For those of you who attended the 2019 Annual Conference at the Pearlstone Center in Reisterstown, Maryland received a copy of this report from Joe Rodin who recently concluded a three-year term as the USTA President. During the Annual Meeting that was held on Friday, September 13, 2019 at the conference, Joe discussed a list of the accomplishments of the USTA Board, along with goals that the Board is currently progressing on and others for which they aspire to move forward.
WHAT WE’VE DONE THE LAST TWO YEARS
Significant Reduction in Administrative Costs by $20,000, annually.
This year we gave a raise to Renae Davies’ association management company, because of the extra time Renae dedicates to the USTA. However, we are still paying the company around $20,000 less than what we previously paid for staffing.
Completed a buyout of our office lease at a savings to the USTA of $20,000.
After attempting for around a year to sublet our office space in Middlefield, Ohio, a small town in Amish country, we negotiated with the landlord for a buyout of the lease, This settlement saved us around $20,000 over what we would have paid over the 3.8 years left in the lease (a savings of around 40%). We are now completely free from this lease obligation and we no longer pay any rent or utilities in addition to paying Renae’s association management company.
Restoration and digitization of Milton’s video library.
Trager International has agreed to fund a project for restoration and digitization of Milton’s video library, which is currently in the initial stages. This proposal was the brainchild of Richard Mack, a member of both the USTA and Foundation Boards, and he worked with the Foundation, especially fellow Foundation Board member Anna Marie Bowers, to craft and submit the application for the grant that was approved.
Cutting-edge USTA website plus video content, with savings of over $5,000.
The value of this website and subsequent updates is in the $9,000-12,000 range. We paid $3,500. Many thanks to Fernando Rojas-Otero and the website committee for this cutting-edge showcase of the Trager Approach and of our Trager community online.
Ongoing website updating, saving over $2,000.
Including online Conference registration, added videos, changes to the many pages, and additional updates and edits, we’ve received over $3,000 worth of work for the highly reduced and generous fee of $200 per month. We’ve paid over $1,000 of this amount with limited funds from the marketing committee supplemented with ongoing personal donations to the marketing committee, many by various Board members themselves on behalf of helping the organization’s efforts through the website.
USTA Website bringing new clients to our Practitioners.
We’ve had one Board member tell us that several new clients have come into his practice specifically from the new USTA website, that has brought him more than $1,000 of new business.
Free and Discounted Trager Websites for Members, value of $800-$1,500.
These new website offers have been in play for just a few weeks. Some members have already taken advantage of this and have new websites up and running through our program!
The USTA Conference
The Board can’t take any credit for the USTA Conference, as it has been conceived, arranged and executed in full by Madelana Ferrara and the Conference committee, with Renae’s assistance. Fernando created the online Conference registration forms. Thank you, all.
Trager Talk Newsletter, with consolidated, central mailings.
Renae and the many monthly contributors have created professional, educational Trager Talk newsletters, and we’ve also simultaneously made our email contact more efficient, elegant and centralized.
New Gary Brownlee Streaming DVD
With the generosity of Gwen Crowell, who’d originally videotaped Gary demonstrating moves and then working with a client with Parkinsonism, this shoot has been re-edited by a Board member, with the assistance of a videographer (who was paid with donations from the Board member). The clips will be released over time, in streaming format, to all Trager Practitioner members.
New Milton Streaming DVD
Again, as the recipients of Gwen Crowell’s archive, a Board member and a videographer have edited a demonstration by Milton, which will be released freely to all Practitioners in streaming format upcoming. This DVD includes table work, Mentastics®, and a heavy dose of Milton’s wisdom, explaining what he’s doing and the principles animating it. While the production value is a little dated and dark, it’s still a gem to be appreciated by all the members. Look for info in the upcoming Trager Talks about the new streaming DVDs.
Vouchers to offset the cost of dues at renewal.
We are planning to offer a $150 voucher to Practitioners renewing in 2020, to be used for specific USTA sponsored classes around the country with at least six various Instructors who have agreed to donate their time and expertise on behalf of our Trager Community. We’re also in the midst of creating other vouchers to offer renewing Practitioners, to fully offset the cost of membership.
Simplified online renewal
Fernando and Renae created the simple online renewal form which included the elimination of the $5 tutor renewal fee.
Streamlined QuickBooks Records and Monthly Financial Reports
Renae has revised our QuickBooks bookkeeping system, automated monthly financial reports and revised our database. She’s also set up QuickBooks for the Conference registrations.
UPCOMING ASPIRATIONS
Create a more inviting experience for new Trager students by:
Eliminating or reducing Student membership dues and offsetting the loss of income by adding a surcharge to the cost of trainings until we can more significantly reduce our operating expenses.
Encourage the streamlining of requirements for students to progress, and tailor them to the lives of professionals.
Encourage the Creation of New Continuing Education Curriculum for Health Care Practitioners and others.
We are encouraging the creation of themed Introductory Workshops and Immersions to appeal to nurses, acupuncturists, chiropractors, massage therapists and other health care provider demographics taught by approved Introductory Workshop Leaders with a passion or expertise in given areas. Some Board members and We’ve started consolidating information about this exciting project on a webpage, AppliedTrager.org.
Encourage Updating the Certification Track Curriculum
To appeal to licensed health care practitioners and sophisticated somatic practitioners, who demand more clinically informed information, we would like to encourage the inclusion on the why and the when of Trager, including contraindications, applications, and current relevant concepts of polyvagal theory, neural tracts, motor control theory, muscle chain sequencing, neural inhibition, epigenetics, as they relate to Trager.
Encourage Streamlining and Augmenting Tutor Application and Training Track process.
For situations in which there is a dearth of classes where Tutor Trainees can assist and train to fulfill the requirements in the current Tutor Training model, we’ve developed some supplemental ideas to propose for consideration.
Encourage modifications of the Instructor Training Track Process, in specific circumstances.
We want to encourage a new crop of enthusiastic potential Instructors and find ways to address issues wherein some potential Instructors are disheartened with various requirements that have become especially cumbersome due to the current lack of class training opportunities.
Level 1 Trager Student, and Level 2 Trager Student, Designations.
We would like to suggest that, upon completion of requirements for advancement to their next level, Students will be allowed to communicate that they have a Level 1 (or 2) Trager certificate, which they will be asked to clarify as a Student designation. This will promote name recognition, reward Students for their work and investment, and continue to protect the integrity of the Trager Practitioner designation.
Trager Practitioners to describe their Trager work within the legal guidelines of their state.
We want give Practitioners the opportunity to describe their Trager work within the guidelines of their state laws and licensure rather than orchestrate this centrally. This is the policy of several stand-alone somatic education organizations, some having trained students in the hundreds of thousands.
Joseph Rodin
USTA Immediate Past President