|
© 2001 United States Power Squadrons® |
|
SERVICE IS OUR PLEDGE |
|
A BRIEF TOUR THROUGH NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Mary Catherine Berube, Headquarters Director |
|
Secretary's Department Newsletter 1/2 |
|
USPS Headquarters is a striving operation in Raleigh, North Carolina, serving the needs of a dynamic organization. Each week employees receive hundreds of letters, faxes, e-mails and telephone falls. Responding to those communications, as well as providing Governing Board and Operating Committee support, requires the constant attention of all 24 employees. Here are some statistics for the past four years:
|
|
This is a summary of some of headquarters’ activities and the resources it provides. Accounting- the constant shipping of educational and related materials from headquarters to districts and squadrons and processing dues requires collection procedures. Employees in the accounting department manage those procedures and ensure that squadrons receive correct and up-to-date statements. In addition, employees deal with variety of other responsibilities, including preparing financial statements, balancing general ledger accounts, auditing dues transmittals, managing accounts payable, administering payroll and controlling petty cash. Customer Service- Most contact with headquarters begins with the telephone, and the three employees in the department strive to provide courteous and efficient service to both members and nonmembers. Each day the staff answers more than 175 phone calls, from Boating Course inquires to credit card purchases of Learning Guides and Ship’s Store items. Data Processing- Like any other large organization, the computer is essential for processing and storing information. An IBM AS/400 provides the hardware hub of a critical network that is maintained by a computer programmer. The computer programmer write software that enhances and maintains current applications used by headquarters employees, writes software for new initiatives and serves as a liaison with the Information Technology Committee. A computer operator manages a variety of printing jobs and oversees operations of the Windows NT® server and the headquarters e-mail system. E-mail has become an integral resource at headquarters, significantly replacing mail and telephone calls. Membership Service Manager-Meeting the needs of an active membership requires initiating and managing a continuous flow of special projects. The membership services manager works with other headquarters employees and national officers to ensure the success of each undertaking. Responsibilities include: deigning and overseeing the annual dues renewal project, preparing emeritus, 50-Year and Life Member awards; preparing informational packages for the chief representatives to district conferences; compiling District Statistics reports, maintaining the Vessel Safety check database; and commander and educational officer kits. Education-rapid response to member requests is the main goal of the education department staff. Each year, staff members process thousands of course material orders and examination requests. Over 9,000 course material orders and 4,000 exam orders were processed in 2000. This department is responsible for all order entry and provides the warehouse with packing lists of educational, public relations, Ship’s Store and other miscellaneous materials. Education department employees also process examinations, grading some and forwarding |
|
others to correctors as appropriate. Once grading is complete, these employees process exam results and print and mail achievement stickers or vouchers. Random exams were implemented in 2000. This process involve printing exams on-demand and alleviates the need to maintain an inventory of preprinted versions of exams. THE ENSIGN- The magazine arrives in member mailboxes each month, thanks to the work of two full-time and two part-time employees. The editor, associate editor and art director review countless articles and photographs to make selections for issues. Other responsibilities include determining the magazine’s layout, desktop publishing, editing and proofreading. The magazine staff also assists other committees by working on special projects, such as the annual dinner dance program and the Ship’s Store catalog. Membership- To best meet the needs of members, membership department staff are responsible for all membership processing activities in an assigned group of districts. Staff members process new member applications, reinstatements, address changes, merit mark awards and manage several large mailings each month. They also process and distribute certificates for new members, Operations Training, Cooperative Charting and Leadership Development programs. Another responsibility of the membership department is the annual does collection process. Purchasing-The plethora of educational and ship’s store materials makes careful purchasing an essential component of USPS activity. The purchasing agent researches and locates vendors, negotiates quotes, issues purchase orders and reviews invoices for accuracy for payment. Other responsibilities include: liaison with building and grounds maintenance providers and production and delivery of 50-Year Member, Honorary Member, Life Member and Meritorious Service, and Bowsprit plaques and certificates. Administrative Assistant- The headquarters administrative assistant provides support for the headquarters director opens and distributes more than 200 pieces of mail and fax communications daily; responds to requests for district and squadron mailing labels; processes credit card purchases; processes incoming cash and checks; provides tours for visiting members and assumes responsibility for many mailings. Warehouse-Many activities revolve around the warehouse, where the employees ship more than a quarter million packages and letters each year. They process bulk mailings and make two trips to the local post office and banks each day. These four staff members receive, check and store delivered materials. |