Takeaways from the USCC Strategic Planning Retreat

The USCC board: (back row, from left) Jeff Bradley, Vermeer; Brian Fleury, WeCare Denali; Bob Yost, A1 Organics; Tim Goodman, Natureworks; Russel Faldik, New Earth; Jim Cowhey, JPM Development; Joe DiNorscia, Laurel Valley; (front Row, from left) Rob Michitsch, U of Wisconsin SP; Bob Schanz, Barnes Nursery; Frank Francoisi, Executive Director; Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting, Sarah Martinez, EcoProducts; Pierce Louis, Dirt Hugger; Eileen Banyra, Community Compost Company; Jeff Dannis, Howard County; (not pictured) John Janes.

Message from Board Member Louis Pierce

Riding the plane to Nashville for the USCC strategic planning retreat, I was engaging in "blue sky" thinking, coming up with wild ideas and filling up whiteboards in my mind. Through caffeine-induced euphoria, I thought we might be dreaming up the future of the composting industry.

What actually happened over two days in a frigid conference room was the exact opposite. The planning was researched, structured and methodical. Reed Scott, our facilitator, dove deep into our industry by interviewing over 100 stakeholders through surveys and countless hours on the phone. The result was an immersive spreadsheet detailing USCC member pain points both at a company level and individually. We took those pain points and turned them into opportunities to help our members – based on their needs, not ours.

It was enlightening to say the least. A few things generally related to benefits and advocacy popped out once we looked at the association and membership through a different lens.

• USCC is trying to do too many things at once. The Council is comprised of deeply passionate members all wanting to move the needle forward. Wrangling, guiding and focusing that enthusiasm into real benefits for members is and will continue to be the greatest challenge for our organization.
• See my comments about advocacy and benefits as sidebars to the Reed Scott report!

A lot was prioritized, discussed and digested during our two-day meeting. The real work lies now in refining and implementing the plan resulting from that meeting. There were no crazy new innovations on how to guide the composting industry, but what was discussed was delivering true value and benefit to our members. My hope is that by helping our members solve their problems, USCC will be in the position to help members create the sustained, prosperous and profitable composting industry we all desire.

Pierce Louis's observation: "We offer boatloads of benefits! But nearly 50% of them either aren’t valuable, aren’t recognized or aren’t relevant. Reed Scott helped us wade through our member benefits and rethink the value proposition we are offering. We hope to offer you benefits that better meet your needs going forward."

Reed Scott Co.'s Report

The USCC Board of Directors met on September 19-20 in Nashville, Tennessee, to review the outcomes of research conducted with members, staff and other stakeholders for the purpose of developing new goals and a strategic plan to accomplish them over the next three to five years.

The Vision

The member survey captured the essence of members' vision for the future of USCC and composting. The majority are very optimistic about what the Council can accomplish and reflect a desire to be part of an innovative organization capable of being a significant influencer for both consumers and professionals. The Board validated this perspective by keeping a longer-term vision in mind for the goal-setting and overall planning.

It’s All About Value

The results of this project indicate the Council especially needs to update and define the USCC value proposition - the foundation for what the Council does and promises to both prospects and members. Having a better understanding of the needs and “pain points” of individuals, their organizations and the composting industry will allow the Council to better align and allocate resources to better meet the needs of the membership overall. Keeping a “lean and mean” mindset will continue to be important at this stage of the USCC lifecycle.

The Need for Impactful Advocacy

Members said it loud and clear again: assisting in supporting advocacy efforts at the state, local and regional levels is imperative to the success of their businesses and the industry. The Board is committed to taking the necessary action steps in the coming months to accomplish this goal. The increase and development of state chapters is recognized as the critical link in meeting member’s advocacy and regulatory demands.

Pierce Louis's observation: "We all want advocacy! That was a resounding response. That said, USCC needs to be realistic and transparent about what advocacy it can and cannot do. Can USCC send a representative to the Topeka Town Hall to help with your permitting issue? Not likely. But can we provide you with the tools and resources (research and education) and local connections (state chapters) to support your needs? Absolutely!"

These five primary focus areas emerged from assessing the collective feedback from the research collected for planning. The goals, or desired broad long-term outcomes include:

Advocacy:

• USCC is the voice of the composting industry!

Membership: 

• USCC “value proposition” is accurate and compelling

Market Development/Marketing: 

• STA is the “gold standard” in the United States
• Communications strategies implemented for maximum effectiveness
• USCC is the leading resource for composting professionals
• The Composting Economic Impact Study is a primary advocacy and industry resource

Governance:

• State chapters are increased and impactful
• USCC budgeting process and investments are optimized for financial stability
• State chapters are developed and primary centers for advocacy
• USCC structure, staff and volunteer leadership roles, responsibilities and lines of authority are in alignment to support strategic plan implementation

Technology:

• STA database and USCC website are efficient and effective management and communication tools

Information is Not “Action”

Although there is more clarity about member needs and priorities, now is the critical time to move to execution. In addition, the member survey results can be reviewed for more correlation between member types, segments and other demographics for further insight into needs and unmet needs of the membership and other stakeholders.

Next, the roadmap will be further finalized including the action steps already identified through planning to fulfill these priority goals.

Eileen Banyra, Jim Cowhey (hidden), Bob Schanz and Rob Michitsch	Joe DiNorscia, Pierce Louis, Jeff Dannis	Sarah Martinez, Tim Goodman, Brian Fleury, Patrick Geraty