Vonhoff, Named
IS Director in May, Zeroes In On LCL Update

Promotion Caps 26-Year Career at Mooseheart, Moose International

Eric Vonhoff

> Eric Vonhoff has served Moose International in many capacities in a relationship that stretches to more than 26 years.

In his latest role, Vonhoff, 46, is Director of Information Services, a position assumed on May 16.

“My life has evolved around the Moose,” Vonhoff said.

Vonhoff first worked at Mooseheart in 1980, as a 19-year-old employed in the General Store.

In 1985, Vonhoff considered leaving Mooseheart to find another job. But matters transpired that brought him into the organization’s fledgling Information Systems Department.

Vonhoff learned quickly. He initially served in the Information Systems Department after his 1985 hire. He became manager of the Lodge Computer Project in 1987. One year later, he was named Manager of Administrative Services.

In 1995, Vonhoff was elevated to Manager of Network Operations and he became Assistant Director of Information Systems in 2004.

“Because the Moose had faith in me, I was able to continue my professional career,” Vonhoff said.

Vonhoff joined Aurora, IL Lodge 400 in 1981; he later transferred to Yorkville, IL Lodge 2371. He received the Fellowship Degree in 1995 and the Pilgrim Degree in 2006. He is a member of Mecca Moose Legion 9.

“I feel that what I have given to the Moose and what it has given me over the last 26 years has been wonderful,” Vonhoff said.

Vonhoff’s first four months on the job have been immersed in finalizing and issuing a new version of the LCL.net membership management system, and in working closely with Director of Member Services Bill Clevenger to resolve dues-renewal issues (see below).

Vonhoff and his wife Cathy have four children and five grandchildren.

Dues Exceptions Under 5,700 as Help Hits the Road

Each e-mail and voicemail now being addressed on the day it comes in, or within the first 2 hours of the next business day.

> Centralized Dues changes are working and exceptions are growing smaller, according to Bill Clevenger, Director of Centralized Dues for Moose International.

“Dues exceptions are down to 5,641 as of 10/01/06,” said Clevenger in an email. That total was down from 6,200 as recently as August 25, 2006 and represents about half of the exceptions noted in the Centralized Dues report published in the previous issue of Moose Magazine.

November renewal notices to membership will be in the mail a month earlier than in the past (75 days instead of 45 days), giving members more time to pay and Moose International more time to process the transaction.

First-time dues reminder notices will be sent before dues expiration, giving members an additional opportunity to pay before membership expiration.

Additional processors have been added to Centralized Dues staff to increase the progress being made in clearing exceptions and dues processing.

Also, Centralized Dues team members have recently been dispatched to Association conventions to aid in clearing up dues exceptions at the Association and Lodge level with an overwhelming success rate. In August, Jewel Dortch traveled to Michigan to assist in helping state convention attendees resolve dues exceptions. Judy Kersbergen was present at the New Jersey meeting in mid-September, while both Jewel and Rhonda Jones assisted members at the California/Nevada meeting. Additional efforts have been put forth in Indiana and Florida.

During the busiest times some callers may be asked to hold for a few minutes for an exception handler to come online, but they are given the option to choose to leave a voice mail message which will be answered in the order received.

Keeping contact information up to date is one way to aid in limiting dues exception occurrences. Since early September, Moose International has had to re-mail over 5,000 member cards to Fraternal Units or corrected addresses - supplied by the U.S. Postal Service - in an attempt to locate members that have paid their dues but do not have an updated mailing address on file.