About Us
Bucks County Networks is an exclusive category membership networking organization and we openly welcome any prospective member who is not in a business competitive with our current members. Please read our bylaws below to learn more about our organization and how to join.
Open Classes of Business | Our Bylaws | Membership Application
Open Classes of Business
This is a suggested list. Please check the Members page to see a current list of business categories represented in our group. If your business category is not on either of these lists then it would be an open category, please contact us to attend our meetings.
| Advertising/Radio Auto Body Shop Auto Repair Beauty Salon Carpet Care Cleaning Chef/Caterer Cleaning Commercial Cleaning Residential Dentist DJ Educational Event Planner Financial Planner Gift Baskets Gift Services |
Glass/Window Co. Handyman Home Décor Home Inspector HVAC Insurance - Health Insurance - Life Insurance - Long Term Care Jeweler Life Coach Lock Smith Massage Therapist Message on Hold Moving Company |
Office Supplies Office Furniture Organizer Painter/Paper Hanger Picture Framing Plumber Portrait/Wedding Photographer Real Estate Commercial Roofing Security Company Sign Maker Skincare & Cosmetic Representative Telephone Sales Virtual Assistant |
Our Bylaws
To apply for membership please downloand the Bylaws(pdf) and Membership(pdf) Forms, fill out and bring to the next meeting.
A. NETWORKING:
1. The Bucks County Networks is comprised of business and professional persons exchanging information about their business, products, or services, with the goal of generating leads.
2. A lead is the initiation of contact between two members or between a member and a non-member, which may lead to a business transaction.
3. Members are expected to provide a minimum of 3 leads per quarter.
B. OFFICERS:
1. The elections of officers shall occur at the final meeting in March. The officers (Executive Committee) will begin their term at the first meeting in April. The officers’ term will run for twelve (12) months. The officers shall consist of a President, a Past President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, and a Secretary.
2. The President shall preside over all business meetings and shall appoint committees as appropriate.
3. The Past President from previous term shall remain as a contributing officer and chair the Nomination Committee.
4. The Vice President shall serve in the presidents’ absence, maintain the BCN website, prepare the Speaker Schedule, and oversee the Bylaws Committee.
5. The Treasurer shall collect and record the dues. Expenses shall be paid by the Treasurer with a check. Any payments exceeding $250.00 shall require a secondary signature. The Treasurer shall give a financial status report at least once per quarter. The Treasurer shall oversee the screening of potential members by processing the candidates application.
6. The Secretary shall retain records as necessary, including attendance, leads, and overseeing the interests of the member. A leads report will be generated at least once per quarter.
C. Committee Chairs:
1. The Bucks County Networks shall have six (6) permanent committees: Marketing, Social Networking, Events & Publications, Nominations, ByLaws, and Membership in which each are to be chaired by one (1) or two (2) appointed person(s).
2. Committees shall have the sole power to research and present initial recommendations on related issues to the group for approval.
3. The Committees’ terms will run for twelve (12) months.
4. Each Committee chair(s) will be responsible to give a report at least once per quarter.
5. Executive Committee shall appoint members to the following Committees. Committee Chairpersons duties include, but are not limited to the following:
Marketing: Oversee the design and production of any and all materials. Work to advertise and promote the Bucks County Networks in and to the business community. Over see the organization at the annual Business Expo and Business Card Exchanges. Oversee the ongoing development and update of the website.
Social Networking Create a BCN presence on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to promote the group.
Events & Publications: Keep up to date with any and all local or regional events that may pertain to the business of the Bucks County Networks or it’s members. Keep our name in the business section of local newspapers.
Nominations and ByLaws: The Past President and the Vice President shall chair these committees respectively and appoint members as necessary.
Membership Program: Promotion of new membership categories and design a quarterly program to help members recruit candidates for the open categories.
D. NETWORKS MEMBERS:
1. Each member shall represent only one business or profession or occupation. There may not be multiple members representing the same profession or occupation unless a current member authorizes a prospective or new member to engage in the same profession or occupation.
2. Members shall notify the Secretary or another board member prior to the meeting if unable to attend, this will constitute as an excused absence.
3. After two (2) consecutive un-excused absences contact is to be made with said member to establish priority of membership. If interest is not a priority than member is therefore terminated and overpaid dues are non-refundable. If the vacancy has not been filled and the prior member wishes to rejoin the Bucks County Networks members, the said prior member shall attend as guest and follow procedures.
4. Dues are $75.00 pre quarter and are to be paid by all active members on a quarterly basis and on the following schedule: January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, and October 15th.
5. If dues are delinquent on the 30th day after due date, contact with said member is to be established of his/her commitment. If commitment is not a priority, member is therefore terminated. If a member can not fulfill his/her payment responsibilities and wish to remain a member, that member must apply in writing to the treasurer and establish a reasonable payment schedule. This schedule must then be approved by the Executive Committee.
E. GUEST PROCEDURES:
1. To be considered for membership, guest must attend two (2) consecutive meetings, the first of which shall be of no cost to the guest. The second meeting as well at no cost, but guest is requested to have read the “ByLaws” and have given the Treasurer his/her “Membership Application Form”, as well as a check made payable the “Bucks County Networks” for the amount of $75.00. The Treasurer will hold the check until the vote on the following week is finalized.
2. After the guest has attended two aforementioned two (2) consecutive meetings, he/she shall then attend the third meeting, at which time the candidate for membership will temporarily be escorted from meeting, at which time the majority of membership shall vote on the outcome of the guests’ membership status. The guest then shall be notified of the outcome of said membership vote by the President, if outcome of vote is positive, Treasurer will then deposit the check towards membership dues. If outcome of vote is negative, check will be returned promptly.
F. LEAVE OF ABSENCE:
1. Regarding attendance, any member that wishes to take a leave of absence may do so under the following conditions: Medical or Family Emergency; and should abide by the following procedures:
a. Member must be in good standing and all dues must be paid in advance for term of the absence.
b. Extended absences will have a time frame of six (6) weeks. After the term is up, the member must reapply to the board for another term of absence.
c. During this lave of absence, members must not attend any other networking functions.
2. A leave of absence for any other reason than Medical or Family Emergency will be subject to prior approval by the board. Requests will be voted on individually, and if approved, must follow procedures above listed a,b, and c.
G. INSIDER BUSINESS:
1. When procuring products or services to our organization and the product and service are provided by a member of the group, the Executive Committee shall give first preference to the member. If, however, the price for the product or service is more than 75% of a non-member price, a total of 3 bids are obtained and the member is asked to “re-bid” the project, in effect is given a right of final refusal.
2. The full membership shall then determine whether the member or lowest responsible bidding non-member shall get the project.
3. All bids must be in writing and disclosed to the group.
4. Any relationship of a member to an outside bidder must be disclosed in advance.
5. Members may bid on projects outside their membership if they otherwise do business in the project area.
H. BUCKS COUNTY NETWORKS MEETING:
1. Meetings will be held every Monday promptly at 7:30am.
2. Meetings will follow a prescribed agenda. Members will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and the business they represent, as well as learn about other members’ business and share leads to generate business.
ByLaws Updated 4/1/10