The APBC program committee has set August 21st as the date for our first presentation. James Burts of Keystone Systems tells us that starting at 12 noon EDT on 8/12, a panel of Progress application partner companies will share their experiences and techniques for the support contracts they offer their customers as well as how they manage the costs of delivering on those support contracts.

This is an excellent opportunity for Application Partners in all vertical markets to hear what kinds of support other APs are offering, how other APs deliver support, and how htat support affects their business. The hows, whats and whys from other copmpanies may help you find a better way to satisfy your customers' needs, a more efficient way to do the same, or some of both.

This presentation is only for APBC members, so contact Geoff Crawford of Innov8, the chair of our memebrship committee, to join APBC in time to participate in this unique presentation.

The AP Business Council has a new mailing address as we have secured our own Post Office box. So, instead of sending your correspondence "in care of" Alllegro Consultants, you should now send all physical mail to:

Application Partner Business Council, P.O. Box 4261, Richmond, VA 23220-4261 

To establish our non-profit status as a 501c6 corporation with the IRS, we have to submit Form 1024 and detail what our organization is going to do for its members.

Doug Lucy finished the second round of elaboration with the lawyers and the Form 1024 will be submitted this coming week. After that, it will take up to six months for the IRS to grant us a Letter of Determination which we then use to prove to vendors taht we are, indeed, non-profit.

The initial APBC member meeting was held via teleconference on May 15th and we had excellent attendance.

The Board of Directors presented the current status of the organization, the Membership Committee described the benefits of joining APBC, and the Program Committee took votes from the attendees on which topics should be presented for the quarterly telecons and webinars for 2008.

Current and prospective members who attended were:

• Everett Anthony of Structured Management Systems
• Randall Harp of Tugboat Software
• Phil Laney of B&L Information Systems
• Roger Blanchard of Osprey Retail Systems
• David Richard of Fara
• Kevin Linardic of Carrier Logistics
• Ken Weinberg of Carrier Logistics
• Greg Carscallen of Bravepoint
• Walter Scott of Wescot Consulting
• Bryn Dearborn of Cornerstar
• Larry Ward of Dist One
• Randy Roup of App Technologies
• James Burts of Keystone Systems
• Geoff Crawford of Innov8 Computer Solutions
• Paul H-C of Integrated Management Solutions
• Doug Lucy of Allegro Consultants

Thanks to these charter members and those who join soon, the AP Business Council is already showing signs of a strong, effective oganization.