Letter from the President - January 2013
I don’t know about your end of the world, but on the AUGI side of things we have been very busy. Since Autodesk University 2012, a number of new things have come online and we need people getting engaged at higher levels of the organization.
The biggest news in probably 10 years is the formal launch of the AUGI paid membership plans! The Basic (free) membership plan is still in effect of course. But the added plans for Premier and Professional have really brought the smell of fresh air to the organization. We now have ways for the membership to help the organization’s financial stability as well as ways for members to get a lot more from what AUGI has to offer.
AUGIWORLD
We are continuing to provide a great magazine for the Autodesk industry and now you can get it in print! We’ve heard from our members over the years and one of things we are always told is that they often print the magazine in order to read it. Well, now can do that for them – and in the way a magazine is supposed to done.
AUGI.com
The main portal to the organization is the website and it has also been “in the shop” with changes as part of the new membership plans. One major change is the lock down of the archives for HotNews and AUGIWORLD. We’ve now enabled only paid members to do the research and access the archives of our past publications in support of their typical manager level type work.
AUGI ADN
Again aligned heavily with professionals in the Autodesk industry, we’ve partnered with the Autodesk Developer Network (ADN) to bring ADN access to AUGI Professional members for 2013. This is *huge* for those consultant and training types since ADN membership at the Standard level is $1400/year. For just a $100 (*see below) you get AUGIWORLD in print and access to ADN for 2013. What you do with your ADN is up to you, but typical uses are access to beta software to prepare for the new crop of software from Autodesk. Others go further and use the ADN to develop custom programs within their own firms or even to bring products to market.
*Until February 1, 2013, AUGI Professional Membership is $75 for the 1st year.
There is more still, check it all out for yourself and then upgrade yourself. {page_1}account/register
Meanwhile, what else? We have initiated the Local User Group system development for AUGI.com. This is totally new and will bring LUGs into the website such that they can active update group information and that information will be accessible to those looking to attend LUG meetings. We have partnered with Autodesk for the development for the LUG system and their sponsorship is very much appreciated. Just as much as AUGI wants to see LUGs grow and succeed and Autodesk does as well. Are you a member of a LUG? Make sure we know about them (via the list http://www.augi.com/user-groups/local/local-usergroup-list) and if not there contact our LUG Director.
Following this development will be addressing the login issues at AUGI.com. We will be looking at this with a clean slate of programming to solve the little annoyances that have plagued our members trying to log into the website reliability and repeatedly.
Late 2012 we held our annual AUGI Board of Directors vote. It is with great pleasure that I can announce that R. Robert Bell and Scott Wilcox were re-elected to the Board and we have a new member, Michael Smith, as well. Congrats to all who won the opportunity serve the organization in this way.
Then during the January 2013 AUGI Board of Directors meeting, the Board has appointed Bob Bell as Vice President for 2013 and have reconfirmed Desirée Mackey as Treasurer, Melanie Perry as Secretary, and myself to continue as President. I and my fellow executives are excited to help manage the daily needs of the organization and expect a very interesting and rewarding 2013.
Lastly, scheduling. You may have noticed that HotNews came out late this month. Actually it isn’t late but rather on-schedule. We have flipped the release schedule between AUGIWORLD and HotNews such that AUGI is early in the month (and the month prior for print recipients) and HotNews is later.
And with that, this letter is a wrap!