Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2011 - 89

attention, and the opportunity to interact with professionals who are at the
top of their fields. The next Elite Training event is in the planning stages, and
we believe it will build on the success of the one offered this past summer.
Our secondary schools are benefitting from the new Rigging Safety
Initiative, a wildly popular program in which the Institute promotes safety
to young technicians in our industry. By funding inspections and training
at the high school level, we are providing a much-needed service that
hasn't systematically been available in the past. Many schools have indicated that they want both training and inspections to ensure that safe operations are being conducted in their theatres.
When pairing these initiatives with discounts from a variety of corporations the value of USITT membership continues to grow. Last year we
developed a fruitful relationship with Sally Beauty Supply, which resulted
in significant savings for our members. Sally wasn't aware of the volume
of hair products, wigs, props, and makeup our industry purchases on
an annual basis. This discount has been mutually beneficial to Sally and
USITT. We also entered into a relationship with FedEx last year. This discount provides our members with a more inexpensive way to ship and
track business-related items. The more we all use FedEx, the more we
all save. Our newest partnership is with W.W. Grainger. USITT members
receive free standard shipping, with discounts ranging from ten to fifty
percent on all items in the Grainger catalog, from power tools to the small
parts needed for automation and scenery. These are but a few of the new
"perks" we have developed to bring greater value to your membership.
While our numbers are down slightly, we have continued to see new
people being attracted to our organization. JobsUSITT is a service that is
an indicator of our prestige in the industry. More companies are showing
their confidence in us and are posting their jobs with us.
We will continue to analyze additional ways to benefit to our members while keeping a tight rein on our budget. USITT's leadership
routinely reviews our finances and modes of operation to ensure that we
are providing the highest value for your membership dollars.
The real strength of any organization lies not with the leadership but
with the membership. Whether you are an individual member who belongs
to a regional section, a student chapter, and/or one of the commissions, or

whether you are a contributing or sustaining member, you are what makes
USITT the innovative organization it is. The redesign of our website was an
important step in increasing the ease with which you can access membership and conference information. You have also suggested things such as a
Dropbox-type depository to store by-laws, charters, and other records you
are graciously willing to share with others. We have heard you and are acting on these suggestions. You are the greatest asset we have. Know that you
are a member of an organization that values you! v

Students in the Rigging Track Elite Training Seminar inspect
Silver State Wire Rope's destructive testing rig.

2011

theatre design

& technology

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2011