Why Recognize Admins and not other Staff?

I respectfully decline to agree with admins that don't believe we should have a day of recognition.  It's a topic of conversation within our administrative community of peers..and quite the hot button topic if I do say so myself...

There are other professionals that have their day of recognition.  There's Nurses Day and Teacher's Appreciation Day etc... and perhaps it is just recognition fatigue.  Kind of like that fatigue that sets into parents about the fourth week of a new school year when their kid is coming home with enough forms to cover the DC Beltway.  Enough. Right?!

Well, I see both points of view... and if my supervisor came to me and said we're not going to do anything special for the admin team this year for Administrative Professionals Day, I probably wouldn't like it but I wouldn't be surprised.   Most executives and teams only think about the admin that supports THEM. 

Then we have the administrative professionals that don't want to be known as administrative professionals.  They insist on telling you that their title is -- Coordinator or Project Associate or Team Lead.... That's fine. But it's a disservice to the younger professionals coming up behind them AND it gives managerial/human resource staff more leeway to dismiss the importance of the volumed variety of administrative tasks we take on daily.  You know what  you cover in a day.. so if you want to sidestep because the title seems less than.. go right ahead.

So I say to you- to quote a fairly recent song.. Go ahead and hate on me haters. 

I love being an administrative professional. I never have a dull day.  I have to constantly learn new skills and pay attention to what is going on around me.  I'm good at what I do.  I get paid a decent salary and I see myself as a vital part of the success of my workplace. I can celebrate it all by myself..but I'd rather celebrate it with as many of my peers as possible. Why? Because we celebrate the amazing things we accomplish with less resources, less time and less guidance...and we pretty much get the job done right on time.  Kudos my peers... This day is for you!

Coffee,Webinar, Chocolate, Social Media Etiquette & Happy Hour (oh yeah, and IAAP)

Dear chapter members and friends,
Just a quick sneak preview of what will unfold in April 2011 for the Old Town Alexandria Chapter.  But..before I go into all that - We welcome our two newest members!  Pamela Vaughn and Liz Harris!  Good stuff and we're glad to have you with us.

So.. what can you look forward to in April?

• A joint webinar program with Tidewater Chapter - How to setup and deliver a great webinar.   No fee, but donations to help defray costs for pizza and sodas are being accepted.

And we have an AMAZING Administrative Professsionals Week® lined up.. kicking off once again with the DC/MD & VA regional Dunkin Donuts franchises recognizing our celebratory week .. with free coffee coupon on Monday 4/25.  Stay tuned for that link to that offer.  We all know they had a great slogan for us last year.. America runs on Admins that run on Dunkin'.  Love it!

Wednesday, 4/27- Our main event-  6pm at Intelligent Office with our presentation from Ian Gainor, OfficeTeam on Business Etiquette: The New Rules in a Digital Age .  Here's the registration link:
http://otac-apw2011.eventbrite.com/

Thursday, 4/28 for IAAP members and invited guests at Artfully Gifts and Chocolate in Old Town Alexandria (not the Del Ray locale).  The invitation to this event will be sent in the next week and YES! We do get to have chocolate and peruse and shop this amazing boutique store with so many cool items, jewelry, candles, paper goods, artworks and of course, wonderful ACKC chocolates.
We will collect tickets at this event  as space is limited.

Friday, 4/29  * Will you come celebrate the end of APW and unwind with admin peers at Union Street Pub?
As a bonus, I'll also be celebrating my birthday and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than chilling  with good friends at the end of a busy,busy week!

More soon!   [And was I right or WHAT about how fast March went!?!]
Kemetia MK Foley, CPS/CAP
President
OTAC-IAAP

Happy Administrative Professionals Day- Kudos to Old Town Alexandria

Happy Administrative Professionals Day to all administrative professionals.

Just a quick note to remind you that our next chapter meeting will be Monday- May 17, 2010 at 6pm to be held at the American Physical Therapy Association.  APTA is located at 1111 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA.

We will begin the strategic planning process for our chapter for 2010-2011 program year.  
Would you guys be interested in a Happy Hour social for June?  Let us know.

Hope each and every one of you are receiving the kudos and recognition for Administrative Professionals Week!

How about a free coffee to start Administrative Professionals Week?

Check this out!
I'd like to share with you a fantastic! coupon- Super recognition for IAAP and Administrative Professionals throughout our region for Administrative Professionals Week by our regional DC Metro Dunkin' Donuts franchises.  Just print the coupon and take it in to your local DD on Monday, April 19.http://twitpic.com/1fn44d#

This is only good in our region!  There is a URL on the coupon so you can double check participating locations/counties.

Please share it with your admin peers at your work.   It is not just for IAAP members.. it's for all admin professionals in DC Metro region.  Isn't that fantastic?

Also- be sure to go to Twitter.com/ DCDunkin' and follow them on Twitter-  They just may have additional giveaways to celebrate Administrative Professionals Week.

Happy APW!

Kemetia MK Foley, CPS/CAP
President
Old Town Alexandria Chapter
PO Box 320174
Alexandria, VA 22320
otac-iaap.blogspot.com

Administrative Professionals Week- We are celebrating early!

Good morning, chapter members and friends.

It's early Monday morning and I am really thrilled about this week.  For, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 twenty-two members and friends of IAAP have registered for our event. Really!  

We have a wonderful program planned and of course, a great keynote speaker, Doris England, CPS/CAP- our Virginia-West Virginia division president.   Matt Whitaker and his staff at Intelligent Office in Alexandria are hosting our APW event at their superb office space -just off Eisenhower Avenue and Mill Road.  There is plenty of parking and if you are taking Metro- the location is about a 3 block walk from Eisenhower Avenue Station on the Yellow Line.

We can still fit a few more folks- so please register if you are planning on attending-  You can go to this site.  http://otacapw.eventbrite.com/.  This site also has the map and phone for our meeting location. 

Have a great Monday and look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening.

I say.. Let's have some fun!- Administrative Professionals Week Celebration

Hope everyone is enjoying some of the Spring weather here in the DC Metro area.  Myself?  Well, I'm a Northern girl and love the cold and snow. However, I do love seeing all the flowers and trees blooming.

One week from tonight we'll be celebrating Administrative Professionals Week with good friends and good food.  We have over fifteen attendees registered already. I'm really looking forward to this event.

Doris England, CPS/CAP is traveling up from Roanoke, Virginia (a little over four hours) to come share her thoughts on the opportunities for leadership in the administrative field.  Matt Whitaker, our host from Intelligent Office will give us an update on his facility and his company's mission in the modern workplace.

If you haven't had a chance to check out a chapter event yet-- this is a great one to check out.  We'll also have our new chapter badges ready for you to pick up.  Yep!.. We'll take pictures for the blog as well. 

I wish all of you a wonderful April and of course, Administrative Professionals Week.

Respectfully,

Kemetia