Giving Thanks and Recognition
A special thank you to the Society’s very first member.
There are moments in life—and in business—that really make a difference. And when you discover one, you want to shout it from the rooftop or at least through the Internet with your handy keyboard. Today, I am thrilled to be able to extend a special thanks to the very first member of SMPS, Andy Zinsmeyer, for making a generous contribution of $20,000 to the SMPS Foundation. Andy was the co-founder and first member of SMPS, as well as our first treasurer. He was also the Society’s executive director from 1976–1979.
Andy’s donation, as well as the numerous contributions we received from our stakeholders, allows us to move forward with our current research project: Understanding the Neuroscience Behind Client Decision-Making and How It Can Be Applied to Marketing and Business Development.
Within the built environment, our clients, both public and private, are responsible for making decisions regarding which entities will design and build their projects. Within all professional service industries, clients make decisions about who to hire for these services based on various factors. Some are spelled out in a selection criteria document, and other factors are more subjective and based on likeability and personalities. As the market has become more competitive, we are seeking research that will enlighten us regarding their decision-making process.
Andy added, “With this gift, I hope to encourage other SMPS members to support the work of the SMPS Foundation. The purpose of my contribution was to help create research desired by a larger audience. This topic does just that.
His contribution will also provide seed money to fund our next research project. The SMPS Foundation board of trustees’ thought leadership team is working on topic development, so if you or other leaders in your firm or chapter have an idea for a research project, please share it with the foundation.
Again, we are excited about the future of SMPS and the SMPS Foundation. We hope to work together to transform business through marketing leadership. With Andy’s contribution as well as yours, we will be able to continue to conduct research projects that will help you and your firms to succeed.
Here are four ways you can make a contribution:
1) Giving Tuesday: Consider making a donation to the SMPS Foundation on Giving Tuesday, November 28, 2017.
2) Text2Give: To participate, text “Give 25” (to give $25, but you can enter any amount) to 703-991-6181 and follow the prompts. You do not need to include the $ character.
3) Renewal: When you receive your annual SMPS membership dues renewal, simply enter the amount and hit Submit Donation to make a contribution to the SMPS Foundation.
4) Online: Visit the SMPS Foundation webpage and support the foundation by making a donation.
Again, a huge thank you goes out to Member #1, Andy Zinsmeyer. Thank you for your support of the SMPS Foundation as well as the entire SMPS organization. As many of already know, Andy ends all of his SMPS emails with “SMPSly” so I’m sure he won’t mind me paying homage to the great term he coined.
SMPSly,
Melissa
SMPS Foundation President Melissa Lutz, FSMPS, CPSM, is principal at Champlin Architecture. She can be reached at melissa.lutz@thinkchamplin.com or 513.241.4474, x116.
