NPA Newsroom: Board Reports

Welcome to the summary NPA Board of Directors Update Report. The NPA Board of Directors has a commitment to provide a real update of what is happening in Network Professional Association to our membership. Herein are some highlights. Please refer to your member page for more details.

The Board of Directors is a dedicated group of volunteer individuals continuing the daunting task of managing a volunteer association. Having enough volunteers to meet the needs of the Association is always a battle. Every board member is available for you to contact and comment. Contact us on the Director's page.

Effective July 2007, volunteers assumed the responsibility for the day-to-day basic business activities of the Association - finances, budget, customer response, audits, strategic planning. Association members are committed to helping NPA prosper. Please update your records with our contact information.

Board of Directors Meetings - Meetings held the 4 Tuesday of the Month by conference call; agenda submissions deadline 2 days prior; send submissions and requests to attend to NPA Chairman

January 2009, The Network Professional Association® (NPA), held elections for seats on the International Board of Directors. Individuals on the Board of Directors represent the will of the membership and are guardians of the Association. The NPA Board of Directors is responsible for strategic development and executive management of the Association.

NPA is pleased to announce the results of the 2009 elections: Please welcome Bill Maynard and Chris Quintanilla as new directors and James Belasco, Stephen Ibaraki, Barry Sellers as re-elected by the voting membership.

The NPA operates a staggered election process to preserve continuity of governance with several current board members continuing to serve while other board members terms expire and as new members are elected. Interim vacancies are filled by appointment. In 2007 the Board of Directors was expanded to include seats for chapter presidents. There are currently 4 chapters with active representatives on the Board: Richard Kelley (Los Angeles Chapter), Tony Atkinson (San Diego Chapter), Tyler Wang (Inland Empire Chapter). Ron Salazar (Orange County Chapter). Christine Carter, Chair of the Committee for Awards for Professionalism, was seated by appointment August 2008.

The NPA Board of Directors is a working leadership board and members serve without compensation in order to support the needs of the Association representing the international networking professional. Board members contribute to the NPA with their time and skills in a variety of management and technical capacities in addition to their leadership.

Biographical information and contact information for all NPA Board Members is located on the NPA website under About NPA: Leadership

February 2009, NPA announced the 8th annual Awards for Professionalism. Visit www.AwardsForProfessionalism.org for all the details. Nominations are open. NPA expects many submissions to receive these coveted award recognitions. You can nominate yourself or someone else in the form of a written position statement by April 13, 2009. If you have done something really extraordinary this last year, you are encouraged to take the opportunity to recognize yourself. External awards are a great accomplishment by themselves and look even better to current and future employers. Additionally, NPA uses members and accomplished industry representatives as part of the judging process. To join the judging team, submit your request to awards@npa.org.

Looking for a chapter to join? NPA has new chapters forming and is seeking leaders for more. Send your interest to chair@npa.org. New chapters are now forming in the geographic areas of Raleigh North Carolina and the Rocky Mountains. Also, the NPA WiPRO SIG chapter, an internet based virtual chapter focused on wireless technologies, is forming.

Planning on attending Interop 2009 in Las Vegas? Perhaps this is the year to do so. Join NPA at our booth on the show floor and our Member Dinner Meeting. Watch for details coming soon. Meet fellow NPA members, award winners and enjoy a fun time. This will be a great opportunity to discuss ideas for change and growth in the NPA.

Looking for ways to be involved? To get more from your NPA membership? With just a few hours a month, you can help make a difference. Here are some prospects, what others can you think of?

Chapters - Chapters are looking for all sorts of help virtual and locally. It is a constant process to find and develop relationships leading to events. You can be a great help composing advertisements and announcements, contacting attendees, and expanding mailing lists.

NPJ - This NPJ seeks more participants on the Content Committee. Assist in improving the quality of content and range of information published. Meet and communicate with industry authors and companies obtaining the information IT Pros want to know.

CNP - The Certified Network Professional program is growing. NPA members interested in the promotion of the CNP designation and its positioning as an industry standard representing ethics and the best in professionalism, educations and experience, are challenged to bring your best ideas to the program.

What are the member, sponsor and partner opportunities with the NPA? The Network Professional Association is for and by network computing professionals. NPA invites people and companies in all the trades of network computing to associate themselves with the NPA.

Professional ($175 US first year/$125 renew) open to individuals who are in possession of a valid and current IT certification, specifically related to the computer networking industry, where the certification requires one or more exams OR has two years of specific network industry experience.

Member ($175 US first year/$125 renew) available to those in the process of obtaining a valid certification, specifically related to the computer networking industry, where the certification requires one or more exams OR is employed in the network industry will be accepted as a substitution.

Student ($35 per year) Student membership is open to anyone currently enrolled as a fulltime student in an accredited educational institution or technical, private school and who does NOT currently hold an industry certification.

Executive ($1,000 per year) available for any company that is interested in advancing the purposes of the NPA and that utilizes or is part of the computer networking industry, where industry certification is a recognized standard.
NPA also offers packages of memberships to assist companies with the focusing their IT employees on the values of ethics and professionalism:

Employer Sponsored Membership (# of Professionals/Rate: 5/$ 750 10/$ 1,400 15/$ 2.025 20/$ 2,640 25/$ 3,225 50/$ 6,000 100/$11,000) Provides professional association membership to eligible professional staff. Individuals are listed as NPA members while sponsored by the Company. Company assigns and retains transferable NPA membership for employees. NPA will provide a single invoice to the Company. Purchase orders accepted.

For companies looking to support the mission of the NPA and to develop market presence with NPA members, consider local sponsor programs and association partner programs. Sponsor and Partner agreements are configured to meet the specific goals of the NPA and partner:

Local Sponsor: Each NPA chapter offers sponsor opportunities to produce local events and meetings. These opportunities range from single events to full participation in the annual calendar. While sponsorship does not include member status the two may be combined.

NPA Partner Program

Strategic Partner
An individual and specialized partnership, reserved for publishing partners and others that truly will support 'professionalism' over product and technical education. A Strategic Partner will campaign with the NPA for higher levels of professionalism and includes an advisory position to NPA.

Enterprise Partner
Provides for a sector of the NPA web site dedicated to your product, information, and service to network professionals. Enterprise Partner status includes recognition and advertising by NPA in web, newsletter and events including email communications to NPA lists.

Premier Partner $10,000
Supporting Partner $2,500/$5,000
Partner status includes recognition and advertising by NPA in web, newsletter and events including email communications to NPA lists.

NPA wants to recognize you! Fellows Program - Designed to provide special recognition for the deserving, the “Distinguished Fellow” is for elite, outstanding, prominent, and distinguished professionals in the networking industry sector with an estimated size of 50 million IT workers in more than 100 countries. The networking industry is the largest and is all-encompassing including the: internet, mobile computing, telecommunications, security, networking, business continuity/disaster recovery, interoperability, IT and corporate governance, privacy/identity, and software/web development.

The “Distinguished Fellow” is the Network Professional Association’s recognition of the elite professional. So what does it mean to be a “Distinguished Fellow” member, what is their role, what type of people become a “Distinguished Fellow”?

Distinguished Fellows (DFs) are chosen based upon outstanding demonstration of Professionalism, Service, Contribution, or Leadership. They are the Global “Hall of Fame” of the Network Computing Industry and Profession. Once selected you join the International College of Distinguished Fellows founded by the NPA. You serve on the NPA Distinguished Fellows Board. Fellows are strong advocates of the Networking Profession and Professionalism. And they promote sustained Service, Contribution and Leadership advocating Professionalism which is the guiding mission of the NPA.

Distinguished Fellows are diverse, leaders, and experienced and support the mission of the NPA. The Distinguished Fellows category requires membership in the NPA.

Once an elite networking professional becomes a “Fellow”, they are authorized to use the DF/NPA or DFNPA designation after their names as a Mark of Distinction. The designation represents “Distinguished Fellow, Network Professional Association.” And the designation may be used on corporate web sites, letterhead, business cards, in your signature block, and for all communications.

Fellows are a class above in the IT profession and Industry, demonstrating professionalism in service, contribution or leadership of network computing and in advocating the role and purpose of the association, the NPA. Requests for consideration for Distinguished Fellow should be directed to membershipservices@npa.org