ACR Update, August 1, 2006
Published by the Association for Conflict Resolution,
a merged organization of AFM, CREnet and SPIDR
http://www.ACRnet.org

WELCOME TO ACR UPDATE—the monthly e-newsletter sharing important conflict resolution news and organizational updates with ACR members. Your feedback is welcome!

To view this issue online, go to: http://www.ACRnet.org/publications/acrupdate.htm

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLES
 August 1, 2006

  1. Candidates Announced for Annual Board of Directors Election
  2. 2006 Annual Conference: Early Bird Registration Rate through September 6
  3. 2006 Annual Conference: Purchase Your Exhibit Table by September 1
  4. New: ACR Marketing Teleseminar CDs for Sale
  5. Special Membership Offer: Chance to Win Two Free Months of Membership!
  6. Section Update: Section Elections; Annual Conference; Family Section Brochures
  7. Chapter Update: Get Involved in ACR Chapters !
  8. Quotations
1. Candidates Announced for Annual Board of Directors Election
ACR’s Governance Committee has announced the candidates for President-Elect and three (3) Director-At-Large positions for the 2006 annual election for the ACR Board of Directors. The candidates are (in alphabetical order):

•For President-Elect: Tara E. Fishler and Marilyn McKnight

•For Director-At-Large: Rita Callahan, Fernaundra Ferguson, Nancy Gardner, Jim Rosenstein, Paula Trout

Between August 1–31, 2006 members may seek nomination by petition as additional candidates on the slate. The Governance Committee will announce the final slate of candidates on September 11 when voting begins. Voting will take place online September 11 - October 10, 2006. Members will receive ballot information prior to the start of the voting period. Those elected will take office at the conclusion of the Annual Conference (October 25–28, 2006 in Philadelphia). During its meeting at the Annual Conference, the Board will also appoint two (2) Directors-At-Large, as provided in the Bylaws.

To read the detailed announcement, click here.

2. 2006 Annual Conference: Early Bird Registration Rate through September 6

The 2006 Annual Conference is right around the corner!

Don’t forget to register online at www.ACRnet.org/conferences/ac06 before September 6 to take advantage of the Early Bird member rate of $425 for the main conference. There are many exciting workshops, ample networking opportunities and lots of fun in store so register today! The Annual Conference website is updated frequently so be sure to look there for the most up-to-date information.

Here are just a few of the many highlights of this year’s Annual Conference:

  • Welcoming Celebration: Tastes and Sounds of Philly! Reception for all Annual Conference attendees, sponsored by the ACR Board of Directors, held at the phenomenal Franklin Institute (2 blocks from the Sheraton). Enjoy light snacks with a Philadelphia flair, a cash bar and Philadelphia-inspired music.
  • Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute: The ACR Commercial Section, in collaboration with the Harvard University Negotiation Insight Initiative and the American Arbitration Association (AAA), is presenting a new two-day advanced program for experienced commercial mediators. A separate registration is required and participation is limited to 60.
  • An exciting opening plenary: The Thursday morning opening plenary, titled “Hopes Realized, Dreams Dashed,” will feature a dynamic panel of early leaders in the conflict resolution field.

James A. Rosenstein

“Philadelphia Here We Come” Part 8: You Can Shop ‘Till You Drop
(But Don’t Miss any Important Sessions)

by James A. Rosenstein

If you ask any of my family or friends, they would say that I am the wrong person to write this article because I am not fond of shopping, either the real or the window version!  However, if I asked an inveterate shopper, knowledgeable about the Philadelphia scene, to take over the result might well be a book.  So, what follows is a very personal and incomplete list of your shopping opportunities during the ACR Annual Conference, with an emphasis on stores within an easy walk of the conference hotel (one mile by my definition).

Within that one-mile radius there are two principal shopping venues: for upscale shopping, I recommend Rittenhouse Row and for more affordable (and often less unusual) items, the Market East area, which includes The Gallery indoor shopping mall, Macy’s Department Store and the Reading Terminal Market.  (The hotel concierge should have maps for each, showing how to get there and where the individual stores are located.)  Rittenhouse Row is centered on Walnut Street between Broad and 21st Streets, and some people include in it the area to its immediate north and south (i.e., between Chestnut and Locust Streets).  The Market East area is centered on Market Street between the western edge of the historic area (7th Street) and Broad Street and extends one block north and south (to Arch and Chestnut Streets, respectively).  Now that you have the general picture, let’s look at specifics.

To read the entire article, including recommendations for shopping in the region and in different Philly neighborhoods, click here. Questions or comments should be sent to “phillyin06 at Verizon dot net”

ACR MEMBERS:

Take advantage of your valuable members-only benefits today!

Log in to the Online Member Center today and get started!
3. 2006 Annual Conference: Purchase Your Exhibit Table by September 1

Showcase Your Business, School or Organization at the Annual Conference!

Would you like to promote your company’s services? Recruit new students for your ADR programs?  Sell your publications to an interested audience of professional mediators, arbitrators and other practitioners?  Consider buying an exhibit table at the sixth Annual Conference.

Exhibitors play a starring role at ACR’s Annual Conferences. ACR places them at center stage, in a place where conference attendees pass by several times a day on their way to workshops. This year the spacious foyers of the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center have room for 60 or more exhibitors.

Jim Melamed of Mediate.com says this about exhibiting: “Mediate.com exhibits at every ACR conference. Even for an Internet and media company, there is no substitute for meeting established and new clients face-to-face.”

Exhibit tables begin at $575. (Philadelphia exhibitors get a 10% “hometown discount.”) Deadline for purchase is September 1, but guarantee your space by signing on early!  For more information on exhibiting, advertising and other promotions, contact agallivan@ACRnet.org and request a copy of our Partnership and Marketing Opportunities brochure.

4. New: ACR Marketing Teleseminar CDs for Sale

“A Mediator’s Approach to Marketing” by Forrest Mosten and Diana Mercer.     Originally presented as a teleseminar by Forrest Mosten and Diana Mercer on June 15, 2006. Listen as Forrest and Diana—both authors of articles in the Spring 2006 issue of ACResolution—discuss their time-tested methods of marketing, suggest strategies for building a successful mediation practice and share tips for attracting new clients.

“Ten Ways to Promote Your Mediation Practice Inexpensively, Ethically and With Dignity” by Bruce Blitman                                                                                           In an hour-long teleseminar that aired on July 7, 2006, Bruce Blitman presents his top-ten tips on marketing your mediation practice. Listen as Bruce shares anecdotes from the thousands of mediations he has conducted, recommends strategies and approaches to promoting your practice and addresses questions submitted by listeners.

Per-CD Price: $12.00 for ACR Members; $18.00 for non-ACR Members                       (Prices include shipping charges)

To Order: Please download a product order form ( http://www.ACRnet.org/library/catalogue.htm) and click on ‘to order by mail or fax’; CDs will be available for order online soon. Mail or fax order form and payment information to: Association for Conflict Resolution, 1015 18th St. NW, Suite 1150, Washington, DC 20036.

Interested in participating in a teleconference? Send an email to sections at ACRnet dot org to receive dial-in instructions.

Please note: most Section teleconferences are a Section member benefit. To join a Section, log in to ACR’s Online Member Center, click on “My Account History,” then “Add Sections,” and select the Sections you want to add.
5.  Special Membership Offer: Chance to Win Two Free Months of Membership

SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER!                                                                                Log in the Online Member Center to renew your membership online now and you will automatically be entered to win TWO FREE MONTHS OF MEMBERSHIP!

Make your dues go farther! Renewing online saves ACR resources!

One drawing every month! Last month’s winner was Judge Riki May Amano (ret.) of Hilo, Hawaii.

Support ACR While You Shop!

Start your shopping at iGive.com, where you can choose from hundreds of stores and every purchase helps ACR. Your online shopping will earn up to 26% of the purchase price for your designated cause. Join iGive.com for free and make your first purchase within 45 days of joining, and you’ll earn an additional $5 for your cause.

6. Section Update: Section Elections; Annual Conference; Family Section Brochure

It’s Time for Section Elections: Call for Participation

Call for participation in Section Elections! By now, members of ACR Sections should have received an email with Section election information and a timeline of events. ACR Sections serve members through the efforts of dedicated individuals like you. This is your opportunity to make a difference in the field of ADR and your Section. Learn more about your Section activities by visiting http://www.ACRnet.org/sections/.

Section Events at ACR’s 2006 Annual Conference!                                                The ACR Annual Conference is fast approaching and ACR’s Sections are gearing up for a great week in Philadelphia. Keep your eyes and ears open for details about Section meetings, receptions and more! As always, if you have any questions about your Section, please contact your Section leaders. Information regarding Section leaders is available at: http://www.ACRnet.org/sections/.

Family Section Brochures Now in Stock: Order Yours Today!                               Are you seeking an effective way to promote your family mediation services to new clients? Check out the Family Section’s two new referral brochures!

Whether you are interested in increasing your referral network of attorneys, psychologists and social workers or you would like to inform prospective clients of your work, there is a brochure for you.  To view samples of the two brochures, please visit: http://www.ACRnet.org/sections/.   Brochures come in packs of 25 for $15.00 or 50 for $25.00.

7. Chapter Update: Get Involved in ACR Chapters

Get Involved in ACR Chapters!                                                                         Looking to find a network of peers in your area?  Look into Chapters!

What Are Chapters? Why Should I Join?

Chapters are regional affiliates of ACR.  They provide face-to-face interaction and encourage the exchange of ideas and collaboration among practitioners.  They create social and professional networks and foster development.

Being involved in a Chapter will enhance your ACR membership experience.  Meet with knowledgeable members of the field, discuss techniques, share experiences and advance yourself and your practice.

For more information, please visit www.ACRnet.org/chapters, where you will find      information on the Chapter system, as well as links to each Chapter’s website.

You can also contact ACR’s Chapters Associate at 202-464-9700 ext. 245 or at            Chapters@ACRnet.org.

Editorial Clarification:

In the July 2006 issue of ACR Update, the ACR-Dallas Chapter news item, “The Big Bad Wolf on Trial in Dallas, Texas” described Ms. Sheikha Hobeiche as “Texas Mediator Credentialing Association (TMCA) Distinguished Mediator.” The description should have read: Ms. Hobeiche has been granted the designation of Credentialed Distinguished Mediator from the Texas Mediator Credentialing Association of Texas. 
8. Quotations

“Independence”... [is] middle-class blasphemy.  We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.  -- G.B. Shaw, Pygmalion, 1912

We cannot live only for ourselves.  A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.  -- Herman Melville

No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing.  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.  -- Mia Hamm

SPECIAL ONLINE OFFER!

Log in to the Online Member Center and renew your membership online and you will automatically be entered to win

TWO FREE MONTHS OF MEMBERSHIP!

Make your dues go farther!
Renewing online saves ACR resources!

One Drawing Every Month!

THIS AD COULD BE YOURS!
Reach 6,300+ conflict resolution enthusiasts with your advertising message. A 10-line, 100-word, text ad costs just $150! For more information, contact ACR at acr@ACRnet.org.

Encourage your colleagues and friends to join the Association for Conflict Resolution! Enjoy immediate benefits for you and your friends.

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Association for Conflict Resolution
(a merged organization of AFM, CREnet and SPIDR)
1015 18th St., NW Suite 1150
Washington, DC 20036
Tel.: 202-464-9700
Fax: 202-464-9720
E-mail: acr@ACRnet.org
Web: http://www.ACRnet.org
Copyright 2006, Association for Conflict Resolution