Werner assumes Club presidency, focuses on member retention

The National Press Club's new president Theresa Werner accepted recethe President's gavel from outgoing President Mark Hamrick on Jan. 20 at the Club's annual general membership meeting.

Hamrick has left “very big shoes to fill," Werner told a standing-room only crowd in the Holeman Lounge.

Werner said she will focus on retaining members by matching new members with veteran members to help them navigate the Club and learn about the many activities the Club has to offer. She alsi urged members to get involved with the Club’s various committees.

She thanked the Club's professional staff for doing a terrific job, saying they go out of the way to make our Club experience special.

Outgoing Club officers gave members an overview of the Club's overall health, membership and finances.

Hamrick said he will always treasure the support and hard work of Club members. He will remain active in the club, he said.

"There are many good things happening here," Hamrick said. "Our membership has stabilized. Given the stresses of the journalism business and the economy, that’s a good thing. Club business is strong. I think our Clubhouse spirit is strong. The election served the Club well. The membership spoke loud and clear."

Hamrick encouraged the Club to seek top-notch speakers and remain vigilant on world press freedom. The rest of the world looks to the Club for aggressive leadership on press freedom, he said In too many countries, journalists are tortured and killed just for doing their jobs, he said.

Membership Secretary Angela Greiling Keane, the incoming vice president, reported the Club has 3,276 members, a slight decrease from a year ago. Retention has increased, she said, adding that a special effort has been made to make sure new members find ways to participate in Club activities during their first year as members.

The Club has recruited several prominent journalists, including the managing editor of The Washington Post, and top reporters and editors from McClatchy and The Boston Globe. Greiling Keanee noted that the best way to increase membership is for members to ask people to join.

The membership staff has worked hard to increase number of reciprocal Club arrangements. Five new clubs were added during 2011, including the Yale Club in New York City and a club in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Greiling Keane asked members to check the online directory to make sure it is accurate and up-to-date. The online directory helps the Speakers Committee find members for the head table at luncheons and can be used to contact members about events that may be of particular interest to them, she said.

Treasurer Myron Belkind presented the Treasurer’s Report, saying there was good news, not so good news and hopeful news about the Club’s finances. The good news: Last year was the second largest revenue year in the Club’s history. The not-so-good news was that revenue was down $300,000, largely as a result of September’s operations.

Belkind said he’s confident the Club will achieve a profit exceeding $1 million for fourth consecutive year. The Club continue to pay down the its debt and will be debt-free by 2013, he said. Reserves will hit an all-time high in July 2012, he said.

Thanks to efforts by Executive Director William McCarren and staff costs decreased $500,000 from the prior year, Belkind said.

“We have encouraged staff to watch expenses," Belkind said. "We used to have a system based on revenue growth. Now we focus on profit growth.”