NEW JERSEY RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

POLICY ON THE USE OF SPEAKERS REPRESENTING

COMMERCIAL FIRMS AT DISTRICT & SECTION EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

The New Jersey Recreation and Park Association, in fulfilling its educational mission to its members, seeks to present information in the parks, recreation, conservation, and leisure service field through the delivery of conferences, workshops, seminars, and forums. The Association seeks to provide these educational programs with the highest quality content, and at the most affordable cost to the membership.

While planning the Association’s educational offerings, the designated planning committee and the staff shall ensure that all featured presenters and speakers have acknowledged expertise in the subject matter selected.  Speakers and presenters may be recruited from the profession, from related fields, and from a variety of sectors:  for-profit, not-for-profit, and institutional.

From time to time the committees and/or staff may deem it advisable to select a presenter or a speaker who represents a product or service that is sold commercially to the membership of the Association.  Speakers representing such a product or service shall be aware of the following conditions of their service to the educational program:

1. No speaker’s fee or honoraria shall be claimed for the presentation by the individual speaker, or by the company he/she represents.

2. Presentations may NOT sell, raffle, or otherwise promote a product, service, or organization in which you have a financial interest.  IACET Standards do not permit commercial or promotional material of any kind to be included in presentations or to be distributed during CEU sessions.  The opportunity for speakers to include their name and address in the handout material provides adequate information for attendees to contact them after the meeting to learn more about their products and services.  Educational programs are meant to provide information for industry professionals, NOT to make a sales pitch for services or products.  Attendees will be dissatisfied if they sense the presenter is providing promotional material for his/her own benefit.

3. For educational programs presented at the NJRPA Annual Conference and/or other events where exhibits or tabletop displays are sold, and where the product or service is sold to the NJRPA membership in New Jersey, the speaker’s company is encouraged to be an exhibitor at the event.  The company is also encouraged to be a “Commercial” member of the Association.

4. Disregard of these conditions shall generally result in audience disapproval of the commercially related content of the program, and a negative evaluation of this speaker/presenter and the respective product or service.  In addition, disregard of required conditions may result in non-consideration as a speaker/presenter at any future conferences and/or district and section educational offerings.