President's Letter, Second Quarter 2012
Enhancing the value of CRA membership
As President of the CRA, my intent is to continually look for ways to enhance the value of the CRA to its members. With this intent in mind, your CRA executive team (Officers and Committee Chairs) met in January to talk about key matters that will be discussed at upcoming Area Executive Meetings (Chapter Presidents and Area VPs), at the May Annual Meeting, and in various communications to you over time. This is a status report of matters that may be of interest to you.
Effective CRA communications
It is becoming clear that the CRA can provide most effective communications that supplements chapter newsletters and other member notes if the CRA develops and maintains a consolidated roster of members with addresses. This will facilitate CRA services and information in a timely manner. The process is under development but once we have it put together, it will be a simple matter to keep it updated. This data will be used for CRA purposes only, so privacy and security will be respected.
The CRA is studying ways to communicate most effectively with our members for the purpose of providing useful and timely information that is of interest and of value. The CRA Communications Chair, Dennis Dauphin, is working diligently on the CRA website and working closely with Chapters to link Chapter communications with the CRA website (www.chevronretirees.org). This process requires you to actively seek out the website. Many Chapters, either electronically or by mail, send out a newsletter or other communications to members. Members receive this communication because the Chapter has their home address and perhaps an Email address. This passive approach requires no action on the members’ part.
Combining CRA communication approaches
The CRA is trying to combine these two excellent communication approaches by developing a CRA-wide database of dues-paying member names and addresses and, on a voluntary basis, an Email address. This is very similar to what Chapters are doing, so the process is fairly common throughout the CRA now, but at the Chapter level.
Electronic communications are the most effective, timely and cost efficient way to broadcast services and benefits to CRA members. Having the capability to do this CRA-wide will help us prepare to serve retirees in many ways. It is also a way to attract and retain newly retired men and women to the CRA. They are steeped in electronic communications and will expect this from the CRA. The CRA is still developing the best approach to assure privacy and security. We may consider using an expert third party service in this regard. Our Demographics Chair Frank Coe will coordinate this process.
My request to each member is to please cooperate and provide the information requested when asked so the CRA can continue to serve you well. If you don’t have an Email address, the CRA will continue to provide information to you as in the past.
CRA 2020 – the future of the CRA
The 2020 Team Chairs (John Bulla, John Dewes) and Demographics Chair Frank Coe provided the framework for a discussion of the future of the CRA. The year 2020 was chosen as a convenient future date to use as a benchmark. At that time, we see the CRA about 11,000 strong, down from the current 14,000. Chevron provided an actuarial look at the next twenty years of expected retirees from Chevron and the legacy companies. There is little change in the total number over the next twenty years but service records will be shorter and many may have another career. The implications of this are complex but certainly, the CRA will change. We expect that Chapters and Areas with no source of future retirees to shrink; those with a source of new retirees will prosper.
Changes in the South Atlantic Seaboard Area (SASA)
This is happening now in the South Atlantic Seaboard Area (SASA). Effective March 1, 2012 SASA is dissolved and chapters are reassigned as follows. All Florida Chapters and Social Groups are part of the Gulf Coast Area (James Mouille Area VP), all Georgia and North Carolina chapters are part of the Midwest Area (John Bulla Area VP), the Virginia chapter is part of the North Atlantic Seaboard Area (Kevin Ryan Area VP). This is a temporary arrangement until a more permanent one is determined. This reorganization was made at the request of the SASA Area VP Rudy Treml. He has worked diligently over the past two years but for reasons mentioned above found that chapter interest and leadership was diminishing. All affected chapters are OK with the change and will continue to lead and serve their members. Those chapters in the former SASA who are having difficulty were and are encouraged to become a Social Group, which does not require structured, chapter activities but encourages social activities and still remain part of the CRA. Others without access to fellow retirees because of distance and the like are encouraged to join the Unaffiliated Area (Chris Lardge, Area VP). This allows retirees and spouses to continue the CRA links.
CRA leaders and members share a common bond
One thing became clear to me during this change is how dedicated a core of leaders and members the CRA has. No matter what our work history, we share a common bond. This is great to see and makes me proud of what the CRA does. Changes will occur in the future, but the CRA and leaders at all levels (Chapters, Areas, National) will work to continue providing CRA benefits and services.
Newer retirees will have diverse needs
As mentioned, the CRA will see shorter service retirees graduate from Chevron. They will not have the traditional benefits that many of us enjoy. This means that the CRA will have to respond to a variety and diversity of needs in order to continue to attract and retain new members. The most effective way to do this is at the Chapter level. The CRA Membership Advisor (Charlie Rhoads) is working on ways to help Chapters recruit new members. National will look at benefits and services that are needed to attract and retain new Chevron graduates.
It is important to keep in mind that the CRA spans a time frame that may be as long as or longer than a career at Chevron. To this end, we need to appeal to many needs in order to stay relevant. That is why I am requesting you to cooperate fully to requests for information and data from you to help the CRA prosper into the future and serve you well.
Vic Revenko, CRA President
16 Deer Park Ave
San Rafael, CA 94901
415 453 3679
revenkocra@aol.com