Join Us For "Difficult Conversations - Ensuring Success" on Wed, March 16
Embry Rucker Shelter Donations Update
February Community Speaker Focuses On IT Curricula In Virginia Colleges
Local Student Chapters Request "Old" SHRM Learning System Books
Chapter Discussion Group
Chapter News And Short Takes
Board Meeting Minutes
2005 Dulles SHRM Membership Survey
Volunteer Opportunity Remains Available
2005 Membership Renewals Deadline Approaching
"Avoiding Danger Zones: The Latest On Employment Law"
HRA-NCA To Sponsor Spring 2005 PHR/SPHR Exam Preperation Sessions
HRA-NCA Seminar Series Announced
6th Annual Intercultural Management Institute Conference
Military Career Fair
George Mason University 2005 Spring Internship And Job Fair
HRA-NCA Strategic Business Awards Dinner
Upcoming HR Leadership Awards
Mark Your Calendar
Article: Wake-Up Call: America's Losing Its Intellectual Capital

Join Us For "Difficult Conversations - Ensuring Success" on Wednesday, March 16

For Details on the Program: Click Here

Embry Rucker Shelter Donations Update

Members who attended the November dinner meeting donated $40 for the Embry Rucker Shelter. Donations were used to purchase two Giant Food gift certificates for the homeless. Embry Rucker Shelter Chief Executive Officer Kerrie Wilson extends her sincere appreciation for your generosity.

February Community Speaker Focuses On IT Curricula In Virginia Colleges

February Community Speaker Pete White, Business & Industry Liaison for the Dominion Techways project, focuses on developing model IT curricula in four regions around Virginia (Roanoke, Norfolk, Hampton, and Northern Virginia) as part of an NSF-funded, multi-year grant program. The curricula, termed “4-2-2 programs,” begin in high school, progress through community college, and conclude with college/university graduation. In this area, Northern Virginia and Lord Fairfax Community Colleges will be working with George Mason University and selected high schools.

The IT curricula will be unique with technical topics (e.g., Windows NT) interwoven with appropriate business skill subjects (e.g., program management, technical writing) in recognition that today’s IT professional must have solid business skills as well as technical knowledge. Also unique, the curricula will be business based, i.e., the participation of the area business community will be sought in choosing subjects for the curricula, and, importantly, solving real business problems that ideally will form the core of the curricula. In Northern Virginia, the project seeks businesses and/or individuals from the business community who are involved in technology work to participate in this ambitious effort. It is anticipated that the relationships developed in the course of this work will spawn increased opportunities for internships and externships.

Local Student Chapters Request "Old" SHRM Learning System Books

If you are a former PHR/SPHR Study Group participant and are “done” with the SHRM Learning System, don’t throw your books in the trash just yet. The George Mason University and George Washington University students want your books!

The SHRM Student Chapters of GMU and GWU will be participating in the annual HR Games contest later this month. HR Games are game show style matches between teams of undergraduate students from various colleges and universities. These games, organized by National SHRM, help students prepare for the PHR certification examination. Teams with the best scores participate in the championship rounds at the state and regional levels.

If you have the 2004 version and would like to use these books for a good cause, please contact Student Chapter Liaison Andrea Evens at aevans@mcdonaldbradley.com or Maggie Chan at Maggie.chan@sodexhousa.com as soon as possible.

Chapter News And Short Takes

Inclement Weather -- Monthly Chapter meetings will be held as scheduled unless the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites cancels. For confirmation on the day of the event, please contact the hotel at (703) 709-0400 and inquire about the Dulles SHRM Chapter meeting. This inclement weather notice is now shown on the Chapter website.

Vice President, Membership Bonnie Little reports that Dulles Chapter membership has reached an all-time high with over 200 members currently registered. Among medium to large chapters in Virginia, the Dulles Chapter achieved the greatest surge in member growth from 2003 to 2004 with a 25% membership increase.

Chapter President Kurt Cowles recently submitted the Chapter’s annual CAP report to SHRM National. This report, required annually from all affiliated chapters, discusses prior year Chapter activities. Based upon submitted results, Kurt is hopeful that Dulles SHRM will earn the distinguished Superior Merit Award once again.

Congratulations to Marjorie Beatty, junior at GMU, and Mary McClintock, who is pursuing an MBA degree with a concentration in HR at Strayer University. Both students are winners of $1,000 2004-2005 Dulles Chapter scholarships. Marjorie serves as Treasurer of the GMU Chapter of SHRM. Mary is a member of both the Dulles and Leesburg Chapters and is currently working as an HR Coordinator.

Board Meeting Minutes

The minutes from the Board meetings are available on our web site - please take a few minutes to review them in full. Click Here to View.

2005 Dulles SHRM Membership Survey

The 2nd annual Dulles SHRM Membership Survey will be conducted online from February 23 to March 9, and all members are encouraged to participate.

Member feedback on last year’s survey had a real impact. It prompted the Board to do more to identify and welcome new members and has guided 2004-2005 program selection. The first four 2005 program topics were all selected based on 2004 survey responses.

Last year, 30% of Chapter members participated. The goal is to increase participation this year to ensure that the Chapter can do an even better job of serving members. The survey will take only about 5 minutes to complete and is completely confidential. HumanR, Inc., an independent firm specializing in employee surveys and human resource issues, has volunteered to administer the survey.

Members will receive an e-mail with a link to the survey site and only need to enter their SHRM membership number to participate and ensure security. Whether a Dulles Chapter member for several years or for only a few weeks, each member’s input is critical. Please participate!

Volunteer Opportunity Remains Available

The Skill Force Center in Reston (a Fairfax County agency) continues to need a volunteers to review resumes for job seekers. This volunteer opportunity requires a two-hour commitment once or twice monthly, or whatever time someone can give. Members who are interested should contact Judy Carter (judy.carter@cox.net). The Chapter extends appreciation to Mary Walter Midkiff (mwmidkiff@aol.com) who has begun donating her time to this worthy effort.

2005 Membership Renewals Deadline Approaching

The deadline is approaching for 2004 members to renew Chapter membership for the 2005 year. Click Here to submit a renewal application. Because the Dulles Chapter is a 100% national membership chapter, members are required to be a member of National SHRM before the joining the local chapter.

Membership renewal gives members the full membership privileges, including discounted chapter dinner meetings with the opportunity to network with peers and hear from speakers on a wide range of HR topics. In May, members will receive a copy of the Chapter’s 2005 membership directory, which will be updated and redistributed in Fall 2005.

Members who joined the Chapter during the last quarter of 2004 (October 1-December 31) need only complete the renewal membership form and omit sending any payment since 2004 dues payment included 2005 membership.

The 2005 dues payment is $30. After completing the renewal application, members should forward payment to:

Dulles SHRM
P.O. Box 1249
Herndon, VA 20172

"Avoiding Danger Zones: The Latest On Employment Law"
NOVA SHRM Professional Development Seminar
Tuesday, February 22, Fairview Park Marriott

Presented By: Manesh Rath, Keller and Heckman, LLP
When: February 22, 8:00-10:30 a.m.
Where: Fairview Park Marriott, Falls Church
Cost: $45 Members; $60 Non-Members
Registration: www.novashrm.org/events

If your organization is relying upon last year’s answers, this program will help you steer clear of outdated HR practices. This is a fast-paced, highly interactive program that will provide senior HR professionals with up-to-date employment laws and entry- and mid-level HR professionals with critical employment laws in an understandable format. Manesh Rath is an attorney at Keller and Heckman LLP who has authored numerous articles on employment law matters and has spoken on employment law developments nationwide. This program is approved for 2.5 recertification credit hours.

HRA-NCA To Sponsor Spring 2005 PHR/SPHR Exam Preperation Sessions
Deadline Friday, February 4

Strengthen your human resources knowledge by participating in a comprehensive review of the HR functions while preparing for either the PHR or SPHR exam. This course provides 34 hours of instructor-led facilitation by Paul Shibelski, SPHR. Dates and times for the course follow. Participants are expected to attend all the sessions.

• Orientation: Friday, February 18 from 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.
• Session 1: Friday, March 4 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Session 2: Saturday, March 5 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Session 3: Friday, March 18 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Session 4: Saturday, March 19 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Review: Friday, April 8 from 8:00 - 12:00 p.m.

The seminar cost is $1,125 for HRA-NCA members and $1,200 for non-members. This price includes all sessions and the SHRM learning system. Breakfast is provided. The registration deadline is Friday, February 4, 2005.

Sessions will be held at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. The location is accessible via the Metro Red Line. Parking is available in local garages and on the street. Visit www.hra-nca.org/event for more information and to enroll.

HRA-NCA Seminar Series Announced
Four Professional Development Seminars
Begins Thursday, February 24, Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel

Get a seat at the executive table with the Golden Rule: He or she who sets and influences the goals of your organization rules! HRA-NCA is offering a series of four professional development seminars intended to teach you how to advance your career - right up to the executive “table.”

When:
February 24: Get a Seat at the Executive Table
March 24: Strategic Outsourcing
April 28: Strategic Leadership - The Next Paradigm
May 19: How to Become a Strategic Business Leader

Where:
Loews L’Enfant Plaza Hotel, L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, D.C.

Schedule:
8:30 a.m. - Registration and continental breakfast
Seminar - 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon

Cost:
$75 for HRA-NCA members; $100 for non-members
Discount for purchasing all four seminars

Credit:
Each seminar is approved for 3.0 hours of PHR/SPHR recertification credit

Details:
www.hra-nca.org

6th Annual Intercultural Management Institute Conference
American University, March 10-11

For information and to register, go to www.imi.american.edu/conferences or contact Anna Lee at annalee@american.edu or (202) 885-6439.

Military Career Fair
Friday, March 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

George Mason University 2005 Spring Internship And Job Fair
Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 24

When: Wed, March 23 and Thursday, March 24; 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center
Registration: Online at http://gmu-csm.symplicity.com/events/jobinternfair05
Space is limited.
Information: Tracy Morris at (703) 993-2372

HRA-NCA Strategic Business Awards Dinner
“HR Leaders - Breaking New Ground”
Wednesday, April 20, The City Club of Washington

When: Wednesday, April 20, 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: The City Club of Washington, 555 13th St, N.W., Washington, D.C.
Cost: $90 before March 25; $100 after March 18
Deadline: April 15
Details: www.hra-nca.org

Upcoming HR Leadership Awards
Tuesday, June 7

Award nominations close on March 15. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, go to www.hrleadership.org.

Mark Your Calendars

Upcoming SHRM Conferences and Seminars

2005 Conferences

• March 14-16 - Annual Employment Law & Legislative Conference, Washington, D.C.
• April 20-22 - Annual EMA Conference & Exposition, Dallas, TX
• May 22-25 - WorldatWork Annual Conference & Exposition, New Orleans, LA
• June 19-22 - SHRM Annual Conference & Exposition, San Diego, CA

2005 Chapter Dinner Meetings

• March 16 (Dinner Meeting) - “Dealing With Difficult Situations and People” with Cornelia Gamlem, GEMS Group
• April 20 (Breakfast Meeting) - “Strategies for Becoming a Valued Partner to Senior Management” with LuAnn Kollaja, Hewitt
• May 18 (Dinner Meeting) - To be announced
• June 15 (Dinner Meeting) - To be announced
• July 20 (Breakfast Meeting) - To be announced
• August 17 (Dinner Meeting) - To be announced
• September 21 (Dinner Meeting) - “HR and the Law” with Misti Mukerjee, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, PC
• October 19 (Breakfast Meeting) - To be announced
• November 16 (Dinner Meeting) - To be announced
• December 7 (Dinner Meeting) - Holiday Party
• December 14 (Dinner Meeting) - Transition Board Meeting

Wake-Up Call: America's Losing Its Intellectual Capital
David Heenan, author of Flight Capital, says that there is an “exodus of America’s best and brightest.”
By Sheree R. Curry
Contributed by Diversity/Workforce Education Director Evelyn Kaiser

America is on the brink of a brain drain.

The land to which people immigrated for its educational and employment opportunities is losing an increasing number of potential citizens. In 1991, 1.82 million people immigrated to the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Immigration Statistics. By 2000, that figure had dropped to 849,807. Although it was back up some to 1.06 million in 2002, it had dropped again to 705,827 by the end of the 2003 fiscal year.

David Heenan is the author of Flight Capital, a forthcoming book discussing this phenomenon. He says that despite the decrease in foreign nationals immigrating to the United States, more of those who do immigrate are choosing to return to their homelands to live out their white-collar careers there rather than here in the United States compared with a couple of decades ago. That, he says, is going to take its toll on corporate America’s intellectual capital.

"These people who immigrated to the United States with the notion that they would work here and never go back (to work in their home countries) started to see their former home countries move up the economic ladder and create what turned out to be some very interesting opportunities," Heenan says. Others have been disenchanted with raising their children here. "One guy described to me that the MTV generation, with its bare midriffs and vulgar languages, made him want to raise his kids in an environment that was less stressful and less fast-paced," he says.

"This trend I am describing in terms of flight capital began as a trickle in the mid-1990s, but now has picked up speed," Heenan says. "Many of these people are going back to Ireland, Israel, Singapore and China and are feeling very good about that decision."

But the United States is not just losing Joe and Jane Scientist. It’s losing their kids too. "If you look at USA Today’s all-American student list or look at National Merit Scholars, about 60 percent of those are kids of foreign nationals," Heenan says. "When the parents go back, the kids go back. This is the exodus of America’s best and brightest. If you do a projection, by 2010 there will be a significant shortage of high-end talent as we have not been developing our own Americans."

Beyond those leaving the United States after some time spent in corporate America, there are also those foreign nationals who just aren’t coming in the waves that they once did.

The number of immigrant scientists, engineers, academics and other employer-sponsored professionals and skilled workers dropped 54 percent from 179,000 for fiscal year 2000 to 82,000 in fiscal year 2003, according to data from the Office of Immigrant Statistics. Figures for 2004 have not yet been released, but given that in October 2003 the U.S. government capped H-1B status--the visa used for employee-sponsored immigration of professionals--at 65,000, the nation cannot expect the same high number of immigrants it saw in the first part of this decade.

Heenan, a former senior executive with Citicorp and Jardine Matheson who also served on the faculties of the Wharton School, the Columbia Graduate School of Business and the University of Hawaii, says, "We are also losing that guy who is now in China seeing these people coming back and they say, ‘Gee, if they are coming back and moving up the scale, why do I have to go to the United States in the first place?’ "

Jobs Aplenty in China

Ames Gross is president of Pacific Bridge, a Bethesda, Maryland, recruiting firm and consultancy specializing in placing Asian returnees with companies. He says the quality of life in China is much better than it was a couple of decades ago. The pay is also a lot better, he says, in part because of the increased number of multinational companies with operations there paying good salary with benefits.

Gross points out that in China there are probably three to five job openings per one educated Chinese person. It is an ideal situation for returnees who often feel that they hit the glass ceiling while in the United States.

"The main reason many go back is because of the opportunity for more senior positions and more bang for the American buck," Gross says. "A Chinese from Taiwan or China who worked his way up in the U.S. knows he is only going to get so far if he speaks broken English and doesn’t go to the right country club. Whereas if he goes back to China he might have more opportunity"--even within an offshore division of an American company.

Many of these countries like Singapore, Ireland and China have created attractive incentives to lure their natives back home. From tax incentives to housing incentives, especially for people in the sciences like medicine, biotech and information technology and software development--these natives with foreign work experience are in tremendous demand all around the world.

Home Is Beckoning

In order to lure home Western-educated talent, the Thai government devised the so-called "Reverse Brain Drain Project." The project, developed by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, is designed to recruit educated Thai citizens in Japan, North America and Europe to return to Thailand. Scientists, engineers, and doctors are the main targets.

One way to lure these professionals is to have them return as lecturers in the universities, according to a report by Pacific Bridge. Unfortunately, the starting salary of a lecturer with a doctorate at a public university is only around $4,500 per year, the report reveals. According to the Bangkok Post, Thai professionals would consider returning if the government offered such incentives as housing loans or subsidies, a competitive salary, tax subsidies for research equipment, or relocation compensation.

“Their governments know that if they are going to make it in innovations, they need these blue-chip personalities and will go to great lengths to bring them home," says Heenan, who traveled to several countries conducting interviews for his book.

Enterprise Ireland, a Dublin-based economic development and recruiting agency with offices in New York, periodically holds seminars aimed at enticing people in the biosciences to go back to Ireland to work. It targets those who immigrated to the United States from Ireland five years ago or even 30 years ago who now work for Merck or Pfizer. About 60 percent of the audience attending a recent conference was prepared to go back to Ireland for at least five years for the right incentives.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, which in 2004 opened a $1.5 billion bio-pharma center in Ireland, was one of several companies speaking to the crowd about working for U.S. companies back in Ireland. The biopharma campus on a 90-acre site currently employs 1,000 and for 2005 is looking to hire another 300--whether local, returnee or expatriate--a corporate spokesperson says.

A very convenient way for foreign nationals to go home without losing a lot in terms of risk is to return with a multinational company such as 3M or Motorola. If they are Japanese returnees, they can go back with 3M and stay in the company loop as they continue with their U.S. employers. Many of them, however, get picked off by local companies because their worldwide experiences make them attractive.

Hot Commodities

The United States is also making it more difficult for some foreign nationals to come to this country if they wanted, Heenan says. The number of foreigners with advanced degrees or exceptional skills allowed into the country plummeted 65 percent last year, he says, while international student enrollments fell for the first time since the early 1970s. An important reason he gives is the length of time it now takes to get a visa--often six months or more.

Thirty percent to 40 percent of U.S. companies report serious delays in bringing skilled employees and customers to the country, according to data in Flight Capital. Many say their businesses will be in jeopardy--and so will the jobs of many Americans. What’s more, U.S. immigration policy is heavily skewed toward reuniting families. More than 70 percent of annual visas go to family reunifications, while only 20 percent are given to professionals and skilled workers, Heenan writes.

"My point is you better take care of these guys," he says in an interview. "In the old days if they went back to Brazil with General Motors, chances are they’d stay with GM the rest of their lives. But when these returnees go back today they are hot commodities. There are a whole lot of other options out there with the government incentives, local companies and venture capitalists who will be all over them. So companies need to take care of these people and let them continue their career paths and salary progression. This book is a wake-up call for America."

That’s all for this month unless you have any ideas or suggestions? This is your chapter - let us know what’s on your mind!

Cindy Loison
President
Dulles SHRM
cloisonhr@aol.com