Reflections on America's SAP User Group: "It's all about You"

[TammyPowlas]

Given that many ASUG (America's SAP User Group) volunteers are hard at work this weekend reviewing ASUG Annual Conference abstracts, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on ASUG.

This past week, ASUG revealed its campaign "It's all about you", celebrating its 20th Anniversary of ASUG. 

Source: ASUG.com

I was first exposed to ASUG in 1998 when I attended the Annual Conference in Toronto.  In 1999, I spoke at a Fall Financials Forum, on the "exciting" topic of asset tax reporting.  I attended Public Sector forums - I remember sitting in a 2003 forum next to an SAP employee - I told him my tale of woe at the time with Funds Management, and much to my surprise, he set out to help me right there.  The value of attendance at these events is priceless!

I became more involved in ASUG in 2006 when I was on the design team for the Fall Public Sector Forum.  Then I became a volunteer not long after that.  At first, I was quite challenged in that I didn't have Internet access where I worked at the time yet I was responsible for setting up webcasts!  Fortunately my fellow volunteers had my back, and helped me when I couldn't get to the Internet until I got home at night. 

I spoke at ASUG Annual Conference 2008 and 2009, and at the Fall Focus Business Management (co-located with GBN).  In 2009, I was an ASUG Service Award winner - a high honor as a volunteer as well.

I have been fortunate and honored to serve on the ASUG TechED Design team.  This past year, I finally spoke at an ASUG TechED session - I never thought I would do it, and I want to personally thank Sue Keohan and Thorsten Franz for making this a successful presentation.  I also had the honor and pleasure of assisting Ingo Hilgefort with his sold-out ASUG TechED Pre-Conference session.

This is my first year working on ASUG Annual Conference, after shadowing a fellow volunteer last year.  We were quite fortunate this year in obtaining over  2,000 abstracts - a record for ASUG!  I want to personally thank everyone who submitted an abstract. 

We also have several upcoming ASUG webcasts discussed here.  For one of them, registration is closed as we are full! 

Also, at the encouragement of the great Ingo Hilgefort and the support/advice of fellow ASUG Volunteer Karin Tillotson, I have made it a goal to be more involved in ASUG Influence.  From the ASUG BI community, we have 2 exciting upcoming Influence Councils:

January 18th: Kick-Off Webcast: BusinessObjects Analysis Influence Council 

February 22nd: Influence Kickoff: SAP Best Practices for SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse & SAP Busi...


ASUG Influence councils are the unique value to the ASUG member.  Being an ASUG volunteer I have the great honor of working with the SAP rock stars such as Ingo Hilgefort and Peter McNulty.  So if you are an ASUG member but not yet a volunteer, I encourage you to consider volunteering for ASUG.  I always say I receive more than I give.

I also get the honor and pleasure of working and knowing great volunteers such as Jim Spath, Sue Keohan, Greg Myers, Derek Loranca, Joyce Butler, Gretchen Lindquist, Karin Tillotson - the list goes on!  A few of us got together in person last week - check it out below:

The great Jim Spath is the Top Contributor on ASUG.com!

So to borrow from fellow volunteer Gretchen Lindquist, "be the U in ASUG"!

Tammy