Managers in Miami, Florida, have joined the ranks of S.A.M. The Miami senior chapter was presented with its charter on December 18 by S.A.M. National President John McGuinness.
John Palumbo, manager of sales administration for General Development Corporation in Miami, has been the driving force behind the newest S.A.M. senior chapter.
Palumbo first read about S.A.M. in an AMACOM publication and decided that it was an organization he would like to join. Unfortunately, he discovered that there was no local chapter. Following a steady correspondence over a period of several months, Palumbo decided to follow S.A.M.’s suggestion and start a local chapter himself. It took months to organize and get together a steering committee, but the chapter held its first meeting in October. The response was very positive, and by December it had the 25 paid members necessary for chartering.
The Miami chapter brings a bonus with it. One of its members is Milton Alderfer, associate professor of management at Miami Dade Community College North. Alderfer brought 20 of his students with him to a chapter meeting and went away so enthused that he is planning on starting a campus chapter at the college.
Palumbo is very optimistic about the future of the Miami chapter. “I’ve set as my goal the doubling of our membership by the end of next year,” he said. But he added that the goal was probably low, and that he would not be surprised if the membership drive was even more successful.
Palumbo feels that S.A.M. is exactly what managers in Miami need to bring them together. Although many people regard Miami as strictly a retirement community, Palumbo asserts that there is a wealth of talented managers in the area. “The primary purpose of the chapter will be to upgrade the professionalism of the manager in this area,” he says. “There is a great deal of talent here that companies simply don’t know about. Now, when a managerial position opens, a company might put an ad in The Wall Street Journal and import someone in here. They don’t have to do that-the talent is right around the corner.”
The chapter’s first seminar is planned for January. At it, members will discuss long- and short-range planning. SAM-NI
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