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY WARREN BACHMAN] wrote:

> ===WINSLOW
> says: SPAH includes anyone who wants to join. To my knowledge, SPAH does not
> exclude anyone. SPAH members self-select and all are made to feel welcome. To
> imply otherwise is simply untrue, and is unfair to the hardworking and
> welcoming staff and board members who organize SPAH. 

SPAH's business model and institutional inertia makes us elitist and unsustainable by design. The organization exists to plan and execute the convention.

Accordingly the exclusion occurs BEFORE joining, not after. The people of SPAH, of course, are wonderful. The current leadership team--including Winslow--are nice people and are very welcoming and generous to anyone who can afford the price of admission.

Looking at the situation as a business owner with lots of experience in the non-profit arena and as elected official in charge of a $32 million dollar budget and hundreds of employees and volunteers, our situation does not bode well.

After 50 years in existence, we have only 800 +/- members (and dwindling), approximately 400 of whom attend the convention in a given year. 

As we parse the business practices and dissect our financial situation. a clear picture emerges. we must make some adjustments sooner rather than later,

(1) The 2010 CPA's report describes the three major sources of revenue: dues ($31,453), net convention receipts ($10,851 from a gross of $54,701) convention merchandise sales (net $4,116). 

Our biggest expense is was the convention followed by management and general ($11,039) 

Zero dollars were spent on marketing and membership growth. Note the number isn't clearly delineated in the report and Profit and Loss Statements were requested and not made available)

(2) There are no tangible membership benefits except a discount on the convention fee and a subscription to HARMONICA HAPPENINGS.

(3) Our long-term members are frequent convention attendees.

(4) Our membership demographics are extremely narrow. Take an honest look at our membership (i) most of us over 40--in most cases well over. We're overwhelmingly male and caucasian. (ii) we have the resources to take a week off from work and spend $1500+ on airfare, hotel, food, and (iii) most of us have family situations that permit our absence for five days, unlike younger folks.

Yet there are thousands upon thousands of harmonica players. Inclusionary to Warren and I means building upon the  foundation set in 1963 and nurtured with love and care over the years. 

In addition to putting on wonderful conventions, our first priority will be to add value to the membership and develop and execute a membership drive. To accomplish this we will leverage Warren's extensive background in sales, marketing and public relations and my business, technology and non-profit experience.


> ===WINSLOW
> SPAH membership doesn’t cost much, and membership revenues alone don’t cover
> SPAH’s liabilities.

That's where the membership drive comes in. Imagine if we had several thousand members instead of 800. Right now we have no tangible marketing plan. We spend $0 on growing the membership in 2010--even though we have approximately $90k in the bank. At a minimum creating as membership marketing plan and investing some of the money into expansion and membership benefits profits everyone.

There's much to be said for what SPAH has been and for the people who have carried the organization to this point.  They deserve our gratitude and respect. So, I say thank you!

But the we're at a crossroads. Membership numbers are declining and the population aging. At 54 I was the second youngest member of the Board.

My vision for SPAH is to make the changes necessary to set us on a course to be vibrant and relevant for another 50 years. The time to have the discussion and to make the adjustments is now while there's still something to save.

Bob