MATSU 

Member Service Area

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Effective September 1, 2019, the former MatSu SHRM chapter became a Member Service Area (MSA) within the Anchorage Society for Human Resource Management.

What does this mean?

At MatSu's request and with ASHRM board approval, it was agreed to form a Member Service Area (MSA) in MatSu. This MSA shall operate under the SHRM charter, bylaws and operations of the ASHRM Chapter. The MSA primary responsibility is to meet the needs of the membership in the MatSu area. This alignment is a nationwide strategy that smaller chapters decide on to leverage the small pool of volunteer leaders while reducing the administration that a chapter requires. All administrative tasks will be implemented by ASHRM.  

What exactly is an "MSA" (Member Service Area)?

This is a concept driven and allowed by SHRM, where smaller chapters that have challenges attracting board leadership, align with another chapter as a Member Service Area. The benefits are that

• The administration remains the same for the main chapter (ASHRM)
• One CLIF submitted to SHRM
• One SHRM foundation donation
• One bank account (with a budget line for MatSu for income/expenses)
• One tax filing
• One board of directors (ASHRM’s plus the MSA Area Director)

Pretty much the administration burden is removed from the aligning chapter and it has a minimal impact to the receiving chapter (ASHRM).

The aligning chapter (in this case, MatSu) would only need to have one representative (MSA Area Director) that would be the equivalent of the President, who would have a seat on the ASHRM board. 

How is Anchorage going to know what are the needs of MatSu professionals?

A MatSu MSA Area Director will be part of the ASHRM Board. This individual will serve as the voice of the HR professionals in the area. There is the opportunity to have other committees from MatSu members for additional assistance and engagement, although there is no requirement.

Are we still going to have events in MatSu?

Absolutely! We will coordinate closely to ensure that SHRM and HRCI pre-approved programs are presented in the  area. 

The MatSu MSA has traditionally met  the second Wednesday of the month from 8:00  - 9:30pm at the Wayland University (1590 Financial Drive, Wasilla, AK 99654).  This will change in 2025. We usually take June through August off to enjoy our beautiful summers. Watch for announcements of upcoming events!

Membership and Member Benefits

Members in the MatSu MSA area have all of the member benefits of ASHRM.  Membership in ASHRM includes attendance at all events in the chapter’s geographic area at the member rate. Membership also allows individuals to serve in a volunteer role within the parameters of the positions available. 

To join, become a SHRM member. When you enroll, mark your chapter as Anchorage SHRM #0200. With that move, you get both SHRM and ASHRM membership for one annual dues payment. Immediately, you affiliate with NHRMA, the regional group, as well.

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