Here at the ICA offices, we constantly look for opportunities to improve your membership experience. We hope our efforts help make your decision to renew an easy one! These are a few examples.

The latest push at the Phoenix conference combined multi-media efforts to enhance communications between conference attendees. Conference registrants witnessed the unveiling of a pronounced Twitter presence coming from various interest groups, divisions and from the conference organizers. The new conference mobile app was also, by all accounts, a huge hit. Features like instant access to session descriptions, Twitter, Google Maps, and more made the app a worthwhile venture.

Communication Director John Paul Gutierrez is doing an outstanding job connecting ICA scholars and our latest research with both traditional and new media outlets and is our latest effort in promoting ICA members’ interests.

We continue to foster organizational growth through regional conferences such as the forthcoming "Trends in International and Latin American Communication Research," cosponsored by ICA and our member colleagues at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Registration to that event is now open. Look for the big sidebar ad on the website to access.

We have expanded several features on our website:

• a new and more versatile "Find a colleague" section with multilevel search capabilities
• social networking opportunities like blogging, personal friend groups, forums
• video archives of special events, plenary sessions, keynote addresses, professional workshops, papers, and panels from our very successful Phoenix conference and  its accompanying virtual conference
• ICA’s Facebook and LinkedIn groups, Twitter feeds and the various member social groups
• ICA Community "groups," communication links. Leaders can communicate with their groups easily via email through our website utility. 

The first of October marks the beginning of a new membership year. Your membership dues invoice is now online. Why not get a head start and renew your membership now so that you don't have to rush later?

Start your renewal process here:
http://www.icahdq.org/cgi-shl/Dues.exe?Run:RENEW

As you renew, we ask that you consider donating to one or more of the many ICA funds listed on your renewal form. Two new funds have been added. The Communication and Technology Division has established the Frederick Williams Prize for Contributions to the Study of Communication Technology honoring the former ICA President and founding dean of the Annenberg School for Communication. The Student Travel Aid Resource (STAR) Fund has also been established by the Organizational Communication Division to assist rising organizational communication scholars with conference expenses. Both sections ask that you consider adding them to your list of contributions this year.

Finally, we ask you to consider saving resources by opting OUT of receiving hard copies of journals you do not often use. Remember, they are all available to you online. Journal selection is the final step of the renewal process.

Our goal is to make this association your MOST VALUABLE professional asset. We value your ideas and your membership and hope that you will take just a few more minutes to renew and explore our website to learn about our new initiatives. 

Thank you for being an ICA member! Best wishes for the coming year.