As all of us at ASUG understand and experience firsthand, ASUG volunteers represent an integral part of our success and act as a true extension of our team. Advocating for the voice of the user and dedicating their time to showcasing the values of ASUG, our volunteers are the engine that drives our community forward.
All year long, we celebrate our volunteers. Last week, we highlighted just how special they are to us. During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we had the pleasure and privilege of showering our ASUG volunteers with gratitude for their time, hard work, and dedication to their roles. Whether they are running an ASUG Chapter or ASUG Community Alliance event, our volunteers bring the energy and the expertise that makes ASUG such a powerful place for connection and growth!
We started off Volunteer Appreciation Week with a message to our volunteers from ASUG CEO, and Chief Community Champion, Geoff Scott; Chief Operating Officer Carolyn Dolezal; and our ASUG Communities Team, discussing why they’re so grateful for our volunteer’s contributions to the ASUG community.
“Without you, ASUG would not be what it is today,” Geoff stated proudly, addressing ASUG volunteers. “You are the reason [ASUG] has been a central part of the SAP ecosystem for the past 30 years.” He’s right! With tremendous help from our ASUG volunteers, we can cultivate close-knit communities and bring you the SAP content you want to see. Whether there’s a Chapter event, Community Alliance event, or social media challenge to tackle, our volunteers don’t back down.
To make things fun, volunteers were challenged with different prompts daily to showcase their ASUG spirit, posting on LinkedIn and Twitter for the chance to win a grand prize. Boy, they did not disappoint! We saw wonderful posts from long-time volunteers like: Kirk Pranjivan (British Columbia Chapter volunteer), Dawn Solomon (Michigan Chapter volunteer), Karthik Dua (Philadelphia Chapter volunteer), as well as contributions from new volunteers like Danielle Larocca (Human Experience Management Community Alliance volunteer).
Day four of the ASUG social media challenge asked volunteers to share favorite photos with their peers in the ASUG volunteer community. Volunteers posted snapshots from recent events, smiling ear to ear with their fellow volunteers. “It’s an honor to help make our Chapter events happen,” wrote Bob Bucy (Chapter Chair, Carolinas Chapter volunteer), adding words of appreciation for the efforts of the rest of the [ASUG] Carolinas leadership team, including Heather LeBlanc, Aja Cederberg, and Murat Adivar.
Elsewhere, Cindy Seaburn (Florida Chapter and Public Services Community Alliance volunteer) posted to our LinkedIn feed a photo of herself, fellow Florida Chapter members, and even Scampi, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp baseball team mascot, at a recent Florida Chapter social event, asking, “Who is going to join us for a game this summer?”
We took a moment each day to highlight our ASUG volunteers of the year:
- Vikas Lodha (BTP Community Alliance SAP Lead)
- Ryan Le (GTS Influence Council Volunteer)
- Amy Her (New York City Chapter Volunteer)
- Damean Chen (UX Task Force Volunteer)
Vikas wrote, “I volunteer with ASUG because ASUG brings all of the SAP community together, making a huge impact to the SAP ecosystem.” Indeed, just as they influence SAP for the better, Vikas and all our ASUG volunteers are simultaneously uniting the ASUG community, making their voices heard and contributions deeply felt.
We love spotlighting our ASUG volunteers, giving them the recognition they deserve. Our volunteers exude ASUG values daily by joining together, working fearlessly, leading the charge, inspiring trust, and celebrating customers. ASUG COO Carolyn Dolezal, put it beautifully when she stated during Volunteer Appreciation Week, “I have felt and admired your energy as the lifeblood of the community. Your work and your service are the secret to the community’s success.”
ASUG has a range of volunteer positions available for those interested in donating their time in different ways. Chapter volunteers connect members through regional networking and SAP-related educational opportunities. Community Alliance volunteers are tasked with becoming semi-experts in their assigned business functionality or industry, connecting their communities virtually for interactive discussions. And those questioning whether they have time to volunteer should check out our ASUG Champions program! ASUG Champions are leaders in their industries, helping to bridge the gap between SAP users and experts while ensuring our members are maximizing their ASUG membership and investment in SAP technology. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering with ASUG, please contact volunteers@asug.com.
ASUG sees every week as Volunteer Appreciation Week, and we want to thank our volunteers again for their passion and dedication. Thank you, ASUG Volunteers, we appreciate all that you do!