Recently I have been preparing to speak at an upcoming PLUS Chapter meeting. In addition, I’ve been to a number of Chapter meetings over the last few months and am coordinating travel to more in the coming months. And, then yesterday I had two incredibly helpful conversations with long-time PLUS members about the history and evolution of the Chapter system. And, all of this has only further illuminated what I thought was true early on – Chapters are important and valuable!

PLUS Chapters provide tremendous networking and educational opportunities for members. This is especially so for those who don’t travel to national conferences, as chapters provide an affordable and convenient way to meet others in the industry and gain knowledge. Additionally, Chapters raise money for the PLUS Foundation through golf outings and other events. Then through the Chapter Charity Program chapters support local charities. In 2014, PLUS Chapters supported 37 charities, distributed over $73,000, and participated in 13 volunteer charity events.

For those not involved in your local chapter, I encourage you to get involved. Participation can help you build new relationships, contribute to the industry, and gain new knowledge. Below is a map of the 13 PLUS Chapters. You also can find out more information about the Chapters on the PLUS Website Chapter Page.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to share with you just a few facts and figures about chapters in 2014.

  • 77 Chapter Events
  • 34 Educational Seminars
  • 32 Networking Events
  • 10 Golf/Sports Events
  • 5,512 Registrations for Chapter Events