BNI Western PA: Membership Committee

Considering a role within the Membership Committee of your chapter is a great opportunity to grow as a leader, strengthen your visibility within the chapter, and make a meaningful impact on the chapter's success, as well as your own.  These roles are crucial in ensuring the health and effectiveness of the chapter by maintaining chapter quality and overseeing member growth, retention, compliance, and conflict resolution.  There are four distinct roles within the Membership Committee, and the responsibilities of each different role are listed below.

Membership Committee members plus the Vice President are entrusted with sensitive information regarding member performance, applications, and internal chapter matters.  This makes confindentiality a critical responsibility of the role.  All discussions, evaluations, and basis of decisions must remain strictly private.  Every matter must be handled in accordance with BNI Global and BNI Western PA estabished policies and best practices.

Upholding this standard protects the integrity of the chapter, ensures fairness in decision-making, and fosters trust among the members.  Committee Members are expected to consistently follow BNI's recommendations on privacy, avoid sharing confindential information outside of official committee discussions.

The Member serving as the BNI Membership Committee Specialist is not expected to carry out all the responsibilities indepentently.  Rather to provide leadership and accountability that the process is being followed.  Their primary role is to ensure that BNI policies, procedures, and best practices are consistently followed while supporting collaboration among committee members.  Additionally, the Specialist is responsible for communicating updates, insights, and any relevant information back to the Vice President and Membership Committee to ensure alignment, transparency, adn effective decision-making.

Quality Assurance Specialist

• Ensuring all new Members are high-quality business professionals and have a strategic fit (BNI Classification) within the chapter before being accepted for membership by conducting an:
  • Internet search
  • Online application review
  • Reference check
  • Interview
• Identifying and tracking Membership Committee assignments for new applications
• Keeping Vice-President apprised of new member application process

Community Building Specialist

• Maintaining and communicating growth initiatives, including the Top 10 List of most wanted BNI Classifications for the chapter
• Calling any members who need support with attendance

Member Engagement Specialist

• Keeping track of upcoming 7-Month Check-ins and assigning 7-Month Check-ins to Membership Committee members
• Supporting members in the online renewal process in BNI Connect
• Ensuring all renewals are approved/declined in a timely manner
• Creating a game plan for Members who need additional support to be successful
• Performing coaching moments as needed

Member Relations Specialist

• Handling any constructive facilitation between Members as needed to resolve issues, complaints, or disputes between Members
  • Receiving incoming concerns and complaints, verbal and written
  • Contacting Vice-President and Director Consultant as soon as a written complain is submitted
  • Helping to make arrangements to follow the process when a written complain is submitted using the Member Complaint Processing Checklist
  • Helping coach or arranging for a mentor or other Membership Committee Member to coach members as needed
  • Bringing the Member Complain Processing Checklist to monthly Chapter Success Meetings when a complaint is in process