All of us are looking for a good investment. The high stakes corporate acquisitions player, the stock market investor and the housewife searching for food, clothing or appliances all have one thing in common — they want the highest return possible on their investment. Their investment may involve expenditures of money, time or anxiety but it is ultimately judged by the payoff or return on investment (ROI). The return on investment is often directly related to the level of risk. Generally the higher the level of risk, the greater the payback. However, high levels of risk carry a correspondingly greater risk of failure. The optimum investment would have a high payback accompanied by a low level of risk. PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION is just such an investment to the leisure services practitioner.

The National Certification Plan for leisure service professionals contains two main components: 1. education and work experience qualifications that must be met to initially become certified and 2. continuing education requirements that must be satisfied to maintain certification.

Another important factor is that participation in the National Certification Plan is totally voluntary. As a result, some qualified practitioners have said "no" to certification. Reasons such as costs, lack of time or limited value have been given for this non-participation. Perhaps those practitioners omitted some of the information when weighing this investment called certification. These non-participants may be missing an excellent investment with low time, money and anxiety costs plus low risk, yet one which produces a good ROI.

The Investment Costs The costs of investment are two fold: first, the cost of initial certification followed by the cost of maintaining certification. The initial certification costs are typical of most professions — the price paid to attain a prescribed level of education and work experience. Although the acquisition of this education and experience takes time, the education and work experience required for the National Certification Plan is actually less stringent than many professions. The initial certification also requires a minimal investment of time in filling out the required forms and submitting the necessary documentation. A processing fee of $40.00 is required and although some may feel the fee is high, examination of other professional organizations shows the fee is a bargain price for having a national body certify you as a professional!

A certified leisure professional must show evidence of acquiring 2 CEU's (20 hours) or more of quality continuing education during each two year period in order to maintain certification.

The major cost of the investment for most is related to the cost of maintaining certification. The initial certification is valid for a two year period. A certified leisure professional must show evidence of acquiring 2 CEU's (20 hours) or more of quality continuing education during each two year period in order to maintain certification. A $35.00 processing fee is also required.

The costs involved in maintaining certification have resulted in some practitioners failing to attain the necessary continuing education to maintain their certification. Some of the reasons given for their failure include "The fees are too high", "No money available for continuing education", "Not enough qualifying continuing education opportunities available", "I am a professional with or without certification and do not need certification to force me to pursue continuing education".

Are the costs involved in the pursuit of quality continuing education mandated by the Certification Plan really too onerous? Let's check out the costs.

1. Money: $35.00 processing fee — (only $17.50 per year).

2. Money: Continuing Education program participant fees — a variable cost dependant on the educational session. An average may be $200.00-$300.00 per year.

3. Time: 2 CEU's of continuing education — 10 hours per year plus travel time (1/2 of 1% of the total work time in a year based on a 40 hour per week work year).

Examination of the costs suggests that the cost of Certification mandated continuing education is minimal to the professional and/or the employer.

The Return on Your Investment
Your investment in time, money and anxiety is minimal but what is the payback? First and foremost is the national stamp of approval recognizing you as a qualified leisure professional. Certification is a label often used in our society to signal quality. We can tell our family, employers and clientele that we are professionals but the National Certification Plan is the only vehicle that exists whereby a leisure practitioner's professionalism can be certified by an impartial national third party.

Some tangible benefits may include the fact that in a tight job market, certification may help you obtain a job. In litigation, certification may be one way of establishing your qualifications. Certification may also be an excellent marketing tool to help establish the concept of quality for your agency. Auto mechanics, accountants and exercise instructors are examples of disciplines which use certification as a marketing tool. Why are leisure service agencies not using cer-

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Certification

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tification in their marketing?

The second major payback of the Certification Plan results from the continuing education requirement. Professionals can become stagnant if they don't seek to continually pursue continuing education. Continuing education gives you the chance to modernize your skills, expand your skills or learn totally new skills. This improvement in skills could lead to further responsibilities and possible promotion. The practitioner benefits but most importantly, the agency and clientele benefit from having employees with improved or expanded knowledge and skills. Continuing education is an investment in the future of both the professional and the agency.

Some argue that they will pursue their continuing education with or without the Certification Plan. This is somewhat true but reality has shown that when our work schedules are hectic, continuing education is one of those things that slips to the back burner. Is this fair to our clientele or to ourselves? The Certification Program helps keep the leisure services practitioner focused on their continued growth as a professional.

Certification is a label often used in our society to signal quality. Why are leisure service agencies not using certification in their marketing?

Take the challenge of professionalism! Make an investment requiring minimal blood, sweat and tears. Make an investment that helps establish your professionalism and guides your continued growth. Join the leaders in the leisure services field.

The following is a list of the professionals currently certified through the Illinois Park and Recreation Certification Board and included on the national roster of certified professionals. We congratulate all those on the list.

Information about the Illinois Park and Recreation Certification Plan can be obtained by calling the IPRA office at (312) 991-2820.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Beaman is Director of Parks and Recreation at Schiller Park and Recreation Department in Schiller Park and served as chairman of the IPR Certification Board for two consecutive years, 1987-1988.

Certified Professionals
Rod Aiken	Daniel D. Brown	Cheryl Loudon Deom	Daniel C. Gibble	Sarah P. Holcombe
James C. Albritton	George H. Bryant, Jr.	Dorothea DiGuido	Arthur A. Gill	Mary Jayne Holley
William T. Alden	Ewen Bryden	Ronald E. Diehl	Wendy L. Gismondi	Gary Hopfinger
Roger W. Allen	Mary E. Burkee	Gayle Dixon	Michael J. Glabinski	Heather J. Hoppe-Theiszmann
Barbara Altwies	Eric E. Burns	Janet M. Dolan	Laura Lynn Glazier	Cheryl N. Horvath
Sharon P. Anderson	Cynthia N. Capek	Judith Dolan Mendelson	Cheryl Ann Gordon	Joan S. Horvath-Kruger
Gerard I. Armstrong	Julie R. Caporusso	Dick Dooley	Darlan Gordon	Suzette L. Horyza
Phyllis Arntzen	Angelo J. Capulli	Joe H. Doud	William M. Grady	Charles Hoscheit
Cory Atwell	Debbie Carlson	John W. Downs	Michael Grandy	Duane S. Hosimer
Dawn Marie Bacino	Jan Carlson	Peter C. Drogos	Robert K. Gray	Jeanne Hosier
Mark E. Badasch	Anne Elizabeth Carroll	Robert Dunsmuir	Ronald Greenberg	Daniel J. Hotchkin
Jerome Baer	Jayne K. Carstens	Patricia F. Eagleton	Bob Greene	John Hovde
Gary Baker	Kim Cashmore	Barbara L. Eaton	Daniel J. Griffin	Craig D. Hubert
Chuck Balling	Allen Cassady	James C. Eby	Steve Grimes	Suzette Huckstadt
Gary Balling	Kathleen Cassens	Glen A. Ekey	Richard Grodsky	Nancy Hudson
Joseph J. Bannon	Vincent Castellanoz	Matthew L. Ellmann	James R. Grove	William E. Hughes
Jill Bartholomew	Cheryl Ann Cater	Evonne Marie Elsenbroek	James H. Gruenwald	Daniel L. Hypke
Ginny Bateman	Amy L. Charlesworth	Robert Ems	Linda L. Gryziecki	Frederick E. Jackson
Reid Bateman	Eric Lee Christensen	James B. Ensign	Ronald J. Gunter	Caroline Margaret Jacobsen
Bruce E. Baum	Andy Clark	Robert D. Espeseth	Fred P. Hall	R. Jarecki
John H. Beaman	Virginia M. Clark	Michael P. Evans	R. C. Hallberg	Richard E. Johns
Larry Belknap	Edward C. Clift	George C. Fink	Jerry Handlon	Mary Ann Johnson
Ned F. Bell	Penny Sue Collins	Karen Finnerty	Rita M. Hardy	Sandra Lynne Johnson
Debra Lynn Belleville	J. Christopher Comstock	Elsa Marie Fischer	David W. Haring	Annie Lee Jones
Rick Bemm	Douglas G. Congdon	Kenneth Fiscke	Steve Hartman	Judy A. Julison
Tom Benefiel	Thomas E. Connolly	Rita Kay Fletcher	Carl P. Hartmann	Peg Kallio
James L. Berousek	Karen Correll	Gary T. Foiles	Edward Harvey	Thomas M. Kalousek
Thomas Joseph Blackburn	Brenda Sue Cresap	Thomas F. Foley	Patricia Hayes	Karen D. Kamradi
Ronald W. Blemler	Kathleen Cunningham	Keith Frankland	Jerry Hayner	Donald W. Kappel
Richard M. Blust	John Curran	Dan W. Frase	Kerry Patrick Hays	Steven Karoliussen
Dennis Bokemeier	Betty L. Currie	Laurie L. Freeman	John L. Hedges	Kathleen E. Kelley
Nancie J. Boland	Peggy Ann Curtis	Susan Friend	David M. Heffernan	Caroline E. Kelling
Rick Bold	Sue Curtis	Therese M. Fritzmann	Paul E. Heinkel	Kevin T. Kendrigan
Gregory B. Bott	James T. DaRosa	Michael A. Fugiel	Michael E. Henderson	Roger Key
Jeff Boubelik	Kathy Sue Daichendt	Carolyn S. Garofalo	Cheryl Ann Henerson	Karen A. Kiester
Cheri A. Bourbon	Kathryn P. Danielson	Deborah A. Garrett	Patricia W. Hensley	Gary Koren
William A. Brauer	Frank DeAtley	Ronald N. Gbur	Ann C. Hildreth	Robert Kotula
James O. Breen	Dennis J. DeLance	William C. Geihsler	Jane Hodgkinson	Kimberly A. Kovac
Mary Brosius	Scott R. Dell	Jack M. Giambrone	Nancy Hohs	Jerry Krewer

Thomas Kruse	William C. Neumann	Michael S. G. Schiller	John M. Waytula	Denise R. Riederer
Ronald Kubicki	Dan Newport	Dan Schimmel	Larry R. Wheeler	Bradley K. Salman
Michael Kudia	Dave Novak	Tim Schmidt	Thomas C. White	Donald H. Scheltens
Greg Kuhs	Don Nuenthel	James R. Schneckenburger	George Whitehead	Laura Seri
Robert Kunkel	Carol O'Brien	Kay J. Schneegas	Sandra Whitmore	Vickey C. Weber
Betsy Kutska	Cynthia O'Connor	Mark Schneiderman	Ann Wilkins
Ken Kutska	Gerald M. Oakes	Stephen C. Scholten	Kerry Willey
Sharon T. Labak	Ray Ochromowicz	David Schroeder	Keith D. Williams	Certified Technicians
Joel S. Lammers	Denise Olsen	Susan L. Schroeder	Chris A. Wilsman	Mary E. Beaver
Robert Lashbrook	Robert Orsi	Joe Schultz	John W. Wilson	Beverly Jean Carlson
Dawn E. Lemme	Daniel Otto	Terry G. Schwartz	Linda Wiltberger	Denis Craig Chapan
Jack Lepper	James A. Pacanowski	Patricia M. Sergeant	Donald J. Winh	Tracy Dalton
Jeff Levy	Thomas E. Palmer	Tim Sexton	Jim Wiseman	Mary Beth Flagg
Janice M. Linduska	Margaret Partak	Karen Shannon	Marvin Wolf	Barbara Gardner
Thomas J. Lippert	Rich Partak	James R. Sharp	Brent J. Wolff	Diane D. Grais
Joann Lodine	Jerry E. Pask	Jennifer B. Schoellhorn	Max L. Woods	Alien G. Helms
Mary J. Loos	Steve Patterson	Jeannine Shotas	Jay D. Young	Marie H. Inzcauskis
Ronald Lorenzo	Arlene G. Perry	Mitchell Shulich	Raul Zaidivar	Pat Jacobs
Thomas G. Lovern	Stephen D. Persinger	Thomas J. Shuster	Richard J. Zarr	Ronald Jenkins
Michael S. Lucchesi	Janice P. Peterson	Charles J. Siegler	James M. Zawlocki	Margaret O. Kinkade
Teena Mackey	Greg Petfy	Gary Silkaitis	Edward A. Zeienka	Virginia M. Pizzotti
Joyce Magsamen	Jack F. Philbrick	Mary A. Simonis	Roger L. Zimmerman	Steve D. Reggi
Tony Malcak	Randall Phillips	Billy Sim Sisler	JoAn M. Zimmermann	Kirk Reimer
Thomas A. Mammoser	Fred Ploegman, jr.	Connie Skibbe	Ann S. Zito	Mark D. Runyon
Janet Manson	Steven S. Plumb	Carole A. Sluis	Anthony J. Zito	Debra J. Scinto
David Markworth	Steve Pohlman	Pam Smalarz	Judith Zopp	Donna Jean Strum
Mike Martino	Theresa Tolle Pohlman	Brian T, Smith		John Henry Thiele, Jr.
Alex J. Marx	Mick Pope	Kennit J. Smith		James R. Walker
Gerard P. McCord	Peter T. Pope	Cindy A. Snyder		Nancy H. Waters
Diane McCray	Freddy A. Porps	Donna Soltanek		Philip Jay Wieczorek
Carol A. McCreary	Robert A. Porter	Sue Spangler		Vivienne C. Williams
Liza McElroy	Terrence Porter	Michael S. Spencer		Danelle Wonderlick
Mark M. McKinnon	Joyce L. Pottinger	Robert Spencer	Certified Provisional Professionals
Mary Pat McNicholas	Todd D. Pratt	Thomas R. Spika	Jani Lynn Arlington
Jeffrey D. McClard	Susan Price	Diane Stanke	Patti Jo Boehm
Leslie S. Merema	Cathy Puchalski	Dennis R. Stein	David C. Brown
Pete Merkel	Bob Pushee	Theodore R. Steiskal, Jr.	Laura J. Brown
Jan D. Mersmann	Richard Pyle	Michael P. Slerba	Thomas G. Buban
Greg Meyer	Robert D. Quill	William H. Sturgis	Stephen L. Cherveny	Certified Professionals With Therapeutic Specialty
Steven Meyer	Randy Ralston	Paul V. Swanson	Michael G. Clark	Barbara Alldridge
Sue A. Micklevitz	Eugene A. Rathje	Charles J. Szoke	David E. Cooley	Charlene Kay Basham
James W. Miller	Linda Reesor	Tracy Ann Taylor	William M. Donnell	Mary Berman
Jennifer Miller	Randy Reopelle	Frederick C. Thompson	Geri L. Estvanik	Myrna Haimowitz Besley
Lois E. Miller	Greg Repede	Robert F. Toalson	Diane E. Eustis	Marianne Birko
Lori Jean Mills	Keith Rich	William S. Tookey	Jayne R. Glade	Fred Boch
Nancy J. Miner	Thomas J. Richardson	Terry Turnquist	Nancy Lee Harris	Vera Hesse
David W. Mogle	Walter C. Righton	Lois B. Tyznik	Robert T. Holcombe	Ruth Ann Iwanski
Catherine Ann Morava	Alexander L. Roberts	Donald P. VanArsdale	Joni A. Jordt	Shelley A. Johnson
Patrick B. Morley	James Rock	Mary E. VanArsdale	Elizabeth S. Kessler	Martha T. Judge
Ray Morrill	Robert W. Roiek	John M. Vann	Heather Ann Krupke	Donna McCauley
Patrick L. Moser	Thomas E. Rowe	Robert Vaughan	Judy Annette Lees	Kathy Mulligan
Gayle L. Mountcastle	Betty Russell	Marilee Verdo	Robert M. O'Shaughnessy	Carolyn Mallaney Nagle
John C. Muno	Michael Ryiko	Ralph J. Voipe	Cheryl Mae Olson	Robert B. Pindar
Linda Brougham Naatz	Gregory G. Sagen	Ralph D. Voris	Randwick L. Osborn	William J. Popelar
Tom Naatz	Mary E. Sagen	Trudy Lynn Wakeman	Karen Ann Parsetich	Mari Patricia Schager
Deborah D. Nelson	Sevan Sarkisian	Michael Scott Walaszek	Brian Alien Penticoff	Shelley S. Schultz
Rudy Nelson	Walter Schamber	Richard Walker	Joan M. Prazuch	Shelley Thurston
Suzanne P. Nelson	Kathleen C. Scheltens	Gary M. Watson	Christine M. Purpura	Marilyn F. Vogus
John Nemerovski	Gary Schiefer	Linda Watts	Nancy Jo Radtke