The key, Stutz says, was to approach the local Seattle chapters of several different organizations and to appeal directly to the groups' members. Within a month of its founding, the PTDN had enrolled nearly 100 members representing nearly 20 employers and approximately 10 local chapters of professional and technical associations. In the 20 months since the PTDN was founded, its membership has swelled to more than 300 members from 25 employers and 20 local chapters in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Stutz credits the hard work of all the PTDN organizers for getting the network off the ground, but some say most of the credit should go to Stutz and his dedication to the project. He has been the heart and soul of organizing this network.
Professionals PTDN networking opportunities offer benefits on several different levels.
First, a diverse range of professionals are given the chance to network with potential employers which helps address a top concern of employers. Therefore, the interest that employers like Microsoft, Boeing, Weyerhaeuser and Siemens Communications have shown in supporting the PTDN shouldn't be a surprise. It is an opportunity to work with an umbrella group that ties us into a very diverse community. It also has helped Weyerhaeuser in coordinating its own diversity program. Jaenicke, Stutz and 10 other representatives of the PTDN gathered recently in the lobby of Seattle's Four Seasons Olympic Hotel on a rainy Saturday afternoon to discuss the virtues of the network.