If you do not see a chapter near you on the accompanying lists, and are interested in establishing a chapter in your area, please read over the Guidelines for Potential Chapter Coordinators and, if you are interested contact Jeff Cornish at WFS headquarters. WFS also offers a member-exclusive Linkedin site and a Facebook page that is open to the public.
Thank you for showing an interest in becoming a chapter leader for the World Future Society. This document will give you a brief overview of the objectives, activities, and functions of our chapters, as well as some idea of the responsibilities of chapter leaders.
OBJECTIVES:
Futurists are concerned about the world as a whole, but that effective action to achieve a better future generally takes place in one's local area. A local futurist group enables futurists in a given area to get to know each other, share ideas, and work together to educate the community about future possibilities.
A local chapter affiliated with the World Future Society is expected to support the Society's objectives:
1. To contribute to a reasoned awareness of the future and the importance of its study, without advocating particular ideologies or engaging in political activities.
2. To advance serious and responsible investigation of the future.
3. To promote the development of methods for the study of the future.
4. To increase public understanding of future-oriented studies.
5. To facilitate communication and cooperation among organizations and individuals interested in studying or planning for the future.
A local chapter should focus its attention on the future but not become over-specialized in any one aspect of the future. It is also extremely important that the local group not align itself with any particular political party, religious group, or other outside enterprise so that potential members or participants will not feel that their viewpoints would not receive a fair hearing.
ACTIVITIES:
Meetings. Most active chapters hold monthly or bi-monthly meetings with programs. Some chapters also hold "networking" meetings, where members meet with each other without a formal program.
Field trips. Many chapters sponsor trips to local facilities of interest, such as museums, exhibits, animal reserves, observatories, etc.
Conferences. Chapters also sponsor small conferences, usually one- or two-day affairs, inviting speakers from the local community and from around the world to discuss topics of interest to the local area. Conferences like these offer a good opportunity to attract new members and make a contribution to the local community.
Speeches. Chapter members can be recruited to give presentations to local civic organizations and high school classes in order to "spread the word" about futures-oriented topics to potential new World Future Society members.
Newsletters. Many active chapters publish printed or electronic newsletters on a regular basis to keep their members informed of upcoming activities and to publicize their events.
FUNCTIONS:
Futurists in a given city or area can meet each other face-to-face or electronically and discuss the issues that concern them.
Local experts can be identified and their expertise shared with people in the locality.
A knowledgeable person can make a presentation before people in the community who are interested in what he or she may have to say.
Government officials, business leaders, educators, and others in the local area can become acquainted with the work of the World Future Society and the general field of futures studies.
Local talent can be identified and made known to the World Future Society's headquarters and the global network of futurists. This may lead to important articles in THE FUTURIST and an invitation to speak at a Society General Assembly, Annual Meeting, or at other meetings.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SOCIETY AND ITS CHAPTERS
A local group affiliated with the World Future Society is basically an independent entity. It elects its own officers, levies its own dues, organizes its own meetings, etc. The World Future Society's headquarters may offer support in a number of areas, but the success or failure of a group depends upon the local members. The Society does not run the meetings of its affiliates and cannot assume responsibility for the actions of a local chapter or individual members. The Society only requires that all coordinators be a Society member in good standing.
The Society's headquarters does not require that local affiliates provide any funds to headquarters, nor does it supply funds to local groups. Each chapter must stand on its own feet financially. The Society may, however, assist the local group's finances by offering advice and providing mechanisms for mutually advantageous projects.
Chapters and affiliates may levy dues to pay for local activities. In addition to dues, participants in local activities are expected to pay additional fees for restaurant meals or other costs associated with the activities.
GETTING STARTED
After approval by WFS headquarters, the coordinator maintains a liaison with headquarters and, depending on the establishment of a local committee, organizes meetings and other activities. In areas where there are large numbers of members, a coordinator is expected to organize a committee and hold at least one meeting within six months following his or her appointment.
The recommended procedure for forming a local committee is for the local coordinator to get in touch with other interested members in the community and try to recruit those members who may be interested in serving on an organizing committee. He or she may do so by calling an initial meeting of local members on his or her own initiative, or by sending out an announcement in the name of a committee s/he has assembled.
PROCEDURES FOR AN INITIAL MEETING
Experience has demonstrated that not many members are likely to attend an initial meeting advertised as solely for organizational purposes. Many coordinators have found an e-mail questionnaire helpful in early organization efforts. Results of the questionnaire sometimes enable the coordinator to form an organizing committee before the first public meeting--usually a luncheon or dinner speaker on some futurist topic of general interest. If there is sufficient interest, further meetings should be planned. As interest grows, the coordinator and the organizing committee should raise the question of formal organization of a chapter with elected officials.
ORGANIZATION OF A FORMAL CHAPTER
When a local group decides it wishes to organize formally, it should adopt a constitution and bylaws and apply to the Society for formal chapter status. Many chapters postpone formal organization until sufficient members have been attracted to promise a viable future.
ASSISTANCE FROM SOCIETY HEADQUARTERS
§ Society headquarters can help local groups to get organized in the following ways.
§ Membership lists. The Society's staff can send an announcement about your event to WFS members in your area. Contact us for more information.
§ Information material. The Society can supply local coordinators with brochures and other promotional literature that describe the Society and its purposes and contains a membership application.
§ Model constitution and bylaws. When a local group is ready to organize itself as a futurist group, headquarters will be glad to supply a model constitution and bylaws based on the one used by the Washington, D.C. Chapter.
§ Visiting speakers. Occasionally the Society can arrange for visiting futurists of prominence to meet with local chapters. The Society cannot pay travel expenses, but if the Society knows that a local group wants outside speakers it can sometimes arrange for a speaker who is traveling to the area to make himself/herself available. In general, local groups will do best to tap their own resources, calling on local experts in future-related professions.
§ Personal guidance. Society headquarters designates one or more staff members to facilitate support for the futurist groups. Contact Jeff Cornish, business manager, for more information (jcornish@wfs.org or 301-656-8274).
§ Clearinghouse functions. The Society tries to make the experiences of local chapters available to other chapters. At conferences, opportunities are provided for chapter officers to meet together and exchange ideas.
TOPICS FOR LOCAL MEETINGS
Since any local organization of futurists is likely to contain a wide diversity of professions, local programs should also be diversified, moving from field to field to touch on all interests.
Some local groups meet most often at lunch; others prefer dinner meetings. Another pattern is for small groups to meet in one another's homes. Members might also meet at local organizations in order to observe some concrete aspects of the emerging future.
PUBLICITY AND RECRUITMENT OF NEW MEMBERS
Newspaper and other publicity will help put a local group in touch with persons in the area who might be interested in the Society. Favorable attention from the local media is highly desirable and should be cultivated.
One of the big benefits of WFS activities for many people is the diversity of viewpoints represented among the members, and it is important that the local chapter capitalize on this. The Society will publicize chapter activities in Future Update and will announce upcoming activities on this Web site when we are duly informed.
A brochure describing the Society and its programs can greatly assist the recruitment process. Please contact WFS headquarters for more information about available brochures.
Prof. Kamal Zaki Mahmoud Shaeer
Director
Future Research and Study Center
Cairo University
P.O. Box 47
Bab El-Louk
11513 Egypt
phone: (+ ) 202-569-4120
fax: (+ ) 202-360-5181
E-mail: Kzmahmoud@hotmail.com
Ismail Al-Shatti
College of Technological Studies
National Assembly of Kuwait
P.O. Box 30000
Safat 13400
E-mail: ialshatti@almashora.com
Michael Lee
Future Value Foresight
5 Somerset Crescent
Durbanville
Cape Town
Work: 27-21-9750752
Home: 27-72-9561351
e-mail: mike@atmia.com
www.wfs-sa.com
Peter Hornhardt
23 Lawrence Street
Hadfield, Victoria
phone: 0425744311
e-mail: Learnabout@hotmail.com
Dr. Zhouying JIN
No. 24 - 2 Block 2
Beijing, China
e-mail: jinzy@soft-technology.org
Web site
Anthony W. Au
Futuresuccess Consultants Ltd
2104C Admiralty Centre One
18 Harcourt Road
Hong Kong
Phone:(852) 2526 9797
Fax:(852) 2526 9997
e-mail: aa@futuresuccess.com
Mohan K. Tikku
145-National Media Centre
Gurgaon 122002
phone: (+91) 0124-2356131 or 0124-2354470
e-mail: mktikku@hotmail.com
Colin Ong
MR=MC Consulting
International Plaza
#15-14, S(079903)
Singapore
(+65) 696749640
e-mail: colin@mrmc.com.sg
Sunny Teow Soon Huat
17, Lintang Burma
10250 Penang
phone: (+604) 8998 555
e-mail: sunnyteow@hotmail.com
Wendy McGuinness
Chief Executive
Sustainable Future Institute
Level 2, 5 Cable Street
PO Box 24222
telephone: +64 21 781 200
telephone: +64 44 998 888
fax: +64 43 859 884
e-mail: wmcg@sustainablefuture.info
Web: www.sustainablefuture.info
Abdul Majeed
12/CL-6, Claremont Road
Civil Lines
Karachi-Pakistan
cell: 0300-8251771
fax: 92-21-568-4870
e-mail: najma.altaf@nfoods.com
Reynaldo C. Lugtu, Jr.
IBM Plaza, No 8, Eastwood Avenue
Eastwood City Cyberpark
E. Rodriguez Jr Avenue, 1110
Brgy. Bagumbayan, Quezon City
phone: 63-920 962-2713
e-mail: rlugtu2002@yahoo.com
Colin Ong
MR-MC Consulting
International Plaza
#15-14, S(079903)
Singapore
(+65) 696749640
e-mail: colin@mrmc.com.sg
Youngsook Park
#301 Skywoosung Villa
508-10, Jungnung 2-dong
Sungbuk-gu
Seoul
phone:(+82) 2-10-7228-9494
fax: (+82) 2-911-5659
e-mail: harmsen@korea.com Web site: www.korea2050.net
Chalermrath Khambanonda
13 Lane 19 Serre 1
Huamork
Bangkok 10250
By Ken Harris
World Future Society Secretary, former president of the Washington futurist group
Discussing books about the future is a great activity for any World Future Society futurist group. Here's why:
It costs little or nothing.
It involves futurist group members in actively thinking about and discussing the future
It develops personal bonds among futurist group members.
It makes people aware of the World Future Society and the idea that study of the future is possible.
The Society’s Washington futurist book group as met every month except August since 2004. The futurist group runs book group meetings at no cost because a local independent bookstore which hosts many book discussion groups, donates the space, and meetings are announced on the futurist group website and in these weekly online and monthly print newsletters. The group discusses a different non-fiction book having something to do with the future at each meeting, so attendees get to think and talk about as great a breadth of subjects as in The Futurist—everything from alternative energy to world politics. The regular attendees get to know each other personally, and people learn about the Society and the Washington futurist group through the bookstore’s newsletters. You can see our past and future book selections on the futurist group website. The URLs are http://www.natcapwfs.org/events_archives.htm (past selections) and http://www.natcapwfs.org/events.htm (scheduled selections).
You too can have a local futurist book group. Here are some tips on how to do it:
Find a leader: A moderate time commitment is necessary. The leader has to read the book fairly closely in order to have a few questions to ask to start the discussion and keep it moving, answer questions from the public, and see that readings are scheduled in advance and publicized and that the books are available.
Find a meeting place and schedule a regular meeting time: The meeting place can be a local bookstore or someone’s home. Independent bookstores sponsor book groups to get people into their stores to compete with the large chains. The Washington futurist group formerly had book group meetings in people’s homes on Saturday mornings (The meetings now are on Wednesday evenings!). This is a viable option if you can find people willing to serve as hosts.
Choose readings by group consensus: The leader should suggest selections himself or herself and welcome suggestions from the members. This achieves member "buy-in" and consensus on what books are appropriate. To help decide on selections, you can find book reviews in major newspapers, online and in news magazines and email them to members or pass them out at meetings. We take a few minutes at the beginning or end of the meeting to choose future selections.
Schedule readings in advance: Try to schedule readings at least 2, preferably 3 months in advance to allow time for publicity, the bookstore to order extra copies, and time for members to read the book.
Invite authors of the books to be discussed rarely or not at all: Remember that the object of book discussion meetings is to actively involve the members in discussion about the future. If you invite authors, expect the meeting to be a book talk by the author like those on Book TV, not a book discussion.
Strongly encourage, but don’t insist, that people read the book: The most successful meetings are, of course, those in which a majority of participants have read the book in detail. However, people who haven’t read the book can contribute to the discussion by asking questions about what the author says. This stimulates those who have read the book to chime in with their views.
Allow wide-ranging discussion but return often to the author’s themes: This is preferable to the method used in the more formal Great Books discussion groups in which the leader questions the participants about the content of the book because attendees can at least relate a life experience to the broad themes of the book, even if they can’t remember the details.
Kaat Exterbille-Managing Director
Consultant Strategic Foresight
Kate Thomas & Kleyn Future Management
Baron de Vironlaan 5 b 1
1700 Dilbeek Brussels-Belgium
Telephone: +32 2 5693644
Fax: + 3225697480
mobile: +32475825161
e-mail: kaat.exterbille@katethomaskleyn.be
Stephen Aguilar-Millan
Director of Research
European Futures Observatory
6 Greenways Close
Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3RB
United Kingdom
Telephone: 44 (0) 1473 402302
Email: stephena@eufo.org
Louis Tuvée
3, rue Paul Vaillant - Couturier 92300 Levallois- Perret
Telephone: + 33 ( 0 )1 47 57 45 21
mail: tuveeconsultants@wanadoo.fr
Armando Stavole, Ret. Col. - Gen. Mgr.
I.C.A. International Consulting Agency
VMT s.r.l.
Via M.te Cervialto, 8
00139 Roma - Italy
CC/P. IVA No.: It-02439490216
tel/fax: +39 06 99701439
mobile: +39 335 8160510
João Manuel Gaspar Caraça
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
Av. de Berna, 56
1093 Lisboa Codex
phone: (+351)(1)793-5131
Adolfo Castilla
Julian Hernandez 8
Madrid 28043
e-mail: acastillag@telefonica.ne
Tibor Hottovy
Unibel Info & Konsult AB
181 31 Lidingo
Makrillvagen 16
Alphan Manas
Brightwell Holding BV
Eski Büyükdere Cad. Park Plaza No:22
Kat:20 34398 Maslak Sarıyer-İstanbul/Turkey
Phone: +90 (212) 366 50 50
Fax: +90 (212) 366 50 99
e-mail: alphan.manas@brightwell.com.tr
Turkish Futurists Association http://www.futurizm.org/
Editor's Note: Meeting announcements and special events will now be listed under Futurist Groups News and Events
Hengameh Hoseini
phone: 778-896-5190
e-mail: hengameh1 (at) gmail.com
www.wfsbc.wordpress.com
Joan Foltz
Alsek Research
2607 W. Barrow Drive
Chandler, AZ 85224
phone: 480-225-2507
e-mail: jfoltz (at) alsekresearch.com.com
Christy Dugger
Dugger Design Studio
1893 Golf Course Road
Bayside, CA 95524
phone: (+1) 707-822-6985
e-mail: dugger1893 (at) yahoo.com
Thomas Key
13522 Newport Avenue, Suite 201
Tustin, CA 92780
phone: (+1) 714-838-3974
e-mail: keylaw (at) mail.com
Dawn Abel
2424 Jefferson Avenue
Redwood City, CA
wfs_sf-sv (at) live.com
Frank W. Maletz and Jonathan R. Maletz
12 Mackinnon Place
East Lyme, CT 06333
phone: (+1) 860-739-4952
fax: (+1) 860-437-0318
e-mail: malfam5 (at) aol.com
Pal Asija
OURPAL
7 Woonsocket Avenue
Shelton, CT 06484-5536
phone: (+1) 203-924-9538
fax: (+1) 203-924-9956
e-mail: pal (at) ourpal.com
Ken Harris
phone: (+1) 301-657-3731
email: kenharris39 (at) mac.com
Web Site: www.natcapwfs.org
Nick Maddox
749 Torchwood Dr.
Deland, FL 32724-9467
phone: (+1) 904-822-7435
Irving H. Buchen
8650 Kilkenny Ct.
Fort Myers, FL 33912
phone: (o) (+1) 941-561-3750
fax: (+1) 941-561-1845
e-mail: ibuchen (at) msn.com
Ernest H. Jernigan
2501 SW 34th Ave.
Ocala, FL 34474-3384
phone: (+1) 904-237-2253
Frances I. Mossman
Sustainable Systems Dynamics
P.O. Box 31069
Honolulu, HI 96820-1069
(+1) 808-225-3548
e-mail: mossman_ssd (at) earthlink.net
Robert Jene
Land/Scape
850 Des Plaines Ave., #201
Forest Park, IL 60130-2051
phone: (+1) 708-771-8641
e-mail: georgist (at) comcast.net
Charles Patrick Galvin
1607 Sommerset St.
Pekin, IL 61554
phone: (+1) 309-346-8758
Robert Stephenson
Exec. Director Literacy Coalition
521 W. Taylor Street
Kokomo, IN 46901
765-450-8532
e-mail: ucanread (at) sbcglobal.net
William E Quick
Polsinelli Shaton Welte Suelthaus PC
700 West 47th Street, Suite 1000
Kansas City, Missouri
phone: 816-360-4335
Fax: 816-753-1536
Email: wquick (at) pswslaw.com
Monthly breakfast or lunch meetings with speakers to discuss futurist issues, possible co-sponsoring of author or speaker events, others based on group determination.
William Lewis
Interactive Systems
P.O. Box 22975
Louisville, KY 40252
phone: (+1) 502-426-0647
Michele Bowman
Global Foresight Associates
681 Main St., Ste. 324
Waltham, MA 02451
phone: (+1) 781-642-8758
e-mail: mbowman (at) globalforesightinc.com
Edward Klobucher
585 E. Shevlin
Hazel Park, MI 48030
phone: (+1) 248-542-5539
e-mail: EKlobucher (at) aol.com
George H. Kubik
3053 Pine Ridge Drive
Eagan, MN 55121-1918
kubik005 (at) umn.edu
SIGS (Special Interest Group) Meetings -- 9:30 a.m. on Saturdays
William E Quick
Polsinelli Shaton Welte Suelthaus PC
700 West 47th Street, Suite 1000
Kansas City, Missouri 64112-1922
phone: 816-360-4335
Fax: 816-753-1536
Email: wquick (at) pswslaw.com
Irene J. Dabrowski, Ph.D.
Anthony L. Haynor, Ph.D.
Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
Seton Hall University
400 South Orange Ave.
South Orange, NJ 07079
E-mail address: haynoran (at) shu.edu
Phone: (+1) 973-761-7443
Fax: (+1) 973-313-6399
Shawn Jipp
702-557-2939
sjipp (at) sonic.net
Bill Cudworth
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
1717 E. Interstate Ave.
Bismarck, ND 58501
phone: (+1) 701-355-5633, (h) (+1) 701-258-2389
e-mail: billc (at) bepc.com
William H. (Bill) Fisher
RENOVATION
Organization and Community Effectiveness
728 Kenmore Blvd.
Akron, OH 44314
phone: (+1) 330-753-4995
fax: (+1) 330-753-4915
Thomas Mantel
P.O. Box 157
Milford, OH 45150
phone: (+1) 513-527-7129, (+1) 513-576-0525
David J. Staley, Ph.D.
Principal, The DStaley Group
3053 Spruceview Court
Columbus, Oh 43231
phone: (+1) 614-316-1348
e-mail: columbus.futurists (at) gmail.com
http://columbusfuturists.org/
Ed Cunliff
University of Central Oklahoma
100 North University
Edmond, OK 73034
phone: (o) (+1) 405-341-2980 x 3342
Tim Wignot
phone: (+1) 503-804-7280
email: twignot1 (at) gmail.com
Howard J. Grossman, AICP
HJG Associates
16 Skyview Drive
Dallas, PA 18612
phone: (o) (+1) 570-675-5239
fax: (+1) 570-675-1642
e-mail: grossmanhj (at) aol.com
Bill Ringle
491 Baltimore Pike-209
Springfield, PA 19064
phone: (o) (+1) 610-626-0175
Web site: www.futureshaping.com/wfs/
e-mail: bill.ringle (at) futureshaping.com
Frank Sowa
The Xavier Group Ltd.
P.O. Box 251
Glenshaw, PA 15116
phone: (+1) 412-487-9422
e-mail: fsowa (at) xaviergroup.com
John C. Orndorff
6000 Gunn Road
Springfield, TN 37172
phone: 615-384-2534
fax: 615-384-1896
e-mail: jeanluc2 (at) bellsouth.net
Oliver Markley
3571 Far West Blvd, #63
Austin, TX 78731
phone: 512.703.0241
http://www.ctxwfs.org
Mary Jane Naquin
Informed Futures
1303 Post Oak Park
Houston, TX 77027
phone: (o) (+1) 713-993-9317
e-mail: m.j.naquin (at) systems.org
Ray Davidov
5707-17th Avenue, N.W.
Seattle, WA 98107-3011
phone: (+1) 206-782-8113
Hollie Hollister, Manager
H CUBED GROUP, LLC
1108 Moline Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
phone: 608.873.7981
e-mail: hollie (at) hcubedgroup.com
John E. Katzka
7453 Devonshire Dr.
Cedarburg, Wisconsin 53012
phone: (262) 387-0192
e-mail: jekatzka (at) sbcglobal.net
Miguel Herschberg
Marcelo T. de Avear 1639, Pl. Bj. C
1060 Buenos Aires, Capital Federal
phone: (+54) 11 4382 0350
fax: (+54) 11 4382 0350
e-mail: sunalliance@yahoo.com
Arnoldo de Hoyos
Catholic University of São Paulo
Ave. Prof. Atilio Maritni 431
Campinas, S.P.
phone: (+55) 19 32899457
arnoldodehoyos@yahoo.com.br
Fredric Michael Litto
Rua Padre João Manuel, 758, Suite 84
01411-000 São Paulo
phone/fax: (+55) 11-3062-6855
e-mail: frmlitto@terra.com.br
Greg Hoyos
Greg Hoyos Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 1044
Bridgetown
phone: (+1) 246-431-0411
fax: (+1) 246-431-0412
e-mail: greg@greghoyos.com
Haven Allahar
37 Emerald Drive
Diamond Vale
Diego Martin
phone: (+1) 868-637-9461
fax: (+1) 868-623-5358
e-mail: bertille@cablenett.net
Dr. Alberto Viau D.
Edif. Médico El Obelisco, 2o. Nivel
Av. Las Américas 21-69, Zona 10
Guatemala City
phone: (o) +502-337-3625, (h) +502-633-0353
fax: +502-333-5056
e-mail: aviau@guate.net.gt
Julio A. Millán
President
Coraza Corporación Azteca, S.A. de C.V.
José Ma. Rico 55 Col. Del Valle
03100 Mexico, D.F.
phone: (o) +52 5-524-7750
fax: +52 5-524-7989
Manuel Morales, Jr.
The Atrium Office Center
530 Ponce de León
San Juan, PR 00901-2304
phone: (+1) 787-289-8728
fax: (+1) 787-289-8726
e-mail: mmorales@atriumoc.com
José Cordeiro, Founder
Sociedad Mundial del Futuro Venezuela
Caracas 01071
phone: (+1) 58-212-237-3601
fax: (+1) 58-212-237-4740