Better Investing - Northwest Indiana

JULY 2005

TRAINING ON DEMAND (TOD)

In an on-going effort to improve our educational offerings, the Northwest Indiana Chapter has created a multi-tiered program to bring directors, information and education to clubs and groups. We are calling this Training on Demand (TOD). We have a variety of classes available, or will tailor the materials to suit the needs of your group. These offerings can be for the club, or for an individual.

PROGRAM OFFERINGS:

Level 1 - Standard Club Visit - $20.00 (or actual mileage)

Our Standard Club Visit covers any organizational or operational concerns your club or group may have, as well as a general Question and Answer session. The director will spend approximately 60-90 minutes at your meeting and will discuss issues such as (but not limited to):

Starting a club; What NAIC has to Offer; Choosing an Accounting System; Choosing a Broker; Revamping your Bylaws; Resolving Club Conflicts; Keeping Members Motivated; Developing or Improving your Education Program; General Question and Answer with a Director; etc.

The Standard Club Visit will cost $20 within the 7-county area to cover the cost of transportation. The fee will be collected at the time of the visit.

Level 2 - One-on-One Training - $30.00/hour (+)

Everyone needs a little private instruction from time to time, and our directors and instructors are willing to provide it. We will meet with you on a per-hour basis, at a mutually agreed upon time and location. This could be a library study room, restaurant or coffee shop. We will do our best to accommodate each request.

The One-on-One Training Sessions will cost $30 per hour. For payment requirements, please review the General Guidelines below.

Level 3 - Club Portfolio Review - $50.00 (+)

New to our roster is the Club Portfolio Review. Clubs or groups can submit their Valuation Statement and SSGs for review by our Directors. After soliciting opinions from other instructors/directors on your stocks, a director will created Portfolio Management Reports and analyze the basics, such as portfolio diversification by size and sector, financial quality, and other fundamental aspects. We do not make buy or sell recommendations, but rather provide your club the with necessary information to make those decision on your own. A director will deliver and review the results in a 60-90 minute session with your club or group.

The Club Portfolio Review will cost $50. For payment requirements, please review the General Guidelines below.

Level 4 - Standard Road Class - $10/person, $60 minimum (+)

A Standard Road Class is a 60-minute, instructional class performed by a Chapter instructor. It will require a meeting location suitable to accomodate our projection equipment (including a screen or blank wall). Currently we are providing the following topics:

NAIC Software Reviews; Judgments on the SSG; When to Sell; Basic Portfolio Management

The Standard Road Class will cost $10 per person with a $60 minimum. For payment requirements, please review the General Guidelines below.

Level 5 - Full Road Class - $20/person, $200 minimum (+)

Any club or group can request a private training for any Full Class that is listed on our current year's Chapter Class Schedule. Most of these classes will run 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The full-day classes will be considered two classes, and the fees will apply to each half. They require a meeting location suitable to accommodate our projection equipment (including a screen or blank wall).

The cost of a Full Road Class will e $20 per person with a minimum of $200. For payment requirements, please review the General Guidelines section below.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

First, it is important to understand that the BI instructors who serve our Chapter-from people who answer phones, process your class registrations, teach the classes or visit your club meetings-are all volunteers. No one is paid to perform these services. All fees go to actual expenses, and to fund future educational endeavers. We will do our best to accommodate your needs, but club visits and road classes are subject to director availability. We appreciate your patience and flexibility.

Here's how it works:

To request a club visit or training, you may download an application from the files menu on the left side of this page. Complete the form and e-mail or mail it to the address on the form. A director will contact you shortly thereafter. If you have questions, call the Chapter President at 219-465-0587.
The initial request must be made at least 2 weeks in advance for a One-on-One Training, one month in advance for Club Visits and Standard Road Classes, and 2 months in advance for Full Road Classes. On the application you will be asked to include two or more preferred dates and other pertinent information. Scheduled dates, times and locations will be mutually convenient for both the club and the director/instructor.
Your club or group will be responsible for securing and paying for the facility or meeting room for the club visit or training and it must be suitable to accommodate our projection equipment (including screen or blank wall). You will be responsible for confirming a head count 48 hours in advance of the class.
There will be no minimum number of attendees required, but please refer to each class level for fee, as some may be cost-prohibitive for smaller clubs or groups.
Payment for a Standard Club Visit or One-on-One Training will be collected at the time of the visit. Payment for a Club Portfolio Review, Standard or Full Road Classes must be received 2 weeks in prior to the scheduled date or it will be cancelled. A full refund will be issued if the class is cancelled at least 7 days in advance. No refund will be issued with 7 days of the scheduled date (provisions will be made for unforeseen events).
For the purpose of our fees, the 8-county area includes Elkhart, Kosciusko, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Porter, St. Joseph and Stark Counties.
Clubs can cut costs by inviting other clubs from their area to participate in these events. This will spread the cost of actual mileage among more attendees.
We will make every attempt to combine trainings for clubs or groups who request small topics.

If you have any questions about the program, or any of our regularly scheduled events, please contact our Chapter President, Martha Branion, at romulus@adsnet.com.