On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, ASQ Fellow Steven Schuelka spoke at the Baltimore section's monthly meeting on a critical priority: "Voice of the Member (Customer) - Listening to your members." If you missed it, here are four key takeaways every ASQ leader should consider—whether you're in Baltimore or any other section or division.
Volunteering matters. There are countless ways to get involved: build educational credits (RUs), forge friendships, shape your areas of interest, and give back to the society. ASQ is what you make it.
Listen and align to your members. What do your newest members need from your section? Focus groups provide powerful qualitative data. Member communication surveys cost less to implement and reveal preferences, satisfaction, and perceived value. Consider these insights: nine of ten young professionals join ASQ primarily for education and training. Members 35 and older prefer MyASQ, while those under 35 gravitate toward LinkedIn. Email remains the preferred communication method—though survey response rates hover around 5% at best.
Networking holds untapped potential. Nearly half our members seek networking events, yet many report being too busy, not knowing how, or lacking interest. Here's the opportunity: section and division meetings drive more interaction than even conferences. Are we meeting this need virtually? Do our agendas include sufficient unstructured time—before, during, or after formal programming—for members to connect?
Three of four members feel they belong in ASQ. That means one in four doesn't—and they're at higher risk of not renewing. What can we do to build belonging? How do we create engaging group conversations virtually? We piloted a Town Hall format on Tuesday to explore this challenge.
Steven also shared a photo of Babe Ruth's birthplace—right here in Baltimore!
Looking for a speaker? Don't forget the ASQ Speaker Bureau (Speaker Directory). I welcome your comments and insights.