By: Dagmar Farr, Chief Member Relations Officer and Senior Vice President, Membership and Education, Food Marketing Institute

On the road again. This phrase embodies the commitment of FMI staff to meet our members where they operate in order to share FMI programming and to learn what we can do to serve them better. FMI staff wrapped up a successful 2017 with more than 120 in-person member visits.

To enhance this high-touch tactic, members now have FMI staff account managers who will contact them throughout the year. Called My FMI, this program enhances existing relationships members have with staff and ensures members receive individual attention and get maximum benefit for their membership dollars.

Another engagement tool FMI supports is share groups. Non-competing members come together in specialized forums and engage in issue-specific dialogue. This year, 10 share groups with a total of 76 members among them, convened 18 in-person meetings and two virtual meetings.

An engaged FMI Board was instrumental in assisting FMI staff to successfully recruit 10 new retail/wholesale members and 76 new associate members this year.  The Universities and Colleges membership category, begun in 2016, has welcomed four universities into the membership fold: Cornell University, Niigata University, Saint Joseph’s University and the University of Southern California.

When we’re not on the road, we’re updating FMI members through monthly newsletters, the FMI website, and social media efforts to ensure you have the information you need on programs, resources and initiatives in order to maximize your membership.