The responsibilities of chapter leadership often involve looking ahead to plan for events that are weeks, months, and sometimes even years in the future. It is also equally important that chapter leaders take time to look back and reflect. Reviewing the meetings, goals, feedback, and processes of the past year can better prepare a chapter for future improvements and growth. One useful method for self-evaluation, the 2020 Chapter of the Year (COTY) Contest, can prove beneficial to chapters in multiple ways.
The APA’s Chapter of the Year (COTY) Contest rewards up to 12 chapters each year for their tremendous support of APA’s membership and local payroll professionals. By entering the contest, your chapter will have an opportunity to not only reflect on chapter operations and accomplishments but also earn national recognition.
Winning a prestigious award in a national competition can serve as 
proof that your chapter is a worthwhile investment at a time when payroll professionals may struggle to gain their supervisor’s approval for attendance of chapter meetings or payment of chapter dues.
“Each year the Washington Metropolitan Area Chapter submits a COTY entry, we focus on the hard work of our board and participation of our chapter members,” says President-Elect, Julia Lopez Divack, CPP. “I feel the COTY submission process is a great way to celebrate and share your chapter’s yearlong accomplishments. I also like that the new COTY questionnaire focuses on the chapter’s success and how they deal with the challenges we all share.”
To enter the Chapter of the Year Contest, visit the Annual Chapter Contests page on the APA website. You’ll notice that this page also includes information on the Chapter Pictorial Contest, Best Chapter Website Contest, and Best Statewide or Regional Meeting Contest. Click “Learn More” to view a contest flyer and review the instructions and questionnaire.
The deadline to enter the Chapter of the Year Contest is February 5, 2020. The deadline to enter all other Annual Chapter Contests is February 21, 2020.
Winning chapters will be announced and awarded on May 6, 2020 during the Chapter Exchange at the 38th Annual Congress in Orlando, Florida.
