1980’s SMEI Experiences A Decade of Changes
During the early eighties SMEI continues to experience a decline in membership and the resulting drop in dues income. Faced with a growing financial deficit the SMEI Board determined that they could not continue to maintain a staff office in New York and it was decided to move the operation to Chicago to be managed by the Smith-Bucklin Company, a well-known association management firm. Following this move the SMEI staff members were retired. The arrangement with Smith-Bucklin did not prove successful and it was mutually agreed that it should be terminated. At this time a member of the SMEI Executive Committee William A. Hite III stepped forward and offered to manage the SMEI staff operations provided it be domiciled in his office in Cleveland, Ohio.
The SMEI Executive Committee accepted Bill Hite’s offer and the headquarters moved to Cleveland in 1984. In June of 1986, SMEI terminated the management agreement with the Hite Organization and became a self-managed association with the headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio.
1986 SMEI Launches Certification
While SMEI had a certification committee for several years looking into the feasibility of establishing such a program, it was not until 1986 that the program was officially launched.
At the time SMEI did not have the resources to fund the development t of standards, examination questions and printed materials to get started. In order to overcome this hurdle and accumulate the necessary funds, SMEI granted charter membership, a grandfather status to members as either a CSE® of CME® for a contribution of $500.00. Approximately 100 members stepped forward and the certification program
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became a reality.
The SMEI Accreditation Institute was established at Memphis State University and under the direction of Dr. Thomas Ingram, assisted by Dr. Harry Summer, the standards, examinations, testing and grading system evolved. In 1987 SMEI, through the accreditation institute, launched the SCPS™ – SMEI Certified Professional Salesperson program. This program enables SMEI members to obtain certification for their sales representatives.
1990 SMEI Launches The Academy of Achievement
During the latter part of the eighties SMEI board member, the late Ken Arbuckle from Oklahoma City, conceptualized the idea of an SMEI Hall of Fame to be located in a new wing of Enterprise Square U.S.A. on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University in Oklahoma City.
Early on Ken would discuss his proposal at each SMEI board meeting. At first the directors seemed to be lukewarm to the idea but as time went on the passion, determination and salesmanship of Ken Arbuckle prevailed and the SMEI Academy of Achievement was launched with a black tie banquet and ceremony in May 1990 in Oklahoma City.
Ken passed away in 1993. He left a legacy that will live on through the years as the pinnacle of recognition for outstanding sales and marketing achievement. Over the years Ken became goods friends with countless numbers of SMEI members. His passing was a great loss to the association, the profession and his many friends.
1994 SMEI Elects First Woman President
In June of 1994, Claudia J. Bowers, CSE was elected President of SMEI. She became the first woman president in the history of the association dating back to 1935. In the beginning and for many years thereafter, the membership was 100% men. Starting in the sixties we began
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