Bigger Crowds Mean Happier User Group Leaders

By

With more than 200 SolidWorks User Groups worldwide, it's a little hard to keep up with each and every meeting.  As part of the reimbursement process, I get some attendance numbers and sometimes some venue information – useful information, but not enough to feel like I was there.

Sometimes though, I get a nice email along with the reimbursement request.  This usually happens when an attendance record gets set (although Cindy Berend always sends a nice note), and I've received several of those this year.  Here's a look at some new attendance records in 2012.

Las Vegas SolidWorks User Group
The group recorded it's biggest meeting ever in April with SolidWorks Simulation on the agenda.

SolidWorks User Group of Fresno
Jose Saldana took over the leadership of this group as of SolidWorks World 2120.  The first meeting he held attracted more than double the previous attendance high.  Needless to say, Jose was a bit excited about that.

Tulsa SolidWorks User Group
Another resurrected group thanks to Patrick O'Hern, their March meeting set a new standard for attendees.

SolidWorks User Group Lynchburg
They were awfully quiet about it, but the March meeting matched the all-time high.

Daytona Beach SolidWorks User Group
Ahh..January in Florida. The weather was nice, and Casey Gorman was the presenter.  That brought in a record for John Kerr and the group.

Central Indiana SolidWorks User Group
Peter Fischer was just a tad excited when his February meeting nearly doubled the previous attendance mark.

Louisville SolidWorks User Group
Paul McCrorey took advantage of a yearly mass email, and leaned hard on everyone to promote the May meeting.  Having Mark Biasotti as the featured presenter may have helped a little as well. It was by far their largest meeting yet.

New Hampshire SolidWorks User Group
This group is averaging 108 attendees in 2012, and had their largest meeting ever in January. Compare that to 2006 when the average was just over 10.

Susquehanna Valley SolidWorks User Group
Group leader Dennis Miller reported that the record number of attendees were "gushing all night" about the meeting.  I think the tour of Sights and Sounds may have had something to do with it.

Rhode Island/Southern Mass SolidWorks User Group
They were expecting 30, and got wayyyy more than that at the March meeting – nearly double the previous high.

Tech Valley SolidWorks User Group
I was lucky enough to be at this St. Patrick's Day themed meeting.  Former group leader Rachel York went out in style – she took a job at a reseller shortly after the meeting.

Tangerang City SolidWorks User Group
January saw the biggest user group meeting in terms of attendance ever.  The group leader simply goes by Sudikin.

Honorable Mention
The following groups also set attendance records, but since they were all first meetings, we'll have to see where they go from here:

Buffalo/Niagara EPDM User Group

SolidWorks User Group Simcoe

I hope that each of these SolidWorks User Groups takes advantage of the recent momentum, and I can see other groups following suit.  2012 looks like a great year to be a SolidWorks User Group member.

Richard Doyle

Richard Doyle

My official title is Senior User Advocacy & SolidWorks User Groups - but most people just call me "The User Group Guy". I've been a SolidWorks user since 1997, and was one of the founding members of the SWUGN Committee. Since starting the Central Texas SolidWorks User Group in 1999, my career path has led me to DS SolidWorks and a dream job supporting the SolidWorks User Group Network worldwide.
Richard Doyle

@https://twitter.com/swugn

Richard Doyle