SIPA executive director Kerry Stackpole outlines plans for growth and diversification.

Last November, the Association Management Group assumed management of the Specialized Information Publishers Association, following the retirement of its longtime executive director, Patricia Wysocki. AMG's Kerry Stackpole, a 20-year veteran of association management, became executive director. NL/NL's Paul Swift recently asked Kerry Stackpole some initial questions after a couple of months of his running SIPA.

PS: What specific skills and experience do you bring to this job?

KS: Well, I'm the son of a school teacher, so love and respect for the printed word are in my DNA. Having started my association career with the printing industry in the '80s, I'm pretty certain ink still runs in my veins. At the time, the printing industry was just dipping its toes into the coming digital river. I've had a front row seat guiding others through the rapid whitewater of technological change ever since. When you combine over two decades' experience as an association executive with a background in printing and technology, SIPA is simply the best place to be at a great time for our industry.

PS: How do you envision your role during this transition of the association targeting BONLPs (Boring Old Newsletter Publishers) to going after MPBCPs (Multi-Platform Branded Content Providers)?

KS: There's nothing boring about newsletters in today's world. While we're awash with information, the focused insight, information and knowledge provided by newsletter publishing is more valuable than ever.

If you look beyond the borders of traditional print there is an almost infinite array of new media to deliver content and reach new audiences for those who want to go there. My role is to make sure the SIPA community--newsletter publishers and multi-platform content providers--have a front row seat to share ideas as new and emerging media technologies take hold. SIPA members thrive on sharing experiences and ideas with one another, so job #1 is to make sure that happens. It's key to their success and ours too!

PS: Are there major membership building efforts planned to bring in folks who are not traditional newsletter publishers--for example, many of those who spoke at the Las Vegas conference? Assuming the answer to that question is "Yes," how would you outline those efforts? Traditional direct mail? Booths at other organizations' conferences? A vigorous speaking tour?

KS: Yes, we're committed to building a strong, vibrant membership community regardless of the publishing platform of choice. Our Las Vegas conference, which focused heavily on electronic media and search engine marketing, was sold out. There's enormous interest and value in getting traditional and new media around the same table. The benefit to our membership is an understanding and pathway to greater success and profitability. Even if you don't adopt the technology, you need to know what you're competing with.

When it comes to building membership, the answer is "all of the above." We're using every tool available to strengthen our outreach into the publishing community. Working closely with the association's committees we've introduced a new website, revamped the SIPA Hotline newsletter, launched a series of new audio conferences, introduced new database technology, and are working on a host of other new initiatives.

PS: Would any membership-building efforts be handled in-house, by member volunteers, or an outside marketing firm? Or does the Association Management Group have its own marketing team that SIPA could tap into?

KS: Our members understand our market best, so we're very fortunate to have the outstanding leadership of Jim Sinkinson at Infocom Group who chairs our Membership Committee, Ed Coburn of Harvard Health Publications chairing our Branding Committee, and Andy McLaughlin at PaperClip Communications who is responsible for association publications. Each of these guys has made extraordinary contributions to the redesign of the SIPA website, launch the new electronic marketing and membership development materials, and enhance our publications like the newly designed SIPA Hotline.

One of the great benefits of partnering with AMG is ready in-house access to a great team of professional marketing and design folks alongside other experienced association leaders who can share and collaborate on membership building ideas.

PS: Do you see SIPA being as active, or more so or less so, in Washington-legal areas like copyright law and FOIA?

KS: Content is the core asset of our membership. SIPA remains ever vigilant in this arena. We are deeply engaged in protecting members from intellectual property piracy and standing up for First Amendment rights.

SIPA has filed amicus briefs in numerous cases and our members have easy access to one of the top intellectual property law firms in the country.

We network regularly with sister organizations, and the SIPA Government and Legal Affairs Committee under the leadership of member Bob Brady of Business and Legal Reports meets regularly to review developments and issues that arise from Congress, the executive branch and elsewhere.

PS: Any new member benefits planned? For example, shoring up the chapters and perhaps even adding new ones? Staging more one-day conferences and workshops around the country? More or different types of audio conferences? Special reports?

KS: Absolutely. SIPA has a strong package of member benefits today--local chapters, liability insurance, legal counseling, special interest groups, community listservs, publisher's roundtables, special reports, research, and more.

At its December meeting the SIPA board gave its blessing to expand our evaluation and selection of new programs and services of interest and value to members.

This spring we'll be hosting a new workshop, Transformation in the Digital Age, a one-day program addressing the interface between technology and print media.

We'll also be adding new subjects to our audio conferences and looking for new delivery vehicles for our research, special reports and "members-only" content.

PS: One of our subscribers told us he is seriously considering not renewing his membership to SIPA because, "We get better marketing information from NL/NL and MarketingSherpa." He wants to know why he should renew his SIPA membership.

KS: We consistently hear from members that the marketing information shared at SIPA events, in Hotline and through special interest groups is one of the key benefits of membership. Attendance at our marketing conferences grows every year.

If we have a member who truly feels this way, we need to talk so we can get him plugged into the right opportunities. Obviously he is not benefiting from the great wealth of marketing information shared through SIPA and is missing a tremendous benefit of membership. The SIPA Board and staff both welcome and invite members to share their thoughts directly with us at anytime.

PS: Another disgruntled member is unhappy with Hotline. "Why," he asks, "did Hotline suspend publication for a month, why hasn't the D.C. chapter met for a month, and why is the new Hotline typographically very hard to read (at least to my 64-year-old eyes)? There's almost nothing in Hotline for editors and there's almost nothing for CFOs." Kerry, could you please comment?

KS: SIPA is in the midst of some big changes, so we've chosen to do some things a little differently than in the past. Hotline's a great example. We opted for one issue in December instead of two to help smooth the transition to its new design and content. The SIPA Publications Committee led by Andy McLaughlin at PaperClip Communications conducted a survey of our readers asking for their ideas and suggestions for improving Hotline's content and value. With member feedback in hand, the committee went to work on everything--from content to calendars--to strengthen and enhance the usefulness of the newsletter.

There are new features and content coming every issue so we think readers will find lots of things focused on their personal interests. We're all committed to making Hotline a "must-read," so we welcome readers' feedback--it's how we get better every issue.

There are exciting new developments with the SIPA D.C. chapter too! The chapter has formed a program advisory board for 2007 under the volunteer leadership of Cindy Carter at FDANews and Jeanne Jennings of The Jennings Report.

For 2007, D.C. chapter members can expect fresh program offerings and new social events sure to please. I don't want to spoil any surprises so let me just say--stay tuned, an announcement will be forthcoming.

SIPA, 8201 Greensboro Drive, #300, McLean, VA 22102, 703-610-0260, fax [phone], www.newsletters.org