This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Terry,=20 Excellent post. Joe Garrett, R.P.T. ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Farrell=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2001 6:47 AM Subject: Re: One Happy Family This may be a radical idea, but I like the PTG just the way it is. I = think the RPT thing, like it is with the testing, etc. is great. = Something to shoot for and a great educational experience. Might be nice = to have something like that for rebuilders, etc. The PTG strikes me = mostly though as one great big educational MEGA opportunity. A couple = other professional organizations I have belonged to when in my previous = career were a big ZERO compared to what the PTG has to offer. For = someone in the beginning of their piano career, the opportunities are = absolutely endless. And so often I see techs at classes at conventions = with lots of experience obviously learning new things. I'm largely a shy kind of guy who can be subject to an occasional lack = of confidence. I used to go to Chamber of Commerce meetings and events = (in previous career) and just kinda melt into a corner. I thought it was = mostly a good old boy network with no opportunity for me. Well, to tell = the truth, I still think that situation was/is like that. I think some = of the folks that speak ill of the PTG might feel that way also. I = sometimes feel the same way at a PTG convention. But I know it is just = me. It is not PTG. There are just too many talented folks willing to = share their skills and philosophies with others to think of the big = picture as some group of uppity RPTs. PTG is great! It is so different = from my other professional-organization experiences. The PTG is so open = and working hard to spread so much fabulous information. Every organization has personalities that are going to conflict. I = think the big picture of PTG is a willingness to share expertise. This = is rare and is fabulous. I wish some folks would worry less about the = RPT/Associate thing and keep their eyes on the big picture. PTG is just = a way for all of us to learn from one another. If one wishes to pursue = the RPT thing - great - I think it is an excellent learning experience. = And if an RPT capitalizes on the RPT experience and keeps learning, = his/her income and social/professional status in their profession will = be their reward. It will show. Let's keep our focus on inclusiveness, = rather than exclusiveness though. It helps keep the mind healthy and the = world a better place. Terry Farrell Piano Tuning & Service Tampa, Florida mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Mike McCoy=20 To: ptg-l@ptg.org=20 Cc: Pianotech=20 Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2001 8:42 AM Subject: Re: One Happy Family Hi All, Unfortunately we are not living in a perfect world. The bottom line = of the PTG, like most other organizations, is funding, and our funding = comes from member dues, so any attempt to reduce the ranks or make it = more difficult for people to join will be met with silence. The current = direction the PTG seems to be taking is a drive for new members, as seen = in a letter to Chapter Presidents last year I believe it was, we were to = beat the bushes trying to get non-member techs to join. I would LOVE to = think the purpose is to bring them into the fold, test them and make = sure everyone working on pianos out there meets a basic minimum of = skills, alas I suspect the new member drive was to increase funding, = quantity not quality. We, the PTG, are now concerned with the ratio of RPT's to = Associates... when you bring new members in what else can be expected? = What to do? How do we get Associates that work on Pianos to "upgrade"?, = and I quote upgrade because the exams would not upgrade everyone's = skills but upgrade their status in PTG, from Associate to RPT. What = incentives can PTG offer to make RPT attractive? Make the exams easier? = Hardly, and not if I have a say in it, the exams are easy enough and = fair to someone who knows what they are doing, and that is the point, to = get everyone on a base level playing field. Many who take the exams = breeze through them, others who have been in the business 10 or even = more years have a tough time, but everyone learns something! Any incentives the PTG can offer to make RPT more attractive will = cost money and we're back at the beginning again, bring in new members = or raise dues. Personally I have no idea what the budgets look like or = if it would help if the PTG advertise heavily to promote the Guild and = it's members. I don't have a solution that would not cost a ton of = money. To those leaving the Guild or thinking about it, please reconsider. = If all the members with clever ideas and business savvy walk away the = Guild will fold for sure, we need everyone and your ideas, think them = through and write to your Regional Vice Pres to have your and your = Chapter's ideas voiced at the board meetings, you could be one of the = people making these decisions someday, just keep in mind that most every = idea costs money and we all know where it comes from. So there is no misunderstanding of my post, I would like to see = every Technician actively working on pianos in a customers home or = school be an RPT, the idea being we become a professional organization, = dress and act like professionals and CHARGE ACCORDINGLY. All new members = with in-home,school type service intentions would be Associates or = whatever title and be on a fast track to RPT with time limits on = testing, I.E.: you have 6 months to take the written, a year or so after = that for the Technical etc. All other members, rebuilders and so on = would have their own title. Please don't sit around and complain, get involved in your = Chapters, get on a first name basis with your Regional VP and make your = wishes known and vote! All of us that are members ARE the PTG and we can = make changes to OUR organization. Any confusion or doubt about the intent of my note please call or = write directly!=20 =20 Thanks! Ever Onward =20 I'm clicking "send" now and hope I don't regret it in the morning Mike McCoy RPT Northeast Rep, Technical Exam Sub-Committee So Central Pa Chapter 170 & SEPA 190 PTG Langhorne, Pa Mailto:mjmccoyrpt@earthlink.net ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Denele Campbell=20 To: ptg-l@ptg.org=20 Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 6:27 PM Subject: Re: One Happy Family Last time I wrote, there was a great silence for over two months. = In that message, I made the modest proposal that Guild membership be = limited to those who pass all tests. In other words, to be a member of = the Guild, you have to be an RPT.=20 Along with this conversation stopper, I suggested that an = affiliate organization -- call it whatever -- would provide all the = education, testing, and other services now supporting those called = Associates. Details would flow from this fundamental structural definition, = such as those who just rebuild, or who teaches the associates, and who = votes in chapter meetings, etc etc etc. This would return some value and meaning to Guild membership and = would give an unambiguous message in our advertising -- hire a Guild = member, and you get a technician who has been tested to show minimum = levels of proficiency in piano care. Otherwise, I don't see any future = for the Guild and may find myself following in Walter's -- and many = others' -- footsteps.=20 Denele Campbell, RPT NWArk=20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Wimblees@aol.com=20 To: ptg-l@ptg.org=20 Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2001 8:41 AM Subject: Re: One Happy Family In a message dated 5/2/01 12:42:13 AM Central Daylight Time,=20 dean8gem@1stnetusa.com writes:=20 Back to the original problem of dissension. Would the = substitution of=20 convention classes for exams change the dynamic? Yes, but not = because=20 of the elimination of testing per se; applicants would not be = admitted=20 to membership until after the completion of the minimum = standards=20 curriculum. In other words, there would be only one class, = one happy=20 family. We could, of course, create a single class membership = through=20 examination, but is would certainly be a small one.=20 Dean Boesen, RPT=20 Dean=20 Your idea is not new. I have been touting PTG for RPT's for = over 10 years.=20 Realizing that will be a very hard nut to swallow for the = membership, I am=20 now trying to convince the general membership that passing the = written exam=20 at 50% should be the minimum requirement for membership in the = PTG. We can=20 still have two classes of membership, but mostly for internal = use only. The=20 general public would only know that a member of the PTG has = some basic=20 knowledge of piano work. Every member would have the same = voting rights and=20 be counted as a full member of the PTG. Perhaps we could limit = the=20 executive Board to RPT's. But being and RPT doesn't = necessarily mean a=20 member has political savvy. The only committee where one must = be an RPT=20 would be the examinations committee.=20 Your idea is great. Pass it along.=20 Willem ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/2a/cd/e1/90/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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