ASIS 30% Membership Price Increase

I am confused by this. ASIS seems to make most of its money from selling the attention of and access to its members (advertising, exhibits, etc.). They are a like print newspaper or magazine, where the 'user' is offered a subsidized / discounted price to maximize the number of them that can be sold to marketers. Increasing membership prices is likely to decrease overall revenue, as it will certainly lead to less members who can be sold to manufacturers.

I got the email announcement too since I'm a member and CPP.

Rare, large increases are never as adaptable as frequent, small increases. Though 30% over the last 10 years is a bit high, given many of us have gotten 0-1% annual raises.

They could have done 3% per year every year and advertised what the did, and what they are doing and everyone would be happier.

I'd drop the membership if I had to pay personally. Thankfully, my company pays it.

I may drop my ASIS membership. I am in 3 other organizations where yearly dues for the national/international (not including local membership fees) are:

$185 for a group with 415,000 members

$129 group of 700,000

$165 group of 23,000

I have to look at the benefits of all of these before I continue shelling out almost $1,000 a year including local fees.

I remember a slogan I once heard made about people who use Facebook "You are not the customer, you are the product...". Sometimes I feel this way about ASIS, I am the "product' that the organization sells to its advertisers, and I pay handsomely for the privilege.

In addition to annual dues, I pay dues to my local chapter, pay to attend individual meetings, and pay to attend the annual conference (now nearly $1000). Considering that most of the actual work is done by non-paid volunteers, and that advertisers and exhibitors pay through the nose, I sometimes wonder where all the money is going.

I do value many of the things that ASIS does, but at some point you have to question whether the organization is being operated in the most cost effective manner.

Outside of the magazine, what tangible benefits does ASIS membership deliver?

I do understand it makes you eligible for discounts on other things ASIS sells but that's an indirect benefit.

For instance, the Protection of Assets Manual looks interesting, but even if I am an ASIS member, I still need to pay an additional $399 for it.

I am genuinely curious what the tangible benefits of ASIS membership are?

Well until I hear back from them, here is the list of benefits on the website, but it would be nice to hear from a member how much of those they take advantage of.

Most of the things on the list of benefits cost additional payments (educational programs, seminars, credentials, etc.).

I am curious about their library. Anyone with experience or recommendations on that?

For me, some of the benefits offered by ASIS include:

• Opportunity to network with other security professionals on both a local and national level.
• Use of ASIS directory to obtain contact information on security representatives at a given company or organization (not always easy to do otherwise)
• ASIS standards and guidelines.
• ASIS lobbying and advocacy (recently repelled an attempt by NFPA to create a mandatory security standard, for example.)
• ASIS placement bureau (have used to locate potential employees)

Michael, how does the placement bureau work? Is that a different name for their Career Center?

Btw, I do know a number of manufacturers who use the directory for sales prospecting and find great value in it. That said, I've always found it weird that ASIS discloses their member's names and sells it as a feature.

Career Center is what I was referring to. I have used it only as an employer but it has worked well for me.

In the old days, they issued an actual printed membership directory, which I loved. They then went to an online only directory, and limited you to 40 inquiries a day in an attempt to prevent the directory from being harvested as a mailing list.

As of the last time I looked, member names and phone numbers were no longer listed - you have to contact members using a direct messaging feature built into the directory. Not my preference, but still better than nothing.

Michael, good feedback! Sounds like a prudent move for ASIS to change it to a messaging feature. Sharing emails and phone numbers opened up real risks for abuse.

Btw, with the Career Center, it seems employers need to still pay. Is there some sort of discount for members?

No member discount that I am aware of. I consider their job posting fees to be very reasonable when compared to other advertising options and the process in itself does some amount of prescreening of potential candidates. (If the candidate knows enough to go to ASIS to look at a listing, at least that's a start...:)

How do the executives justify their pay to its members? Seems like its prime for a competitive group to offer better services for a less fee .. oh wait John does that already for $99/year for me ;)

Paul, in fairness, ASIS and IPVM are not really direct competitors. We are focused on technology and appeal most to integrators where ASIS is focused on security management and appeals mostly to end users. We have no interest nor plans to go into security management.

Btw, $99/year is the old rate. We've grandfathered in long standing personal accounts. For the past 2+ years, the personal rate for new signups has been $199. We have no interest nor plans to raise the membership rate.

Overall, I think ASIS would have a stronger position if they offered more direct member only benefits. For example, the job posting may be useful but it's not a benefit of membership, just another service they offer.

As a long-time ASIS member, I am angered by the increase and question where the money is headed. Not only do I need to pay to keep my CPP certification, my ASIS membership and chapter dues and pay to get in to whatever event they have. I'm also the local Chapter Chair and I still don't get free or reduced entry into the ASIS conferences. For the amount of work that we put in while the president of ASIS is paid $650k is ridiculous. We need to seriously question what is going on with ASIS.

I'm questioning it's worth... and that's pretty bad.

Michael brings up some great points and also some benefits of ASIS. I think his best point though is “you have to question whether the organization is being operated in the most cost effective manner” and the answer to that is absolutely not.

When I do the math my company (which is really my department budget, which is really money that could be spent for uniforms, fuel, equipment, raises, etc.) spends around $8,000 a year on memberships, local meetings, trainings, publications, conferences and seminars. For a LONG time I have questioned this expense. Now that the expense is rising I will no longer be questioning it because the question has been answered. It is not worth the money.

I've only been in the security industry for a short while but have been slowly learning and going to the local ASIS chapter events.

At the annual lunches we have some great speakers with interesting topics, some are manufacturer reps, some are 'thought leaders' (always love hearing people use that self proclamation), and some who happen to have the spot open on their calendar.

What I find most intriguing is that after each speaker is done, rarely if ever, does anyone ask a question or comment on the 45 minute presentation, present company included.

Is it because in this industry we are more valuable when we have knowledge that we believe few others have (and don't want to share it). Could it be that asking questions shows weakness amongst a group comprised of CSO's, FBI, corporate investigators, etc.? OR is it that we are all just going through the motions and now realizing that we are supporting HUGE salaries who in turn allow manufacturers to market their wares (and inflated marketing claims :) )?

Just a thought...thoughts are things

Mark, we have no issue with people asking questions during and after the presentation. And some of these guys have been around the block a few times so they are very experienced. It could be that since our attendance is low (about 18ppl) that the comfort level is greater and therefore, asking questions are not as daunting? Thinking back with attendance around 60 members, I believe questions just kept coming... so not sure whats going on at your location.

John,

I deal heavily in transportation / logistics security. One of the main benefits some investigators have is to be able to find security contacts easily at a company. For example, from one of my groups I regularly get emails that go something like, "Hey, I work for XXXX online retailer and we have having supply chain security issues with a lot of XYZ and ZZY products, does anyone have a security contact at XYZ or ZZY?"

I never get those emails from ASIS members / security managers, because they can almost always go in the database, search by company, and at least find a starting point in security.

Other than that... they have good cheesecake at the local meetings in the Dallas area?

Nick

I became an ASIS member back in 1995 I also became Certified as a CPP in 2004 (at great personal financial cost for the 'required' study books and testing). I proudly maintained my CPP Certification for 5 years until ASIS raised the number of annual CEU's required (16 I think it was) to maintain the Certification. The cost for attending CEU classes and the time lost from work sitting through totally irrelevant classes became untenable. 1/2 a CEU Credit for an 8 hour class on glass break technology in another City? Ridiculous.

These days I occasionally attend local ASIS Chapter meeting and don't mind paying the extra $5-$10 to attend as a non-member. Even when I do give in and attend a local Chapter meeting it's the same tired old security directors/managers and local Integrator Sales staff sitting around a table enjoying half a day off of work talking about their favorite sports team or their granddaughter's upcoming graduation than actually discussing or learning anything interesting or related to Physical Security. Every presentation I have seen from a vendor/sponsor at a Chapter meeting has been related to IT data security as opposed to anything relevant to physical security (Surveillance, Access Control, etc).

Benefits? You're having a laugh! The only usable benefit I EVER received/took advantage of from ASIS was access to their Membership Database when I was prospecting for leads and looking for contact information for cold calls. I will say that announcing myself as CPP Certified did provide some measure of instant credibility with other ASIS Members outside of that? Nothing.

I let my CPP Certification lapse in 2009 because I couldn't justify the return on investment. I also ceased paying membership fees because I just didn't see the point. My business did not suffer as a result of dropping my membership. If anything it INCREASED because I spent more time working on my business!

One last comment about CPP Certification since I'm on a tear. 99% of the 400+ questions on the CPP test had NOTHING to do with physical security and EVERYTHING to do with Human Resource Management (think security guard), the Law and oddly enough the ability to be able to recognize if someone that worked for you was under the influence of illegal drugs.

My opinion? Like it's leadership; ASIS is a mouldy old toothless dinosaur and doesn't appear to offer anything substantial or meaningful to it's members... unless you count the 4 CEU Credits for attending the Annual Show and the 'free' CPP tie pin for achieving the credential which incidentally is now (along with other retired hooks & lures) is pinned to the cap I use when I go fishing - at least the $35 annual fishing license gets me FISH!

"I don’t care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members."

- Groucho Marx

There's a discussion, largely negative, inside the ASIS LinkedIn group. One interesting theory was that, "Very few chapters meet in the summer so this was they way to slip this past the membership." It's obviously speculation but the first week of July is one of the slowest in the year, with so many people on vacation (around the world) and the 4th of July holiday splitting up the week for people in the USA.

If they choose this time on purpose to minimize attention, than at least kudos to them for being PR savvy!

I actually find getting credits to re-up CPP pretty easy. Take an online class from a community college for $99 for about 8 weeks, related to business, and get a huge number of credits. 1/2 credit for an 8 hour class, something is wrong there. CPP study class in our chapter is free, run by volunteers, and the study guide is only $25. I do think, though, that ASIS is mainly around to make money. CPP is required for some bids, but it doesn't really mean much to me. I'm in mainly for networking, otherwise I could take it or leave it.

As for the credits, you can get them even by sitting in on a webinar, where you get the added benefit of a thinly veiled sales pitch. Here's one later this one with a vendor educating pitching analytics (you get 2 credits). It's free too because it's being sponsored by another manufacturer!

I just took a PSP certification test prep class, which is frankly why I got my ASIS membership (paying for membership let me pay the member rate for the class and the member rate to take the test, eventually, and I save about $500 this way, I think).

The class had some good info, the instructors running the class were knowledgable and interesting, and I made good contacts I wouldn't have otherwise made, but I don't know how valuable or relevant the knowledge base the questions are drawn from are. The surveillance video knowledge we are required to know is enormously outdated, and the intrusion and access control stuff isn't much better (athough the basics of access control hasn't changed all that much).

There was also a huge module on project management, and a lot of emphasis on human resources management. Interesting but I think the PSP should have more focus on up to date technical information.

The risk assesment module was a little long but I think useful.

But, overall, I think that a lot of the information a PSP candidate is expected to know is still stuck in 2003. Maybe that kind of thing is acceptable for an industry that doesn't change much in a decade, I don't know. But I do know that the surveillance industry, at least, changes so fast and so dramatically that the test and the knowledge base needs to be reevaluated, at the very least, once every other year. I don't think new PSPs should still be learning that the usefulness of an image depends on how much of the screen a subject takes up, and so forth.

Ari, I though they said the PSP was just updated like a year or two ago, no? Ethan didn't you mention that?

Btw, back in 2009, ASIS was working on, or at least investigating, creating a new certification on "Integrated Physical Security Systems." Does anyone know the current status of it? I presume it's not released but is it still in development or was there a decision not to move forward?

The PSP may have been revamped overall, but the surveillance video knowledge is outdated. Most of it is pulled from Garcia's Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection Systems, written in 2007. Do you remember what IP video was like six years ago? Of course you do.

I have sat on committees responsible for the creation of questions for a couple of types of professional tests. The general rule is that all questions and answers must be traceable back to a published, industry-recognized source, such as a professional reference book. Questions and answers based solely on the test writer's personal knowledge are generally not considered valid, regardless of the test writer's credentials.

The challenge with rapidly changing technology is that published reference books cannot keep up. At best, there is typically a 2-3 year cycle between when a book is written and when it is published. You then have to wait until the next revision of the test questions, which could in itself be on a 2-3 year cycle. So, having test questions that are at least five years old is not at all unusual.

Don't know the answer to this problem but do know that it is a valid concern.

Well, in 2013, does it have to be physical books only?

For our IPVM courses/certifications, it's all online and if something is unclear or becomes out of date, we simply change it.

Can't ASIS do the same thing? Put all the relevant course material online (It's the Internet so it does not matter if it's 1,000 or 10,000 pages long) and test off that. If it gets out of date, have the committee review and update it online.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a physical book, but does have to be a source that is published and widely-used outside of the context of the test.

There is an issue of credibility when the certification issuer is also the sole source of content for the test. Just because the test writer/certificate issuer thinks it's true doesn't make it true. A credible professional test must be based on a body of knowledge that is generally recognized in the industry, and one way to do this is to base test questions on multiple published sources.

ASIS could aggregate all test reference material on its website, but as you well know, there are copyright issues involved. Something like the CPP test covers a wide span of topics and dozens of different reference texts. To put something like this online would require the permission of (and very likley payment to) each of the various copyright holders.

This is one of those things that seems easy until you are actually tasked with doing it...

Seems to me that ASIS, being the premier organization of security professionals, should themselves take on the responsibility of creating and propagating standards for security related things, including surveillance standards, the way the IEEE does for Internet standards. What does 0.01 lux mean? What is the ideal resolution to identify faces at a distance of 42 feet? How do we measure IR illuminator effectiveness? Someone should lock some serious people in a room somewhere with pens and paper and not let them out until they've decided on a standard for all manufacturers to follow.

I'll be the first to volunteer for that.

There are 8 reference books for the PSP, of which 3 of them are ASIS publications (which means they have copyright). For the whole PSP, they just need copyright for 5 other books (or alternatively pay for the writing of similar content so they own it).

If an organization that generates $29 million in revenue can't accomplish this, that does not say much for them.

Beyond that, it is dumbfounding to me why ASIS does not own copyright for all the materials for their core certification tests and manage it themselves. One of the worst parts of studying for the PSP was the fact that so much of the readings overlapped or covered portions that weren't even touched in the exam, etc.

As for the "issue of credibility when the certification issuer is also the sole source of content for the test." Why? Are these authors such great names or are these books considered such classics? Is the POA Manual less credible because its from ASIS? Isn't ASIS supposed to be the most credible organization in security?

As a company who has built training certification in video surveillance and access control, I know it's not easy but if we can do it, so can ASIS, a company with 8x the number of employees and a gazillion volunteers.

What does 0.01 lux mean? What is the ideal resolution to identify faces at a distance of 42 feet? How do we measure IR illuminator effectiveness?

I am very curious to why they do not do this. It would certainly have value to their members.

Part of the issue is that they are weak / out dated when it comes to technology. The other big issue is how far they go in doing things that would upset / interfere with their manufacturer advertisers.

Side note: we have covered those issues in respectively, The Definitive PPF Guide, How to Measure IR Illumination, Don't Trust Lux Ratings, etc.

I'm aware you've covered these topics extensively. It's just mind boggling you should have to.

The methodology that I describe for test writing is similar to that used in other professions such as science or medicine. The key point is that a test should be based on knowledge that has been peer reviewed and generally accepted in the industry, not based on just what's in one person's head. Otherwise, taking a test on "Basic Video Surveillance System Design" becomes taking a test on "How Silva Thinks a Basic Video System Should Be Designed".

It is possible for an organization such as ASIS to create an object, peer-reviewed body of knowledge for a test, but it can be a painfully slow process to gain concensus on just a single point ("how many PPF for identification?), let alone an entire pool of test questions.

I'm not saying it can't be done, only that it is not a trivial task. But, now that I know that Ari has volunteered to do it, I am much more optomistic...:)

Michael, but are the current books on the PSP truly 'peer reviewed' and 'generally accepted in the industry'?

Here's an example from the Effective Physical Security 4th Edition, which is on the current PSP exam. Coverage on surveillance is quite light, with contradictions and information that is far from generally accepted.

Here is what is stated on page 47:

But then on page 87, it states:

What peers reviewed this? Has the author done a survey or is it just his opinion? We have done a survey (the only one I am aware of) and the norm is clearly far far lower. Outside of storage vendors, find me industry experts who think "a 6 month period or longer" is either appropriate or common. As we both know, it's not.

My main point is that we should not automatically assume something is 'peer reviewed' and 'generally accepted' just because it is in a book published by an old school brand. If anything, things on the Internet are far more rigorously peer reviewed, because they can be commented on and objected to immediately and in context. Plus, the readers can then read the original text and the commenter's objections.

John,

I agree that many of the reference books cited as references for both the PSP and CPP exams leave a lot to be desired. In fact, I specifically disagreed with many of the "correct" answers when I took the CPP test, but decided to swallow my pride in order to pass.

The general thinking is that, if a specific publication has stood the test of time, and widely read in the industry, it probably represents the best thinking on any given topic, even if it not perfect. The theory is that bad publications won't be accepted by the industry and will soon fall off of the map. This obviously doesn't always happen, but I think the basic concept is still valid.

When tasked with choosing reference materials for a test, the review committee tries to find the best documents available. Unfortunately, sometimes it is a matter of choosing the best amongst the worst of available material.

The POA Manual is a classic example. It covers a wide variety of topics, in my opinion not all of them particularly well. But it is a widely used guidebook and can be found on the bookshelves of most security directors. Is is perfect? No. But it still serves as a baseline of the topics that a quailfied security practitioner should know and is therefore a good reference document for a test.

Just like the jury system or the democratic form of government, the "peer review" process is not perfect, but is still the best method available for ferreting out the truth in a sea of opposing opinions and misinformation.

One of my continuing rants is about the need for more independent research on security system equipment and security management practices. This must happen if security is ever to become a true profession.

My PSP review instructor, a consultant who actually is quite up to date on things, also lamented the quality of the reference material. Like Michael says above, it's generally years out of date. He says it has something to do with it being a board certification, but I don't know if that's really the issue.

I honestly don't see the exam changing unless enough people complain about it. Not just people, members. I don't see a problem with the CPP being less about physical security than other things, because it's advertised as such, but the physec stuff that's on it should at least be up to date and accurate. The PSP also needs to cover more than just technology, because technology isn't everything, but again... update it.

I feel like I personally know enough people, via IPVM's membership or otherwise, who are more than capable of helping, and likely willing, to update and maintain that information. BICSI has released two editions of their electronic safety and security manual (though let's not get into a discussion of the quality of that thing) in the time it takes for the PSP to be updated, so it obviously can be done.

When I was evaluating what certifications to work on starting in 2007 I looked at the ASIS certs and passed. I purchased one of the books and started going through it and like everyone else has said the material is so out of date. I saw no value in any of their certifications compared to the Cisco/Microsoft/VMware certifications I have now. True we're talking about different paths but everyone knows those certs, most people I deal with have no clue what ASIS even is so they would have been useless expensive credentials to me.

@Jason, clearly what you're looking for is different than the ASIS certs. I mean, it's like night and day. So yes, the folks you deal with probably would not consider the ASIS cert to be appropriate. I agree, it isn't a fit for you nor would those folks have a clue about ASIS. But when you're dealing with physical security it is another ball game, and those folks usually understand what the certification means and is. What is isn't is a one-fit-all certification.

If I were looking at applicants for a physical security position I would also require a CPP or PSP because I know that theyve been in the industry for a while and understand what security is in a general sense. For more specific requirements, of course I would consider other certifications.

The CPP exam, when I sat for it in 1995, used to have a 42% passing rate. It was not computer based rather proctored and I can tell you that each one of us that completed the exam and stepped out had serious doubts as to our success in passing the exam. It was that difficult. But we didn't have to purchase books, we simply used the PoA and a serious of notes/presentations/articles etc. that had been put together by previous study groups. Naturally things have changed... for the most part. I for one feel that the certifications should be kept at a very difficult level and up-to-date with the cutting technology. Sure the basics of security remain the same but the technology obviously doesn't. I doubt I could sit down now and retake that exam again... then I was much more sharper and motivated.

My gripe with ASIS is the shift from what they used to respresent to the now more "commercial" product they are.

The ASIS LinkedIn protests continue. Here's a different perspective from a police sergeant:

"I feel like ASIS is out of touch with the backbone of the security industry, the line officers. We all know that the line officers, regardless of contract or proprietary, cannot afford membership in ASIS."

That strikes me as a fair point, considering the average compensation of a line officer is fairly modest.

Also, the other thing some mentioned, was the add on costs. You get the membership and that gets you discounts on other things you need to buy (webinars, seminars, books, review sessions, manuals, etc.)! I guess it's a good model for the seller but an expensive one for the buyer.

I am not a member of ASIS International.

I find value attending local chapter meetings. These meetings are a great way to catch up with other professionals in your area that you don't get to network or communicate with often. It is a good way for new people to get aquainted with the more established members of the community. Local chapters are welcoming to all whether they are local law enforcement involved in CPOA or CPTED, or an electronic security company, guard company or private/public sector security director.

In the grand ASIS scheme of things it makes all the local chapters a nationally or internationally represented body. The ASIS International perspective may need an overhaul on their value statement to the law enforcement profession as well as others however there is a bigger picture here.

Maybe if I understood the impact of what they do nationally and how it impacts my profession and my business I would decide to invest through membership.

BTW - I paid $499 to comment in IPVM this year vs. not being an ASIS International member for $???

I have been in the security field for nearly 20 years. I could not afford to join ASIS and the company I worked with for 13 years would not pay for the membership. In 2001 I left this job and took a position as a Security and Loss Prevention Director. This company would not pay for my membership either. In 2004 I paid for my memebrship out of my pocket. In 2006 I was laid off as the company positioned itself for sale. Two days after the day I was laid off was the ASIS chapter meeting. Our cost was $25 and it was a 90 mile drive. I wasn't going to go, but I did. I made the announcement at the meeting that I had been laid off and was looking for work. THAT NIGHT I was approached about a position with a contract security company as a Director of Security for a hospital IN MY CITY! I was offered a Branch Manager position as a promotion and left that position to work as an account executive with an integrator and a security consultant. Anyone can sell and install video and access control systems, I know how to use them. It is unbelievable how many alarm companies sell and install equipment but fail to offer their clients solutions for their security needs. It also is unbelievable how people take avice from law enforcement (current or retired) on security management. Law enforcement folks are experts in law enforcement, security professionals with the CPP and PSP certifications are board certified in security management and physical security. The certification helps to establish your credibility.

I held the Treasurer position in the chapter for several years before taking the Vice Chair and eventually the Chair positions, only to move back to the Treasurer position. I also am a member of the ASIS International Healthcare Council. I have written two book reviews for ASIS. I have presented at the ASIS Annual Seminar in Dallas. I have presented at a Healthcare Seminar at the St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis. I have participated as both a technical committee and working group member in the development of numerous ASIS Guidelines and ASIS ANSI Standards. I believe any organization is only as good as the members' involvement. Far too many people are members so they can say they are members. I would like to see participation requirements to remain a memebr. I have to participate actively in the council and the standards developments to remain on the team.

I find it interesting how many people have indicated they are not members of ASIS yet find attending the chapter meetings useful. My chapter has about 180 members. Can you guess how many members show up to a chapter meeting???? Usually it is less than 20.

Tim, the local Chapters is what is making ASIS worthwhile. It's a shame that only a few members attend the chapter luncheons/breakfast events. We experience the same low attendance. We've tried everything to engage members... this is what ASIS should be focused on instead of raising membership costs. If it were not for the "active" members driving the local chapters, there wouldn't be any local ASIS meetings. I feel as if ASIS has gone too corporate which in turn has changed the dynamics of the membership participation.

Personally, I've been a Chapter Secretary twice as well as Chapter Chair twice. I believed in what ASIS represented... unfortunately, I question it now.

Tim, good feedback! This discussion has helped enlighten me to the role / value of the local chapters. As for me, I am not sure if there is an active one here in Honolulu, at least I cannot find any info on it.

Geoff Craighead, the 2013 ASIS President has responded to concerns in their LinkedIn group. Full text copied below:

"Thank you for sharing your comments regarding our member dues increase. I understand and respect the concerns raised by many of you. Please know that our decision to raise member dues was not an easy one and was not made without significant due diligence/fiduciary responsibility on the part of the ASIS Board of Directors.

We recognize that our members and their organizations have faced considerable financial challenges in light of the recent downturn in the global economy. For this reason, we consciously deferred instituting a dues increase for the last ten years. The reality is that ASIS also is not immune to the rising costs of doing business. The cost of membership is subsidized to a great degree by other non-dues related activities. In 2012, the actual direct costs to provide benefits were $219 for each U.S. member and $242 for non-U.S. The $45 dues increase is consistent with the rise in the Consumer Product Index (CPI) since our dues were last raised in 2003.

We have been consistently committed to providing a broad and diverse offering of products and services aimed at advancing the professionalism of the security practitioner. In many instances, such as global educational programming and certification, we have made a conscious decision to subsidize the cost for our members, as we feel that certain programs and services are vital to the advancement of the industry. Since 2003, we have made substantial financial investments in expanding our global footprint, establishing ASIS as the worldwide leader in standards development, and developing timely and relevant information and educational resources.

From an operational perspective, we’ve just rebuilt our IT infrastructure and the websites to enhance the member experience and allow for more effective member-to-member communication. In 2014, we’ll provide website hosting for any chapters that would like to participate.

In the near-term future, members can expect to see new offerings such as: a deeply discounted webinar subscription series available to members only; updated free handbooks online to aid in preparing for ASIS board certifications (CPP is now available); additional ASIS-published books in electronic format; more Spanish translations of our publications, including Protection of Assets (POA), and more education scholarships. [Emphasis Added]

Our goal is to provide as much information and education in formats that are accessible and affordable to our members throughout the world and to facilitate networking in a variety of virtual and face-to-face forums. We also plan to increase our expansion throughout the world. For instance, we are creating additional regional advisory councils in Latin America and Africa to better serve the membership, and cover the remaining continents on the globe.

I commit to you that ASIS has been, and will continue to be, the leader in the industry dedicated to providing our members worldwide with the knowledge, tools, and resources required to be successful in the security profession. I appreciate your support in realizing this commitment."

ASIS membership count decreased ~15% in the 2 years since this was implemented. This is based on reviewing their 2015 and 2014 financial reports.

If they were at 38,000 previously like they said, that would put them in the ~32,000 range now.

Raw numbers:

Up to 2013, price was $150 per year, 2014 and after price is $195.

Good news total revenue is up but at the expense of membership.

I am going to email ASIS to see if they will comment and then post a formal analysis / article.

Update: ASIS has increased its regular membership rates 20% for 2022 from $195 to $234: