The document summarizes upcoming events for the STC-PMC chapter, including a February meeting featuring a presentation on software user assistance trends and the annual Mid-Atlantic Technical Communication Conference in March. It encourages renewing or joining the STC membership and chapter to receive discounts on events and be eligible for prizes in a drawing. It also profiles chapter member Karen Flam and her career experiences in technical communication.

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About Us Events Membership
News & Views
January 2011
Behind a veil of snow and cold, there's been a lot of activitiy
recently as our dedicated volunteers have been planning a very
busy schedule of 2011 programs and events. I'm especially
excited about our February 9 meeting, featuring Joe Welinske,
President of Writers UA. Who better to talk about the latest trends
in software user assistance? After that we have our annual Mid-
Atlantic Technical Communication Conference on March 26
and full-day workshop on March 25 (registration details and pricing
coming very soon).
And since it's a new year, that means it's time to renew your STC
membership or join the organization and select the local PMC
chapter affiliation for $25 so that we can continue to provide great
programming and member discounts. I especially encourage
anybody who's interested in the February meeting or March
workshop/conference to renew or join now in order to qualify for
the substantial discounts that STC and PMC chapter members
receive compared to non-members ($15 for the meeting, $40 for
the workshop, $60 for the conference). Plus, members who renew
or join the chapter before March 15 are eligible for a drawing for
some nice prizes (including an Amazon wi-fi Kindle).
As always, I thank all of our great chapter volunteers and leaders
for their continued efforts to support members and make this a
valuable asset to the greater Technical Communication
community.
Todd DeLuca
President, STC-PMC
Call for Proposals

2. How to Become an Active Member
First, congratulations to our 2009-2010 Active Members Steve
Adler, Barrie Byron, David Calloway, Lori Corbett, Donn DeBoard,
Todd DeLuca, Tim Esposito, Marc Gravez, Marianne Johnston,
Delores Lehr, Steve Lungren, Jessica Rineer, Gary Sternberg, and
Gary Samartino.
How do you become an active STC-PMC member?
It's easy, just earn 12 or more points in a year and not only will you
be classified as an 'active member,' but you will also receive a
custom-designed polo shirt at the year-end awards ceremony in
June.
THE POINT SYSTEM
ACTIVITY POINTS
Attend a meeting
(chapter or admin
council)
1
Participate on a
committee
1
Be a judge for the
competition
2
Present at a monthly
meeting
4
Write an article for the
newsletter (not part of a
committee)
2
Present at or attend the
STC-PMC Conference
4
A Closer Look at Karen Flam
Member Profile by Edna P. Smith
February 2011
STC-PMC Meeting
February 9, 2011
6:00pm - 8:30pm
Temple University
401 Commerce Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
March 2011
STC-PMC Conference
March 25-26, 2011
9am - 4pm both days
Willow Grove Giant
315 York Road
Willow Grove, PA 19090
Visit the Events page of the
STC-PMC website for more
information.

3. Karen Flam hails from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She attended
both Lehigh University (Biochemistry) and the University of
Pennsylvania (DMD) before she moved to New York City. In NYC,
she opened a day spa on Manhattan’s Upper East Side called Spa
F.L.A.M. (For Ladies And Men) which she ran happily for 4
½ years
before she
left New
York. Flam
did another
important
thing before
she left NY
and
returned to
PA, in 2002,
she joined
STC. In
2006, she
joined the
Philadelphia
Metro
Chapter.
She says owning her own business was her most rewarding work
experience. In addition to this, Flam began work in the floral
business and also worked in at Chong’s Garden, a Chinese
Restaurant. When she was young, she wanted to either be a
ballerina or own a flower shop. She also considered being a
Metallurgical Engineer. But now that she’s in the technical
communication field, she has mostly done work mostly in program
management. Amtrak, JP Morgan, and Goodwin Procter are just a
few of the companies she has worked for. This month, she will
begin a new marketing technology position at a bank.
When she’s not at work, Flam likes to watch Bridezillas, Jersey
Shore, and Keeping up with the Kardashians. Her favorite movie is
the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She prefers Classic Rock and Led
Zepplin are her favorite. Her hobbies include tasty food, all things
beautiful, and raising her 6-year old daughter to adulthood. She
lives in Philadelphia with her husband Kevin, her daughter DD, and
her pug, Otis Ray.
How Did You Get Into The Technical
Communication Field?
My first job out of journalism college was at the Orlando Sentinel
newspaper, where I learned typesetting, paste up, and layout
skills. When our manual page layout process was replaced by
pagination software, I learned about newspaper publishing
software. My next job was as applications representative for a
competing newspaper publishing software company. For the next 8
years, my on site training and support job took me to small and

4. medium-sized newspapers around the globe.
To get off the road and out of the classroom, I volunteered to write
the training material... and voila, a technical writer was born. I
didn't learn about STC and formal training until a few more years
had passed, and then I began to understand about the art and
sciences of technical communication. Now it's been 26 years
since I finished college, and I am still enjoying learning skills to
help me do my information developer job.
- BARRIE BYRON, STC Philadelphia Metro Chapter
If you would like to share your story of how you got into the
Technical Communication field, please contact the Newsletter
Editor.
Newsletter Editor
Support Our Scholarship Fund!
STC-PMC raised almost $200 toward our annual scholarship
award at the 2010 Holiday Party for the 2011-2012 academic year.
This scholarship is awarded in spring of 2011 for the following
academic year.The STC-PMC Scholarship Committee is accepting
scholarship applications during the Fall 2010 through Spring 2011
academic year. Contact the Scholarship Coordinator or visit our
Scholarship page for more information.
Scholarship Coordinator
Scholarship Page
Highlight on Membership
by Jessica Rineer
Don’t wait to renew your STC
membership and join the Philadelphia
Metro Chapter so you can start
realizing all the benefits of local
chapter membership! Joining a chapter
is only $25 to your STC membership
and entitles you to substantial program
savings. Why wait? We have exciting
programs in the coming months and
the STC-PMC Annual
Conferencein March, with qualifying
discounts for STC and chapter
members.
Renew or Join Now!

5. If you join the chapter by March
15
th
you'll be eligible for a membership
raffle that includes an Amazon Kindle
Wi-Fi and a $50 Amazon gift card. Visit
ourMembership page to learn more
about the STC Philadelphia Metro
Chapter.
Welcome to our new Philadelphia
Metro Chapter Members!
Jennifer Meservey
Danielle Villegas
Jean Woodman
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STC Philadelphia Metro Chapter
PO Box 214
Lionville, Pennsylvania 19353
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