Send Top Small Copy To BNI Regional Office
TYPE OF PAYMENT: |
PERSONAL CHEQUE COMPANY CHEQUE CASH |
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(payable to BNI) |
CREDIT CARD MC VISA AMEX |
CARD NUMBER:_______________________________EXPIRY:____/____ |
SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________ |
CARD HOLDER NAME (PRINT):___________________________________ |
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UPON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO BNI, FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE WITHOUT EXCEPTION
BNI Applicant: Tear Off Here And Please Read
GENERAL POLICIES
1.Only one person from each professional discipline, trade or business is permitted to join a BNI chapter. Membership Committees of each chapter have final authority relating to classification conflicts.
2.Members must represent their primary occupation, not a part-time business.
3.The weekly meetings last for 90-minutes. Members need to arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting.
4.An individual may be a member of only one BNI chapter at any given time.
5.Attendance is critical to the group. If a member cannot attend, he/she may send a substitute (not a member of his/her chapter) to the meeting. This will not count as an absence. A member is allowed three absences every six months (April through September and October through March). After three absences, the member is subject to removal by the chapter’s Leadership Team or Membership Committee.
6.Members are required to bring bona-fide referrals and/or visitors to their BNI chapter. Chapters may establish a minimum number of referrals and/or visitors that is acceptable to maintain membership.
7.Visitors may attend chapter meetings up to two times.
8.Speakers must bring a door prize. Only members bringing a visitor or a referral are eligible for the door prize.
9.There are no leaves of absence except for medical leaves. Members may take up to eight weeks medical leave with the Membership Committee’s prior approval if their fees are pre-paid for that period of time and they attempt to have someone fill in during their leave.
10.It is the members’ responsibility to file a concern with the Membership Committee of their chapter if a visitor in any way conflicts with their classification. This should be done before the visitor is approved for member ship. If there are no complaints, the Membership Committee will “assume” their consent.
11.Members who wish to change their classification must submit a new membership application and get approval from the chapter’s Membership Committee for the classification change.
12.Transferring members must submit a new membership application to the Membership Committee of the chapter to which they are transferring for approval. If approved for transfer, all fees are transferable.
13.In case of problems with a member, Membership Committees may, at their sole discretion, put a member on probation relating to the member’s business practices or commitment to the chapter.
14.Memberships may be revoked for failure to comply with the policies and/or code of ethics of BNI. Membership Committees of any chapter may revoke memberships. In the absence of a Membership Committee, the Leadership Executive Team may fulfill that responsibility.
15.Policies are subject to change. The Leadership Team will be notified regarding all changes.
16.If the Leadership Executive Team members fulfill all responsibilities throughout their term, then they will receive compensation for their fees. A Leadership Executive Team member must agree to the terms outlined in the Leadership Executive Team Agreement in order to hold a position and must go through training before participating.
17.In the absence of a Membership Committee, the Leadership Executive Team may act as an ad hoc Membership Committee until one is established.
18.An individual member cannot belong to a second chapter of BNI nor, any other group that allows only one person per profession and whose primary purpose is to pass referrals to one another, because it substantially reduces their commitment to the chapter members. Membership Committees have full authority in this area.
19.All new members will attend BNI’s Member Success Orientation Program (MSP) in their region within the first 60 days of joining. Only after attending MSP training with the BNI Director, may the new member be added to the "speaker rotation" for that chapter. Failure to attend MSP may result in being dropped from the chapter by the membership committee.
20.All BNI membership lists are for the purpose of ‘giving’ referrals and not for soliciting (i.e., e-mail, direct mail, etc.) members without their prior approval.
BNI is a marketing service provided by BNI Franchise Corporation, and its franchises. BNI or any of its franchises reserves the right to discontinue a member’s participation in this program.
Arbitration: All disputes arising out of or in connection to this Agreement or the member's participation in BNI shall be arbitrated and finally resolved by binding arbitration in accordance with the National Arbitration Rules of Procedure of the ADR Institute of Canada, Inc. The Arbitration will take place in the City and Province in which the member’s BNI Chapter is located. This clause encompasses any and all disputes involving BNI, its franchisee, and their officers, directors, agents and representatives.
Limitations on Liability: Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, any liability to you involving BNI, its franchisee, and their officers, directors, agents and representatives for any cause whatsoever arising out of or related to this Agreement and/or your membership or participation in BNI, and regardless of the form of the action, will at all times be limited to the amount of yearly dues paid by you for the membership in BNI. Except in jurisdictions where such provisions are restricted, in no event will there be any liability to you or any third person for any indirect, consequential, exemplary, incidental, special or punitive damages.
