SWO presented its highly acclaimed and long-awaited annual chapter awards at the April meeting to:

• Thea Teich
  The ubiquitous Thea has stepped into the treasurer’s role for the past few years. She’s done a great job of keeping us up to date with STC filings, tax status updates to the IRS. However, she’s worked with numbers so much in the past few years, that I’m starting to get worried. Tech writers work with letters much more often than they do numbers. Therefore, in the interest of Thea’s career, we’d like to give her this job aid, an alphabet poster. Thea, please post it in your office, or wherever it will inspire you the most.
  
• Margaret Mattinson
  Margaret is another very busy SWO person. She does publicity and manages our Constant Contact account. She’s on top of the latest information. Whew. I bet Margaret is really tired. It’s time for a rest; it’s well deserved.  Margaret, we hope this is helpful. Eye shades, to shut out the world.
• Karen Rokich
  Karen has been a vital part of our group for many, many years. Her dream is to be a tech writer, and she hones her skills by being the SWO Recording Secretary. We’d like to give her this roll of duct tape for sticking to it. Please note that this is extra cool duck tape – slick.
• Judy Harper
  Judy is our techie person. She created our chapter blog and web site, and she updates both. She’s the first of us who ventured into tweets for SWO. She does a fabulous job keeping things up to date.  Judy is extremely plugged in. However, sometimes the best methods are “old school.” Judy, here’s the best way we know of, to make corrections. “White Out.” Just don’t put it on the screen.
  
• Jean Fudge and Louise Tincher
  This brings us to the dynamic duo: Jean and Louise. We’re writing this stuff so we’ll cut to the chase: We love good chocolate. Nuff said.
• Arr Jay Radler
  Last, but not least, is our current Fearless Leader, Arr Jay. As president, Arr Jay abides by the philosophy of “the buck stops here.” He stands fast while you-know-what hits the fan. Therefore, we award him the coveted traveling Golden Plunger award. In his case, we can change his philosophy to “the plunger stops here.” Louise won the award last year, and this year she passes it to Arr Jay. Arr Jay’s directions were that each recipient is to add “something” to the Golden Plunger. This year, Louise added the Full Plate (aka the saucer of infamy), with the year and signature of the recipient. Arr Jay, I’m sure you’re going to put this to good use.

You don’t want to miss this chance to impact the future of SWO-STC and take home a free tote bag.

Chapter Elections

Want to see a clean election? This may be your only chance this year. No name calling or character assassination here. (OK, let’s be serious, do you even know who is running?) While you’re at it, how about volunteering your talents to ensure our chapter’s future? There’s still time for a surprise write-in candidate to sweep into office. Please come and vote.

Chapter Status Update

We’ll bring everyone up to date on our recent merger with the Central Ohio chapter. The Southwestern Ohio chapter of STC now encompasses Columbus, as well as Dayton and Cincinnati. How will we deal with our enlarged territory and meet the needs of our newest members? What does this mean to you?

2011-2012 Volunteer Recognition / 2012-2013 Volunteer Recruitment

Joe Welinske’s very successful Seminar on User Assistance was coordinated by Amy Kearns and hosted by Seapine Software. A big THANK YOU to Amy and Seapine!

Who else volunteers their time and energy behind the scenes to keep our chapter alive and functioning? (Check the website for hints.) Come and say thanks to our hard-working volunteers.

We’re looking for a few good men and women to help with events, send out announcements, post to the website and/or social media, coordinate with other organizations, etc. In return you get valuable skills, leadership webinars, painless networking, and an insider’s view of STC. So, if you won’t run for office, how about picking up a task?

2012-2013 Program Plans

We’ll also discuss changes to our programming model as we move to quarterly business-hosted events and cooperative webinars in 2012-2013.

Would you coordinate an event for SWO? Would your employer host one? This could be your chance to shine.

Where do you find cutting edge presentations and sponsors for your event? At the 2012 STC Summit of course! That’s where we get ours.

2012 STC Summit Preview

We’ll talk about what goes on the STC International Summit.

• Leadership training for chapter volunteers.
• A vendor trade show with demonstrations, freebies, and drawings.
• Professional training on hot technical topics, as well as soft skills, and business tips.

Then there’s the camaraderie–meeting fellow technical communicators. It’s truly a great feeling. You leave with new energy, new skills, and new contacts all over the world.

This year the Summit is in Chicago – close enough to drive or take the Megabus. You even can split a room with your buddies. So, no excuses. Be there or be square.

Sponsorships

Another big THANK YOU to this year’s program sponsors Clarity Technical Communications, New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, and ThirtySix Software – who are providing fabulous door prizes for ALL attendees.

Do you know a potential chapter sponsor? Share the information with your chapter leaders, or contact them directly and keep all the glory for yourself. Sponsorship opportunities are available on our website, in meeting announcements, and at chapter events.

White Elephant Exchange

We told you about what you get (fabulous door prizes, networking opportunities), but not about what you can get rid of. Bring a wrapped “gift” (and I use the term loosely) for our white elephant gift exchange. Warning: stealing will be encouraged and the natives can get rowdy. What will you take home???

DATE

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

AGENDA

• Networking: 5:30 – 6:00 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
• Program: 6:45 p.m.

MENU

Potluck carry-in – We’ll provide pizza and beverages. Bring an extra of your choice to share.

COST

• Members: FREE
• STC members (not SWO): only $5
• Not-yet members: $10 (in advance via PayPal only)

Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments.
No shows will be billed.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Monday, April 16, 2012, by noon. To register, send an email to program@stc-swo.org.

Please include your name, email address, membership status (member, non-member, or student), and how you will pay (cash, check, or Pay Pal).

If your reservation is not confirmed via e-mail within 72 hours, please resend, or contact the chapter president at president@stc-swo.org.

LOCATION

Indiana Wesleyan Dayton Education Center

2912 Springboro Road West, Dayton, OH 45439

DIRECTIONS

From Interstate 75 (North or South):

• Take Exit 50A (Dryden Road) and turn right at the end of the exit ramp.
• Go to the first traffic signal and turn right onto Springboro West (NOT Springboro Pike).
• Indiana Wesleyan University is the 2nd building on the left (3-story tan brick).
• Come to the reception area on the 3rd floor to find our exact location in the building.

Selling your ideas to your company

As a technical communicator, you are up-to-date on all of the new writing methods and innovative tools of the trade. You know how important content reuse is, how critical good templates are, and how best to work on a team. However, when you identify a better method, a better tool, or recognize opportunities for process improvements, it can be a challenge to get others to explore your solution and to get a budget approved.

Join us for our March webinar, when Lisa Pietrangeli of ThirtySix Software will talk about how to build and present a case for improvements for your company. She will address a specific experience she had working with a tech writing team which involved building a case for new tools and a restructure of a tech writing department in order to save the company significant time and money. Lisa will also talk about subjects that speak directly to decision makers like ROI and accelerating time-to-market as well as how process efficiencies have lasting impact.

Lisa Pietrangeli is a Managing Partner and Director of Client Solutions at ThirtySix Software. At ThirtySix, Lisa specializes in working with clients to develop customized content development strategies. Before joining ThirtySix Software, Lisa was Director of Global Client Solutions at Language Intelligence, where she worked with clients to develop internationalization strategies for all stages of the content development process, from authoring through to translation. Her extensive experience at Language Intelligence covered everything from project management, resource selection and management, to business development, localization consulting and managing the localization PM staff.

In addition to her unique professional experiences, Lisa holds degrees in Art History, Spanish, Italian, and American Sign Language. Lisa has also spent time living and studying in Italy.

Date: Wednesday, March 21

Time: 7:00 pm Eastern Time.

Location: Comfort of your office or home – it’s a webinar

Cost: $12 members and students, $20 non-members. All participants must pay via Pay Pal. Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments.

Registration Deadline: Monday, March 19th, 2012, by noon. Your Pay Pal payment is your registration.

Software user assistance encompasses a wide range of skills and technologies that are combined to improve the software user’s experience.

Join us on Saturday morning, February 11^th as Joe Welinske, president of WritersUA, presents the following topics to help you learn more about the current world of software user assistance and techniques for creating valuable content for your users. Feel free to attend one, two, or all three sessions.

Session Descriptions

9:00-10:00 - An Overview of Trends, Tools and Technologies in Software User Assistance

10:00-11:00 – Write More, Write Less: Embracing the Value of Crafted Words and Images

11:00-12:00 – Optimizing the Googleability of Your Content

Hosted by
STC-SWO and Seapine Software

Date and time
Saturday, February 11, 2012, at 9:00 am – 12:00 Noon

Location
Seapine Software, 5412 Courseview Drive, Suite 200, Mason, OH 45040  (Click here for a map.)

Registration
You must register and pay ($5 for STC members, $10 for non-members) in advance via PayPal.
Click here for PayPal payment instructions. Registration deadline is Wednesday, February 8 at 5:00 pm. Space is limited to 20, so register soon!
—————————————————————————————————
About Joe Welinske
Joe Welinske, the president of WritersUA,  has been involved with software documentation development since 1984. He recently published Developing User Assistance for Mobile Apps. He has also taught online Help courses at the University of Washington, UC Santa Cruz, and Bellevue Community College. Joe received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1981, and a M.S. in Adult Instructional Management from Loyola University in 1987. Joe served as President of STC Puget Sound Chapter from 2006-2008 and Membership Director for the Puget Sound Chapter of the Usability Professionals Association in 2010.

WritersUA is a company devoted to providing training and information for user assistance professionals. The WritersUA/WinWriters Conference draws hundreds of attendees each year from around the world to share the latest in user assistance design and implementation. The free content on the WritersUA web site attracts over 20,000 visitors each month.

Session Description

Your portfolio IS your MOST IMPORTANT tool to show your talents, abilities, and breadth of experience. Rather than a single traditional portfolio consisting of hard copy work, multiple hard and electronic formats are necessary to portray your skills. Join us on January 18, 2012, for an online presentation that focuses predominately on best practices for presenting your works electronically through leveraging different facets of your social network. Technical communicators who desire to create a professional portfolio will benefit from this discussion of

• What a portfolio is
• What types of projects to include in a portfolio
• How to use portfolio to land a job, project, or client

Session Timeline

• Introduction (3-5 minutes)
• Dissect portfolio options (5 minutes)
• Choose your platforms (10 minutes)
• Choose your projects  (15 minutes)
• Present your projects (10 minutes)
• Pull it all together (5 minutes)
• Q & A (5-10 minutes and throughout)

Handouts

• Social Media Marketing Quick Reference Guide
• Tools
• Presentation

Date and Time

• Wednesday, January 18, 2012
  7:00 p.m. EST

Cost

• Members: $10
• Non-members: $20
• All payments in advance via PayPal only

Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments.

Registration Deadline: Noon on Monday, January 16, 2012.

Speaker Bio

Louellen S. Coker is the founder as well as chief writer, editor, designer, and all around chief of all things content at Content Solutions, a certified woman-owned business. She focuses on helping her clients effectively communicate their message within their organization as well as with their varied communities through writing, design and the web. She has conducted several conference presentations, published numerous articles, and taught workshops on Social Media Marketing.

Louellen holds a Master of Arts degree in Technical Communication from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University. She is an Associate Fellow of the Society for Technical Communication and is a past president of both the Lone Star Community of the Society for Technical Communication and the Women Business Owners of Denton County. She is also affiliated with several professional organizations including IEEE Professional Communication Society, National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and DFW Search Engine Marketers.

When Louellen isn’t leading her firm in creating strategic and user-driven creative cross-pollination of content, she’s either traveling with her husband, hiking all over the world, winning national and state championship sailing regattas, training for marathons, or running in them.

Educational Outreach Event

The Society for Technical Communication’s Southwestern Ohio Chapter (STC-SWO) is pleased to present our first ever Business Boost.

The Business Boost is for the local business community – not STC-SWO members.

Business owners, managers, executives, and engineers – Do you face these common business challenges?

• Presenting new technologies, products, or services to potential investors.
• Documenting compliance with federal regulations (HIPAA, OSHA, SOX, etc).
• Documenting compliance with industry standards (ISO, CMMI, etc).
• Developing policies and plans (business plans, safety plans, disaster recovery plans, etc.).
• Documenting and disseminating best practices for processes and procedures.
• Maintaining quality standards and customer satisfaction during periods of organizational change.
• Marketing complex products to a wide variety of audiences.

Good technical communication helps you answer these challenges. This educational event showcases cost-effective technical communication resources for business. Save time and money by deploying key products and services strategically in critical areas. Attend this informative event to learn how to leverage these resources to grow your business.

Who Should Attend

• Technology industry executives
• Providers of complex products and services
• Business owners, managers, and engineering team leaders

Representatives from New Horizons, ThirtySix Software, and Clarity Technical Communications will be on hand to talk about how companies are currently using their technical communication solutions to meet critical business needs.

When and Where

Thursday, November 10, 2011, from 9 am to noon
New Horizons Computer Learning Center
10653 Techwood Circle, Cincinnati, OH 45242
Phone (888) 838-2786

This event is free, but registration is required.
To register, visit the New Horizons website.

We hope to see you there.

Join us on Wednesday, October 19, for an interactive webinar showcasing content management in MS Word using SmartDocs:  a practical, inexpensive alternative when DITA-based content management is a non-viable option for your organization.

• SmartDocs makes it easier to manage and reuse your documentation content.
• SmartDocs integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Word.
• SmartDocs enables your people to create new documents faster, improve document quality, and keep your document content consistent and up-to-date.

Our speaker is Lisa Pietrangeli.

Lisa Pietrangeli is a Managing Partner and Director of Client Solutions at ThirtySix Software. She specializes in working with clients to develop customized content development strategies.

Before joining ThirtySix Software, Lisa worked extensively with companies around the world, helping clients to develop internationalization strategies for all stages of the content development process, from authoring through translation. Her extensive experience encompasses everything from project management, resource selection and management, to business development, localization consulting and managing the localization PM staff.

Lisa has presented and conducted workshops in many venues including TCWorld Conference, STC Summit, and many STC Chapter events. In addition to her professional experiences, Lisa holds degrees in Art History, Spanish, Italian, and American Sign Language. She has also spent time living and studying in Italy.

Date: Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Agenda:

• Networking: 5:30 – 6:00 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
• Program: 6:45 p.m.

Menu: A variety of sandwiches, salads, and beverages

Cost:

• Members: $20
• Non-members: $30 (in advance via PayPal only)
• Students: $17
• Program only: $10 for members and students; $20 for non-members

Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments.
No shows will be billed.

Registration Deadline: Monday, October 17, 2011, by noon. To register, send an email to program@stc-swo.org.

Please include your name, email address, membership status (member, non-member, or student), and how you will pay (cash, check, or Pay Pal).

Non-members must pay in advance via Pay Pal. All no shows will be billed.

If your reservation is not confirmed via e-mail within 72 hours, please resend, or contact the chapter president at president@stc-swo.org.

Location:

Indiana Wesleyan Dayton Education Center

2912 Springboro Road West, Dayton, OH 45439

Directions:

From Interstate 75 (North or South):

• Take Exit 50A (Dryden Road) and turn right at the end of the exit ramp.
• Go to the first traffic signal and turn right onto Springboro West (NOT Springboro Pike).
• Indiana Wesleyan University is the 2nd building on the left (3-story tan brick).
• Come to the reception area on the 3rd floor to find our exact location in the building.

In recession or in recovery, twenty-first century businesses need you. Unfortunately, not all of them know it yet. Please join us for the first STC-SWO meeting of the 2011-2012 year to find out how you can clue them in.

Former STC-SWO president Bettie Hall will lead us in an interactive session that centers around how your technical communication skills can meet a variety of business requirements. Together we will learn to:

• Recognize strengths and identify skills.
• Translate both strengths and skills into language that business managers understand.
• Develop a resume that showcases versatility, flexibility, and business value.

This working meeting will begin with a small group activity to help you identify skills and move into a facilitated large group discussion followed by Bettie’s presentation and and wrap-up Q/A session. throughout 2010-2011. Bettie Hall has spent more than 30 years as a successful researcher, educator, and communicator.

Click here to learn more about Bettie:  her  credentials, her accomplishments, and her family.

Meeting Logistics

Date: Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Agenda:

• Networking: 5:30 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
• Program: 6:45 p.m.

Menu: A variety of sandwiches, salads, and beverages

Cost:

• Members: $20
• Non-members: $30 (in advance via PayPal only)
• Students: $17
• Program only: $10 for members and students; $20 for non-members

Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments. No shows will be billed. Registration Deadline: Monday, September 19, 2011, by noon. To register, send an email to program@stc-swo.org. Please include your name, email address, membership status (member, non-member, or student), and how you will pay (cash, check, or Pay Pal). Non-members must pay in advance via Pay Pal. All no shows will be billed. Location: Indiana Wesleyan Cincinnati Education and Conference Center 9286 Schulze Dr. West Chester, OH 45069 Directions:

• From I-75 Take the Union Centre Boulevard exit (#19).
• Turn west (right if south-bound on I-75; left and across the overpass, if north-bound)
• Go to Mulhauser Road (first stop light).
• Turn left (south) onto Mulhauser
• Go to Schulze Drive (first left).
• IWU is straight ahead, on the right, next to the new Hampton Inn.

For information on carpooling from the Dayton Mall to IWU West Chester, contact program@stc-swo.org.

Can’t make it to the Summit? Chapter President Arr Jay Radler and Programs Chair Louise Tincher will present highlights from the 2011 STC Summit. Join us for the latest news from STC International and a summary of best tips from the conference.

Remember – STC Summit sessions will be available online through “Summit at a Click” on the STC website (www.stc.org).

The meeting will also include chapter elections for the 2011-2012 year. Current officers Arr Jay Radler (president), Thea Teich (treasurer), and Karen Rokich (secretary) are running for re-election. Challengers are welcome. You can pick up a ballot here.

We’ll end the meeting by recognizing individuals who have volunteered their time and energy throughout 2010-2011.

Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Agenda:

• Networking: 5:30 p.m.
• Dinner: 6:00 p.m.
• Program: 6:45 p.m.

Menu: A variety of sandwiches, salads, and beverages

Cost:

• Members: $20
• Non-members: $30 (in advance via PayPal only)
• Students: $17
• Program only: $10 for members and students; $20 for non-members

Click here for instructions about Pay Pal payments.
No shows will be billed.

Registration Deadline: Monday, May 23, 2011, by noon. To register, send an email to program@stc-swo.org.

Please include your name, email address, membership status (member, non-member, or student), and how you will pay (cash, check, or Pay Pal).

Non-members must pay in advance via Pay Pal. All no shows will be billed.

Location:

Indiana Wesleyan Cincinnati Education and Conference Center
9286 Schulze Dr.
West Chester, OH 45069

Directions:

• From I-75 Take the Union Centre Boulevard exit (#19).
• Turn west (right if south-bound on I-75; left and across the overpass, if north-bound)
• Go to Mulhauser Road (first stop light).
• Turn left (south) onto Mulhauser
• Go to Schulze Drive (first left).
• IWU is straight ahead, on the right, next to the new Hampton Inn.

For information on carpooling from the Dayton Mall to IWU West Chester, contact program@stc-swo.org.

In accordance with the chapter bylaws, voting for SWO-STC officers for 2011-2012 will be held at the scheduled chapter meeting Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Indiana Wesleyan University, West Chester, OH.

Chapter members in good standing may vote in person or by proxy.

Ballots will be collected and counted by a designated chapter officer. Ballots will be available here and at the meeting.

If you choose to vote by proxy, please return your signed ballot to SWO-STC Treasurer Thea Teich (treasurer@stc-swo.org ) on or by May 24, 2011. You may also drop ballots off at the meeting through a third party. Just ensure your ballot is signed.

Election Date: Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Election Time: 5:30 – 8:30pm (During the meeting)

Election Location:

Indiana Wesleyan Cincinnati Education and Conference Center
9286 Schulze Dr.
West Chester, OH 45069

Directions:

• From I-75 Take the Union Centre Boulevard exit (#19).
• Turn west (right if south-bound on I-75; left and across the overpass, if north-bound)
• Go to Mulhauser Road (first stop light).
• Turn left (south) onto Mulhauser
• Go to Schulze Drive (first left).
• IWU is straight ahead, on the right, next to the new Hampton Inn.

For information on carpooling from the Dayton Mall to IWU West Chester, contact program@stc-swo.org