Categories and Dues

1. Charter Membership

Charter membership is that membership held by, or granted to, institutions, organizations, or individuals at the time of the first ASI business session. Dues shall be the same as organizational or personal, whichever applies.

2. Organizational Membership

Organizational membership is the primary type of ASI membership. The major emphasis of ASI is to encourage supporting ministries and those with the entrepreneurial spirit of business operation to work together and cooperate with the Seventh-day Adventist Church mission and ministry. Organizational membership has the following characteristics: 

2a Organizational members will have at least two full-time employees in an organization that is owned or controlled by Seventh-day Adventist laypersons. The two qualifying employees may include the owner, applicant, or contract or volunteer workers.

2b The organization must have been in operation for at least one full year at the time application for ASI membership is submitted.

2c Membership will be in the name of the organization.

3. Executive Professional

Executive Professional membership is available to a layperson, who holds an executive, professional, or managerial level of responsibility for a company with employees, and who does not qualify for another category of membership.  The person’s primary duties must be managing the enterprise, or managing a department or subdivision of the enterprise; they must regularly direct the work of at least two or more other full-time employees, or their equivalent, and have the authority to hire or fire employees. Examples of individuals who qualify for the Executive Professional membership would include an executive officer, department manager, or managing physician of a non-member organization.

4. Sole Proprietor

Sole Proprietor membership is available to a layperson who is a business owner who otherwise qualifies for organizational membership, except that they do not have at least two qualifying employees.

5. Personal Membership

Personal membership is available to any layperson who holds a high level of responsibility in their work, but whose responsibilities are not executive or managerial in nature, and who does not qualify for another category of membership Examples of individuals who qualify Personal Membership would include a physician, dentist, attorney, research scientist, auditor, or other professional who does not hold a managerial level of responsibility in their organization.

6. Honorary Membership

Honorary membership may be granted to any person who, based on his or her individual contribution to the ASI organization, is selected for recognition and recommended for such status by the ASI Board. 

7. Retired Business Or Professional Membership

Retired Business Or Professional membership is available to an owner, surviving spouse, or CEO of an organization who held organizational membership under Article 3.3 for five (5) years or more but sells the business, retires, or leaves the organization; or a layperson who meets the general requirements of section 3.1, and who previously would have qualified for organizational, executive professional, or sole proprietor membership, but has since retired or sold their business or practice.

8. Appointed Membership

Appointed membership is held by individuals who have been elected by local or union conferences within the South Asia Pacific Division (SSD) to serve as ASI secretaries or members of the ASI Board who have been appointed by the South Asia Pacific Division ASI Nominating Committee (SSDASINC).

9. Associate International Membership

Associate International membership is available to any organization operating outside the SSD that has direct ties to a parent organization holding ASI membership under Article 3.3 or to organizations that meet the criteria of Article 3.3 but are within a division or union in which there is no ASI organization. When the union or division where the international member is located forms an ASI organization, that member should then join and support its local ASI chapter.

9. Young Professional Membership

Young Professional membership is available to a layperson who is a student, or holds a professional level of responsibility, and is between the ages of 18 and 35. When they qualify for another level of membership, they must transition within a maximum of three years.  Examples of individuals who would qualify for Young Professional membership, in addition to students, would include a recent graduate beginning their career, someone in a professional internship or residency, or a young entrepreneur starting a business.