President’s Message – February 2023

Conference season is kicking off this month. As I plan my travel schedule around SMPS and other organizations’ various programs, the educational benefits of SMPS are top of mind for me. Regular programming is the cornerstone of our mission to provide professional development for marketing professionals. When this letter makes its way to your email box, many of your chapter associates will be in San Diego experiencing some regional programming at the Pacific Regional Conference (PRC). 

The educational programming of the SMPS headquarters, and the SMPS PRC, and the various chapters cover topics from skills development to macro trends impacting our future as a profession. No matter what level your career is in, there is a program available that can help you advance a company initiative, develop a new skill, or tackle a sticky situation.

The organization has you covered with different types of learning environments as well. Are you a reader? Grab copies of Marketer and archived articles at smps.org.  Prefer audio learning? Try viewing a recorded version of a session. The chapter will be mixing it up this year with virtual and in-person events throughout the year. Chapters throughout the western region are extending member benefits for virtual and in-person events. We are working on a joint calendar to make those opportunities more accessible.

And the best educational benefit of all? Members throughout the country that are a resource for you. Use your membership to connect to others—a cold call becomes a warm one when you say, “I see you are a member of SMPS.” So, grab your favorite membership number and join in the educational fun.

Laurie Lumish, CPSM
Director of Marketing & Business Development, Degenkolb Engineers
[email protected]
President, SMPS SF Bay Area Chapter