Hi all, I want to thank all of you who attended tonight's Hidden-Tech annual meeting on behalf of myself and the steering committees. We had almost 25 in attendance and many more people who said they could not attend because of programming conflicts, but weighed in on our membership proposal via the list and to me personally. As noted earlier today, all who desire have until the end of the work day Friday to provide input on the proposal we have offered that maintains free, open entry for all at no price to the discussion list and Web-based services, and then a two-tier membership structure. Most of the people attending tonight's meeting considered this a most equitable approach to finding a balance between the 50 percent of those on the network who want no involvement with the organization; the 48 percent who want occasional involvement with the organization, and the 2 percent of the community who do all the heavy lifting to keep Hidden-Tech afloat. As noted, the purpose of the current proposal is to: a) Keep Hidden-Tech as open and democratic as we can while protecting our cyber community from Spammers and those who would violate your privacy if they could gain access to the discussion list data; b) Ensure we are in legal standing with the IRS; c) Allow voting status for those who want to be involved in building and governing the organization, while creating a bar significant enough to, again, protect the organization from the many Spammers and others who have sought access to the discussion list data; d) Offer options to barter in-kind service in lieu of payment for dues; e) Provide a membership dues option for those who want to provide Hidden-Tech financial support. (Yes, some people have requested we offer this option); f) Find legal means of raising money to support Hidden-Tech in the context of our non-profit status. One thing to remember when reading over the proposed membership structure is that we have not enumerated here the many, many ways Hidden-Tech provides value, from beating isolation to the numerous examples of ways the network has helped people build their companies, create contacts and gain information that helps you in your work and daily lives. We provide a platform for you to promote yourself and your businesses, both through in-person programming and in cyberspace. And we are the only on-line network that connects virtual company owners with institutions in western Massachusetts and beyond, as well as other virtual company owners throughout the United States and globally. For more detail, see the repeat of the address I wrote to the list on Hidden-Tech's 4th anniversary below. Some attending didn't understand the dues structure attached to the two membership categories. Rather than thinking of this as dues in the traditional sense, you might think of this as a donation of time or money to build Hidden-Tech so it can keep helping you build your company. In time, we hope to offer more tangible services for those paying dues that will differentiate them from a network user. And, in time, there many be Web services -- mainly value-adds rather than discussion list entry -- that will come with a price tag. But several in attendance reminded us that first and foremost, Hidden-Tech is built and run by volunteers. The hundreds of hours many of us have given to build Hidden-Tech has enriched our lives. For many of us, that's a benefit that money can't buy. OTHER ISSUES: We touched briefly on the effort to improve the Web site and ideas for next year's programs. Anyone interested in volunteering their time can reach the steering committee through the CONTACT button on the Web site. Also, if you want to see the list of proposed programs and/or have programming ideas you can reach me through the same contact button. THANKS to Kathy Reinig for arranging the room at the Bangs Center, which everyone agreed was a very nice space. NORTHERN TIER MEETINGS: Kathy Reinig is interested in hearing from folks in the Orange/Greenfield/Athol area who might want to meet occasionally under the auspices of Hidden-Tech. You can reach her via the list or reach me. HIDDEN-TECH 4TH ANNIVERSARY It's hard to believe that four years have passed since the launch of Hidden-Tech. Though the Web site numbers don't reflect this, almost 1,500 people have joined the network since its first birthday. And many, many regional institutions now rely on Hidden-Tech to reach our extraordinary talent pool. As I've reached out to some of you with questions about what would entice you to support the organization financially, I'm realizing that not everyone understands a) what it costs to run Hidden-Tech, and b) what sort of services we offer today and are working on for the future. And, naturally, you would not be aware of the variety of ways that institutions in the region already connect to Hidden-Tech, and what's in the works on that front in the months to come that will assist you better connect to them for resources and for possible work. The costs are hard to provide in any exact terms because so much is donated. For example, just moderating the discussion list costs approximately $15,000-plus. Steering committee members have donated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in work time. The technology in place and Web design is also worth in the thousands of dollars, not to mention the tools and the costs for programming. Some folks are very pleased with our services, whether the discussion list, profiles on the Web site or programs, while others dismiss them as not offering much while still taking advantage of them! Just a reminder that our discussion list is the ONLY list in western Massachusetts that connects you to people regionally, nationally and globally. Our programs are the only ones geared to the needs of virtual company owners rather than general business people. It's the steering committee's hope that by birthday No. 5 you will see an entirely new Web site platform that allows for all sorts of self-promotion, interactivity and search capabilities. The following are some examples of ways that organizations, institutions and businesses are leveraging the Hidden-Tech organization and ways that our population (whether defined as Hidden-Tech) is affecting the local economy: * Hidden-Tech is now an affiliate of the Regional Technology Corporation in Springfield and has board representation through HT founder, co-chair Amy Zuckerman. There are discussions for creating more joint programming to loop HT members in with the larger companies in the region. *The NY Times on April 23 featured mill projects in Easthampton and Holyoke (Eastworks and Open Square) that are now being revised to including housing to accommodate the home-based office person. Although the developers don't call them Hidden-Tech, virtual company owners, that's what they are. * Hidden-Tech is assisting the Franklin County Chamber and economic development experts with creation and support of their creative cluster; * Hidden-Tech and the Amherst Chamber continue our collaboration on programming and hope to expand offerings next year. * Thanks to the Amherst Chamber, Hidden-Tech has been looped into the new Amherst Master Plan. There's a recognition that this population is playing a major role in the housing market, school funding, demands for services, all of which affect property taxes. I spoke to the consultants last night and they are eager to learn more about HT. * The UMass IT Program is working on developing an annual, Five-College Internship Fair for students and HT companies at UMass in the fall. There are many career/internship fairs, but none that focus solely on virtual companies. * The former UMass Office of Industry Liaison (now renamed) is working with the steering committee to create a subcontractor referral system so that UMass departments can seek us for assistance. This is in the infancy stages, but definitely a priority for all parties. * Hampshire College's development office is seeking more collaboration with Hidden-Tech and may ask us to be a supporting organization for future grants. * The City of Holyoke is exploring future programs with Hidden-Tech. They backed last year's fabulous Hidden-Tech Connect showcase. * At the end of June Amy Zuckerman will be presenting on Hidden-Tech in Philadelphia at the Eastern Technology Council, which is interested in creating services for Hidden-Tech companies in the mid-Atlantic states. The aim is to also create a liaison between that region and western Massachusetts. * Hidden-Tech continues to grow in the Berkshires with at least annual programming. The next program is June 3 and will connect those attending with Pittsfield's exciting new arts institutions. This should provide both fun and business contacts. * The Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce is considering sponsoring a Hidden-Tech program in the months to come, which will link us to possible alliance partners and clients to the east. So, thanks for all your support these past four years and hope for your continued backing as Hidden-Tech continues to grow and mature. In the next week we should have a date for the annual meeting and will seek your advice and thoughts in person. best, Amy Zuckerman Hidden-Tech founder, co-chair