The Massage Pundit

Were it not for the fact that I have already posted a blog titled Financial Shock and Awe at the NCBTMB, I could certainly have used that for this one. The subject matter is the same: the Form 990 filing of the NCB, except this one is for the latest return, from the fiscal year 2008. The previous posting was about the 2007 form.

Here are the cold hard facts: Revenues were down by over a million dollars, while expenses were up almost that much.  The NCB is showing almost $2 million in losses for 2008. Their assets have declined by almost $3 million dollars. To borrow a phrase from another well-known pundit, Cliff Korn, “Can you spell fiduciary malfeasance?”

2008 was the year of the Feeley administration. If you need a rehash of all my real and imaginary issues with her tenure there, just read back through the blog roll. I spent much of 2008 picking on the fact that her compensation as a “volunteer” was $118,000, plus her expenses. Then there was the utter disgrace of holding a board meeting in Hawaii, and topping that off was the $20,000 gift because she supposedly couldn’t afford health insurance. What a resounding slap in the face to all the massage therapists out there who don’t make a fifth of that money and can’t afford any, either. Fiduciary malfeasance isn’t a strong enough term, but I try to avoid cursing on the blog.

Revenues were down across the board. The NCB took in less money in all areas, including examinations, recertification, CE provider approval, sale of study guides, and investment income.  We’re in a recession, one that was cranking up hard in 2008, and the revenue shown by the FSMTB for the MBLEx in 2008 was nowhere near enough (slightly over $300K)  to explain the losses by the NCB.  The NCB also spent a massive amount of money on entertaining volunteers at regional meetings, trying to improve their public image, and paying lawyers and lobbyists to interfere in state governance.

My blog  on the financial health of AMTA (Oct 2009) included the fact that they had taken an almost $6 million hit in their investments, along with lowered revenue and increased expenses. I gave them the chance to respond and they did. In the spirit of fairness I gave the same chance to the NCB. Paul Lindamood, who came on as the CEO in January of 2009, sent me a statement which I will reprint here:

“The chair and I began work on January 2 of 2009, immediately and expeditiously, to bring the business management and financial situation into order. Here is an overview, in part, of some of the steps that were taken:

• We promptly put into place a revised budget based on realistic projections and a thorough cost analysis.
• We changed the CFO function to include a third party firm, as well as incorporating finance committee oversight comprised of board members with clear separation from day to day operations. This afforded them objective oversightof monthly financials, forecasting and expense reduction.
• The board, under the guidance of Chair Delaporta, approved substantial changes designed to eliminate extraneous and excess cost associated with board and committee meeting venues, including transportation and per diem costs.
• Operational changes went into effect including such things as a re-assessment of job functions, redefining of work processes and such cost-cutting modifications as use of on-demand digital printing and in-house mailing.
• Elimination of certain outside vendor services and cost containment by bringing communications and public relations in house.
• Other cost reduction in many areas, ranging from cutbacks in marketing and legal expenditures to more judicious participation in professional and trade venues.

In short, we have worked hard to tighten belts and redefine how we manage our business. The bottom line is that NCBTMB should come very close to concluding 2009 in the black. I do not have December financials yet, but it looks promising. In any case, I think it’s fair to say that avoiding an operating loss after 2008 — and in this economic environment — represents a responsible and decisive overhaul.”

Lindamood went on to say ” since the 2009 audit won’t be available for a while, my estimates will have to suffice, but our CFO firm and our board will corroborate.  2008 notwithstanding, I am proud of the teamwork between board and staff here to turn the ship around. It was described, in fact, by one financial expert as a ‘textbook turnaround.’

I know that a solid 2009 neither explains nor mitigates the performance in 2008 (the year of the current 990’s). But I hope it demonstrates
that we have learned from the past, and have decisively identified and put into place changes that are helping us re-establish ourselves as
being back on course, as worthy stewards of certification for the profession. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.”

I appreciate the willingness of our professional organizations’ leaders to reply to my queries.

It did not give me any perverse pleasure to report that AMTA took a $6 million hit on investments, nor does it give me any pleasure to report that the NCBTMB was almost bankrupted during the Feeley administration. Another year of that,  and we’d probably all have seen the NCB on the auction block. I feel that as a certificant, I have the right to know, as do all their other stakeholders, and I also feel we have the right to know what’s being done to correct the situation. I hope they can pull out of the mess that was created, and that’s a hard row to hoe while we’re still in a recession economy.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

In a press release issued earlier today, Angela Palmier and Christopher Alvarado have announced that they have brought an end to their role as Industry Relations Specialists for the NCBTMB after just five months on the job.

Palmier and Alvarado are partners and the principals of Resource ETC LLC, a company which provides consulting, education, and training services for not-for-profit, health care, and educational institutions. Both have a long record of experience as educators in the massage therapy and health care industries, and are leaders in association and volunteer development.

According to their press release, Alvarado and Palmier are proud of the improvements in industry relations they fostered with the NCB, appreciative of the dedication and cooperation they had from the staff during their time there,  and now intend to turn their attention toward raising the profile of the massage profession in the arena of integrative health care.

In a telephone interview this afternoon, Paul Lindamood, CEO of the NCB stated “They’ve done a great service for us. We wish Chris and Angela all the best, and will hopefully have opportunities for future collaboration.” He did not reveal any immediate plans to look for a replacement for the vacancy left by their departure, but did say that “exciting things are in the works, and I feel very optimistic about the coming year for the NCBTMB.”

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

The American Massage Therapy Association has put out the call for Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the field of myofascial release.

A statement on their website says:  “As part of AMTA’s longtime commitment to provide massage therapists with ongoing education opportunities, it is seeking Instructors and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to assist in developing a comprehensive continuing education program for massage therapy in the area of myofascial release. SMEs will be expected to conduct research and review the existing literature to determine the knowledge and skills required for the area and to develop the content for the printed materials and for the face-to-face component of the continuing education program. ”

While I applaud any efforts towards furthering the causes of research and education, and AMTA has many, I do have a couple of questions about this initiative.  Since the MTBOK is a project in progress, and the NCBTMB has their advanced certification project in progress, I am wondering at the timing and motivation behind this. Are they trying to give the NCB a run for their money? Since AMTA doesn’t currently approve CE providers, that seems like a stretch.

However, it’s not a stretch to see that the logical outcome is ultimately a certification of some sort.  Defining a body of KSAs is usually done with credentialing of some sort in mind.  Furthermore, why choose myofascial release? I don’t have anything against it, but why have they singled out that modality? According to a source at the NCB, the comments that have come in so far about the advanced cert project have been overwhelmingly in favor of an advanced certification in oncology massage, not myofascial release.

I also wonder what this means to the CE providers who currently teach myofascial release, since one assumes that some of them are AMTA members, and some are not. If you’re a member, and you don’t sign on as one of AMTA’s instructors, does that put you in direct competition with your own organization?

Subject Matter Experts are asked to reply by January 15. They apparently want to get this show on the road.  Directions for applying are on the website.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

Are you one of the 3%?

3.3, actually. That’s the percentage of the membership that voted in the recent AMTA election. 51,299 AMTA members are eligible to vote, and yet just 1737 exercised that right.

I wonder if this is complacency…I wonder if people are “too busy” to vote. I wonder if people have the attitude that it will all be the same no matter who’s at the helm. I  wonder if they just don’t care.

Since I’ve been reporting on the politics of the profession for the past couple of years, I have come to realize how important a role leadership plays in our professional associations.  Having the wrong people in positions of authority can take a formerly stable organization and send it right down the path to destruction. Having excellent leaders in place is important to growth, and facilitation of whatever is the highest good for the membership.

I put this out on my Facebook page earlier this evening, and garnered several comments from my network of therapists. One said she felt a little stupid voting because she knew nothing about the candidates other than the little bit that’s on the ballots, and wondered if the trade journals couldn’t do a more in-depth interview with the candidates so people could make a more informed choice. Another pointed out that she did know some of them, and couldn’t support them. Still another said she just felt like people are busy running their practices and their lives and don’t care about AMTA except for the liability insurance and cheap CE they provide.

It’s scary to me that 3% are speaking for the whole organization. I’d like to make it clear that I am personally acquainted with and think very highly of Glenath Moyle, the president-elect, and I have every confidence she’ll do a great job. I’d just like to point out, though, that she ran unopposed. It’s incredible that in an organization of over 52,000 people, only one of them stepped up to the plate to run for that position.

I also supported Cynthia Rebeiro,  re-elected as vice president, and my fellow North Carolinian Rachel Mann is now a member-at-large. Rachel is the immediate past president of the NC Chapter and has been in service to the organization for years.  Jeff Smoot and Maureen Moon were also reelected.

The 3% here seems like it’s not only 3% who are voting, but there’s 3% of that three percent who are willing to be in service to the organization.

This is one time when I’m not thrilled to be part of an elite group. There’s another election in 2010, and I hope more people will take an active part. I’d like to see the chapters have an election committee charged with calling every member and encouraging them to vote. It’s evident that sending emails and paper ballots didn’t do much to get the voters to turn out. Maybe a live person talking to them would make a difference. I’d welcome any suggestions, and will pass them on to the leadership.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

I’m wondering if the old adages “no news is good news” and “bad news travels fast” have been responsible for my writer’s block the past couple of weeks. I do tend to report it when things go wrong in our profession, although I occasionally hand out kudos as well.

I started a series on the financial health of our organizations, and it attracted very few comments. The NCBTMB has still not posted their 2008 filing, which I’ve been waiting for with bated breath. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards was in good shape; AMTA lost a lot of money in their investments, but not to the point of endangering the organization, and the Alliance hasn’t been in existence long enough to report on. The COMTA return contained items I didn’t understand, and I’m waiting for clarification on that, but it seems they haven’t had anything earth-shaking in their financial situation, either.  Based on the lack of feedback, I wonder if people even care.  If you’re affiliated with any of them, you should.

The MTBOK blog has not been updated since October. Maybe I’m not the only one who’s had writer’s block here lately. I’d like to know what’s happening with that project, and they don’t seem to be forthcoming with much information.

Elizabeth Langston, the Exam Development Director at the NCB, updated her blog about the Advanced Certification project this week, but it was a general blog of thanks to those who are participating, except for her closing statement that ” the data from the Needs Assessment Survey is being collated and reviewed for accuracy by an independent psychometric consultant.”

I have seen the NCBTMB making a good attempt this year to clean up their act as far as service to the stakeholders, and I’m extremely glad about that. I do wish the chair, Neal Delaporta, would update his communications, as he has not said anything since his “It’s an honor…” statement back in January. Maybe he thinks I’ll pounce on whatever he says, and I probably will, but that’s no excuse for not communicating.

There’s no recent news from the Federation; they’re ending the year with 33 member boards and 21 of those now accepting the MBLEx, an amazing feat for such a young organization.

The newly formed Alliance for Massage Therapy Education has extended their founding member campaign until Dec 31, but other than that and announcing their initial conference, which will take place in Park City, UT June 3-5, and their announcement a couple of weeks ago that they had raised 40K so far, no big news from them, either. I don’t expect them to have much to report, other than the success of their membership drive, until after the June meeting, which I hope to attend.

So, in wrapping up this year on the political home front, maybe no news is good news. No meltdowns, no new lawsuits on state boards that I’m aware of. Maybe everyone’s busy with holiday plans. I wish you and yours a good one, whatever it is you celebrate (or don’t), and a Happy New Year.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

Massage is my second career, one that I only adopted ten years ago. Some of my fellow bloggers here were doing massage when I was still in high school. They’ve witnessed a lot of changes. As we move toward the New Year, I am reflecting on what has happened in the past decade, and I feel pretty certain that it’s been both the most productive and the most tumultuous time our profession has seen so far.

Rick Rosen, Executive Director of the recently formed Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, in an article he authored in the current issue of Massage Today, writes that there have been signs of excellent progress, along with some troubling trends. I’ll go a little further, and say it’s sometimes hard to see exactly where that dividing line between progress and trouble is located.

Just to give a little recap of the last few years: The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards was formed; the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork came close to having a total meltdown. The NCB is obviously making an honest effort to restore customer service, but their latest project, an advanced certification exam, is coming under a lot of fire. The AMTA disbanded the Council of Schools; the Alliance was formed. ABMP surpassed AMTA in membership numbers, and more states than ever before have formed boards and started regulating the practice of massage.

Rosen also states that the MTBOK (Massage Therapy Body of Knowledge) project is a bright spot in the current picture. The question is, whose picture?

The MTBOK is a collaborative effort between six organizations, and I  definitely concede that their ability to work together is a bright spot. However, there is so much controversy surrounding the document, I wonder how it will reach completion.  I don’t know how many comments were received by the task force during the comment period, but the forum devoted to the various discussions about it on the massageprofessionals.com website has garnered more than 400 comments the last time I looked, most of them negative.

The main issues seem to revolve around the inclusion of the concept of “energy” in the MTBOK. Basically what we have here is a standoff between the White Coats and the Crystal Carriers. Those practitioners, instructors, and researchers who are all about evidence-based massage don’t see a place for energy work in massage, or references to it in a BOK meant for the massage profession. Objections have flown at the inclusion of references to chakras, meridians, energetic modalities, and any reference to adjunct modalities requiring education beyond entry level in the BOK.

On the other side of that issue are the thousands of therapists who believe they can’t touch a body without affecting that energy. Chip Hines, who is leading the prospect, felt compelled to go so far as putting up a blog to pacify Polarity practitioners, who were apparently in an uproar about their perception of being included as massage therapists.

The NCBTMB, one of the organizations participating in the MTBOK project, has since 1993 promulgated an exam containing all of the above , and part of the criticism leveled at their current plan for offering advanced certification has been centered around their previously announced release date for the beta exam, which originally was scheduled before the final version of the MTBOK is to be released. The leadership of the NCB has stated that they are slowing down in order to be sure the project is done right.

Rosen’s article contains a model demonstrating how all the pieces of this puzzle can fit together. As he points out, there’s a place for everyone, when everyone is in its place. As he also points out, the actions of one has the ability to affect all.

I’m one of those idealistic dreamers who likes to see everyone playing in the same sandbox. I’ve been distressed to see the lack of useful and civil communication between some of our organizations, infighting, backbiting, lawsuits, and general disorder that has taken place in the past couple of years.  We’ve had our winter of discontent, and it’s time to move beyond it.

When the MTBOK is finally released, not everyone is going to like it. When the NCB releases their advanced certification exam, not everyone is going to like it. When regulation comes into a state that has previously had none, not everyone is going to like it.

I suggest that we all need to recognize that these are the growing pains associated with a growing profession. It’s an exciting time, and I think the next decade holds a lot of promise.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

It’s that time of the year when a lot of people pause to give thanks for those things they are grateful for. I need to throw in my two cents.

A few months ago when I checked in at the AMTA National Convention in Orlando, I was thrilled when I opened my registration packet and found that instead of just my name badge, some kind soul had put the word “PRESS” in big letters underneath my name. To whomever that was, thank you.

Since I have been blogging about the politics of the massage and bodywork profession, I have seized the opportunity to contact people at the top of some of the entities I’ve written about…I like to present all sides of an issue, when possible, and give the representatives of those organizations a chance to respond, when they will. I’m happy to say that most of them have taken me up on it, in spite of the fact that I have as often as not been hard on them on the blog.

I try to keep my finger on the pulse of all the organizations, participate in a lot of discussion forums, and read as many of our publications, relevant research and articles, and other people’s blogs as much as I can.  One thing is clear to me, we do have a profession that cares, and an industry that supports that profession in too many ways to count. Even when I disagree with the actions of some of our organizations, I respect the people who are trying to do their jobs as leaders; I recognize that they have a huge responsibility, and you can’t please all the people all of the time.

I do want to thank some people personally.

I’m going to start with Paul Lindamood, CEO of the NCBTMB. I have criticized the NCBTMB and many times, him personally, for more than two years. I met Mr. Lindamood in person in Orland a few months ago, and he politely listened to me rant about what I perceive to be the shortcomings of the NCB for the better part of an hour. I have since had the occasion to correspond with him, and other people at the NCB, about various concerns of mine, and they have been very timely in answering, which is a big improvement over recent years.

Elizabeth Langston, the exam development director, has taken a bunch of flak from a lot of people over the advanced certification exam project, and remained gracious and polite about it, as have Angie Palmier and Christopher Alvarado.  I have to admire that.

Debra Persinger, executive director of the FSMTB, along with the Board of Directors of that organization, has done an excellent job, not only in getting a fine organization off the ground, but also in communicating with the state boards and test applicants they serve. Whenever I’ve had a question, they’ve been very quick to answer. The Federation is definitely operating in an atmosphere of transparency, and that’s the way it should be. Kudos to them.

Rick Rosen, executive director of the recently formed Alliance for Massage Therapy Education, is a fellow North Carolinian, was the first chapter president of AMTA in our state, was the first chair of the North Carolina Board of Massage & Bodywork Therapy that I now serve on, and knows the law better than most lawyers. I’ve encouraged him to run for governor, but he’s too busy serving our profession. He has answered my questions about the law many times, and more recently about the AFMTE, and I wish him luck in that endeavor. I’ll be publishing my interviews with him and our other professional organization leaders soon.

I have called on Judy Stahl, president of AMTA, and Liz Lucas, executive director, several times for clarifications when I was writing something about AMTA, and I appreciate the fact that they have been very open and forthcoming with information. Ron Precht at the AMTA office also deserves my thanks.

Kate Ivan Henrioulle, the new executive director of COMTA, doesn’t know me from Adam’s house cat, but she recently granted me an interview as well. Thank you.

Les Sweeney, fearless leader at ABMP, fellow massage therapist, musician, and comic force, deserves my thanks, as does Jean Robinson, ABMP’s government relations representative.

Lara Evans Bracciante of the massageprofessionals.com website, thank you.

Karen Menehan, editor of Massage Magazine, and Jennifer Whaley, editor of the massagemag.com website, along with Manuel Lirio, technical guru, thank you for publishing my articles and my blog. They have provided the platform for my diatribes and I appreciate it.

Leslie Young Giase, editor of Massage & Bodywork Magazine, thank you.

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, especially John Goucher, Linda Francis, and my free-lance editor Betsy Dilernia, thank you.

Mike Hinkle of the World Massage Festival, thank you.

Sally Hacking, the Undisputed Queen of Government Relations, thank you. I want to be just like Sally when I grow up.

Jan Schwartz, Jan Kempster, Judith McDaniel, and Susie Que of Education Training Solutions, thank you.

Ryan Hoyme, Bodhi Haraldsson, Keith Eric Grant, Christopher Moyer, Paul Ingraham, and Michael Reynolds, thank you for all you so graciously share with the rest of us.

To my awesome network of massage therapists across the country and the world, thank you. Many of you keep me up to date on what’s happening with massage in your neck of the woods. You are the family of hands. We hold each other up.

To those who read my blogs and articles and buy my books, follow me on Twitter and FB, and argue with me on the forums, thank you!

I’ve probably forgotten someone. I hate it when that happens! Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

This is the second in my series on the financial health of the non-profit massage therapy associations.

What a difference a year has made to the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards. In the 2007 fiscal year, the FSMTB’s Form 990 showed gross receipts of just over $43,000. The 2008 shows those revenues as exceeding $355,000. Looks like it was a good year, and the expectation is that income will continue to grow as more boards join (there are currently 33) and more students take the MBLEx.

2007 income for the Federation was below the upper limit for filing Form 990-EZ,  a shorter, less detailed form, so some line-by-line items appear on the 2008 filing that were not on the earlier form.

As expected, when business grows, so do expenses, but there’s nothing earthshaking there.  The FSMTB has to date had only one paid staff member, Debra Persinger, the Executive Director. When I attended the FSMTB annual meeting last month, it was announced that an employee was going to be added now that finances permit, and that Persinger was going to receive a well-deserved raise. Persingler’s 2008 salary was reported as $105,000, plus $13,000 in contributions to an employee benefit plan.

Board members are volunteers and are not compensated for their services, other than reimbursement of expenses such as Federation-related phone expenses and travel.

Treasurer Susan Beam, also a North Carolina Board member, reported at the annual meeting that the finances of the Federation were in great shape, and that a payment of $200,000 had been made towards repayment of the principal of the startup loan.

I reported in the first of this series that AMTA had taken a big hit in their investments due to the decline of the economy. The FSMTB, as the young organization that it is, has not yet grown financially to the point of having property or investments, other than about $5000 worth of office equipment, so unlike many non-profits, they haven’t lost any assets due to the recession.

The tax information of the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards and other non-profit organizations can be found at www.guidestar.com

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

Although the official election results have not yet been announced by the NCBTMB, the grapevine has it that Monica Reno has retained her certificant seat on the Board, and the new public member is Ronni Burns.

I’m very pleased to hear about Ms. Burns, and less than pleased to hear about Reno. As I’ve stated on a previous blog or two, she is in my opinion part of the Old Guard That Needs To Go.  The NCB seems to be making some good strides forward here lately, and I think the more they distance themselves from the problems of the past, the better their chances.

Now that we’re stuck with her, not to mention another year with Delaporta at the helm, we can only hope that those two have had a wake-up call. Maybe they’ll both exhibit enough common sense to check the expiration dates on their certifications instead of waiting for someone to tell them they’ve expired. Maybe they’ve both come to the painful realization that the certificants deserve better than maintaining the old status quo that has previously plagued this organization. I certainly hope so. They have both had their share of responsibility in those problems. I’ll be watching to see what they do, and reporting on it. You’ve got another shot here, Ms. Reno, so don’t blow it.

Burns has an impressive resume, and as a public member, nothing vested in this profession except her willingness to serve on the Board. I hope she will distance herself from the political trauma and drama and focus on what is best for the stakeholders.

At the same time, I hope she goes to the trouble to educate herself about the past history of the NCB and its problems, so history will not repeat itself. I suggest she does a lot of reading of past Board minutes, although from where I’m sitting, the minutes from the Feeley administration read like some bad fantasy novel.

I think it’s very telling, and a wise move on their part, that the Immediate Past Chair position has been removed.  Normally, an immediate past chair serves by helping to acclimate the new one, and it’s a pretty serious move to get rid of that position. It’s rather sad that it came to that, but I’ll give them a pat on the back this time for making that decision.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen

In my last post about Whitney Lowe’s departure from the  NCBTMB Task Force, I reported that CEO Paul Lindamood had made the promise to keep certificants informed about the Advanced Certification project.

That was put into action today with the launch of a new blog on the NCB website, authored by Elizabeth Langston, the Director of Exam Development for the NCB.

Langston’s post reads, in part, ” One of the questions I’ve been seeing a lot is “Why? What makes you think we need or want an advanced certification?” The desire for such an advanced certification has been verified through various projects and studies over the past twelve years (based on information gathered from peer groups, past Job Task Analyses, Task Force reports in Board minutes and other empirical evidence.) In 2009, after review of these past efforts and confident that the desire for such a credential was evident, NCBTMB’s Board of Directors decided to proceed with the creation of an advanced certification credential and exam. And here we are.”

As with this blog and others, there is the opportunity for public comment on the blog page. I’ve passed along the many comments I have received on my various networks to them, and I feel safe in saying they’ve realized they have to listen. I urge you to visit the blog and make your comments.

Peace & Prosperity,

Laura Allen