New and updated web-services

In an ongoing effort to bring members together online and around the country, we're happy to announce an expansion of the online member directory and improvements to online address and information updates!

MEMBER PROFILE  If you haven't been to the Web site recently, we've updated the way we collect address and information changes.  You may recall the days of updating your address online when you weren't really sure what address or phone number we had on file.  By visiting www.us.mensa.org/profile or by clicking "Members," then "Member Profile," you'll have immediate access to your member information as on file at the National Office. This information includes address, phone and email, privacy releases, PDQ responses, and a few new fields -- related to your employment and education -- that we hope we can use to bring members together online.

You'll want to note that we standardize addresses and phone number formatting.  Standardizing addresses maximizes discounts for Local Groups and national mailings.  Also, note that updates received at the National Office via phone calls or the U.S.P.S. will usually post online within one business day of entry.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY  We've transitioned the online membership directory to the new Web site, and with the transition, we've made a few improvements based on suggestions from members like you.  If you've visited the directory before, you'll find that accessing released information is easier, and we've added searches by membership number (great when you need to verify information for gathering attendance or a local election), email address, occupation and interest!

Email addresses are now linked on the directory results pages, and if members provide Web site addresses, we'll link those there also.  For those members who've chosen to release their Personal Data Questionnaire information, we're now displaying additional PDQ responses -- excluding the information we collect for statistical purposes only.  As always, you can elect to not display information via your privacy releases on your "Profile Update" or via the PDQ.

***Please be aware that we provide the membership directory to facilitate personal, non-commercial communication between members and for the benefit of their Local Groups, a respective regional Mensa group, Special Interest Group or American Mensa, Ltd. Concerns regarding abuse of this information should be directed to OnlineAbuse@americanmensa.org.***

MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES I did mention "new" services, didn't I?  Very shortly, we'll be debuting member biographies in the membership directory and the profile collection process.

Have you felt that the Personal Data Questionnaire responses didn't cover everything about you?  We hope that the addition of member-provided biographies will help this along.  By visiting www.us.mensa.org/bio or "Members," then "Profile Update," then "Biography Update," you'll have the opportunity to provide your own short biography and a paragraph about your involvement in Mensa. Also, you'll be able to upload a picture of yourself for other members to see on your directory results page!

If you decide that you don't want some information displayed in the directory, remember that updating your privacy releases is easy by visitingwww.us.mensa.org/profile or www.us.mensa.org/PDQ.  Look for your directory releases specifically.

If you have any questions or concerns about these new services, don't hesitate to let us know.

Best regards,

Howard

J. Howard Prince
Director of Operations
American Mensa, Ltd.
howardp@americanmensa.org
817/607-0060 x116