Association of Online Professionals
1818 Wyoming Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009  
(202) 265-1266
(202) 265-7308 Fax
(404) 592-0255 BBS
membership@aop.index.com
Fidonet 130/1501
70631.266@compuserve.com
GO AOP on America Online



Associate Membership in AOP

Thank you for your interest in the Association of Online Professionals.  As 
our industry grows, it is critical that professionals such as ourselves join 
together to promote our common interests and defend ourselves from unwarranted 
regulation and legislation.

AOP was created by leading members of our industry to support the individuals, 
online systems and companies that comprise the industry.  Though only now 
accepting memberships, we have spent many months of intensive effort 
organizing, evaluating and planning how best to meet your needs.  While we are 
a young organization, we have substantial support behind our Association.  And 
this support reaches far beyond our own borders, with organizing efforts under
way for affiliate AOP organizations in Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Together, we are building an industry where corporations can do business more 
easily and without undue interference.  An industry with room for systems, 
sysops, companies and professionals to grow and prosper.

The enclosed brochure outlines the services we plan to deliver to our members 
in our first year.  It is a substantial list, and we will expand it even more 
in the years ahead through the active involvement of our members.

We also recognize that there are professionals with a great interest in the 
growth and well-being of the online industry.  These are consultants, service 
providers, companies with sales of less than $1 million, educators, members of 
the media and others who desire the full benefits of membership in AOP but are 
not system operators.

For these professionals, Associate membership is an ideal way to support and 
participate in the industry.  Here's what our Associate Members receive for 
their dues:

-- Full individual membership, with all of the privileges as system operators.  You'll have full voting rights, receive all free services and publications, and have status in the highest individual membership class AOP offers.  

-- A league of your own.  The Associate Members have their own section Board 
   of Governors, a policy and service group made up of Associate Members.  
   This board will help to ensure that AOP is meeting the needs of Associate 
   Members, and will help to design programs for those needs.  A portion of 
   your dues will be used to fund these programs.

-- In addition, some groups of Associate Members -- law enforcement officers 
   or educators, for example -- will want and need to have their own subgroup 
   of the Association where they may interact with peers and exchange ideas.  
   As enough members in your professional field join AOP, we'll form special 
   working groups to assist you.

--Improved access to the market.  Many Associate Members are business 
  professionals seeking to sell their services to other members.  We'll 
  support those needs with discounted access to the AOP mailing list, 
  joint marketing programs, referrals for members seeking your services and 
  other programs to add value to your membership.  This will include a 
  listing of your services in an annual System Operator's Resource Guide that 
  will be sent free to every full member of the Association.

-- Leadership in our industry.  People who are active in a professional 
   association can leverage their efforts to build a stronger professional 
   image within key market segments.  There is no better way to demonstrate 
   your support for your core markets and your position as a leader in the 
   industry.

Your support as an associate members of AOP will be returned to you in the 
form of a better environment in which to conduct your business.  And it will 
be returned to you more directly in the form of services, information, 
discounts and support not easily available to you anywhere else.  It is our 
goal and our commitment to deliver to you a set of services worth more than 
what you pay in dues.  More importantly, it is our goal to help create the 
credibility, public support and respect that individuals in our industry 
deserve.

We look forward to having you as an associate member of the Association of 
Online Professionals.  If we may provide you with further information or 
answer questions, please don't hesitate to call AOP in our headquarters in 
Washington, DC.


Sincerely,

David P. McClure
Executive Director
Association of Online Professionals