I’m in Dallas on my way home after a very enjoyable and informative conference in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech University was this year’s host for the National Letterwinners Association; an informal group of Letterwinner and Varsity Alumni associations from dozens of colleges and universities across the U.S. Members run the gamut, from large, stand-alone clubs with full staffs to small clubs run by a few dedicated volunteers. All share a few traits in common, however; a passion for supporting and recognizing the accomplishments of their alumni athletes and a desire to help other clubs do the same. Over the course of a few days, we discuss topics ranging from growing your membership and managing data to new ideas for revenue and events. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of attending the NLWC every year except once since 2002, and it is one of the high points of my year. There was lots of laughing and learning and a great time was had by all. I also had the opportunity to help lead a discussion on the impact of social networking and I’ll share my thoughts in a future post. I think it’s applicable to any organization that is based, at least in part, on a shared affinity.

I was very happy to be able to re-connect with long-term clients like Ohio State and Michigan, as well as getting to know one of our newest clients, LSU. It reaffirms what I love about WhoGlue’s business model; to provide a long-term technology solution that helps our clients with everything they need to manage membership and donor data, support business processes and events, and provide their members with benefits like a searchable directory and lifetime email forwarding. We don’t sell a shrink-wrapped box and cash the check; we enter long-term relationships with our clients with the goal of providing affordable technology that grows and evolves to meet new requirements over time. The best thing about this is that our clients have become some of my best friends.

What a great (and tiring) week! I’m looking forward to attending the 2010 NLWC next June in Notre Dame. If you’d like to learn more about the NLWA, check out the website at www.nlwa.org.

April 24, 2000…I resigned from the last real job I ever had to start a company. I had a vision (OK, an obsession) to build a technology that helped people connect. It’s been quite a ride, and sometimes it’s seemed like 90 years instead of 9, but here we are in 2009, alive and kicking. We have a lot to be proud of and thankful for; an awesome team, great technology, and the best customers any company could ever hope for.

In honor of this special day, I decided that we needed a new website. Rather than a static site that reads like a brochure, we want something that lets us have a conversation with our clients, prospects, and the occasional insomniac. We’ll share our ideas, beliefs, opinions, and maybe a joke or two. We’ll tell you about what we’ve learned and what we’re still trying to figure out, and I hope you find it interesting enough to come back and visit every now and then.

Wholigans rule!