SI,

Here are some tips I have learned from doing Kilt Pins.

Define the reason you want the pin in the first place. Is is a heavy pin to keep the apron down in a breeze? Is it a chance for you to show a little bling? Is it a pin to show membership is a group?

Then you have to come up with a design. If, as I guess, your pin is more to show a common membership then what you are designing is a Logo. Make is simple, make it as large and easy to read and recognize from a distance as you can. Get your membership involved. Take suggestions from them.

Put your design on paper. Or better yet design it in Adobe Illustrator. AI is the industry standard format for designs right now. If you want to send the design to some one to be manufactured they will usually ask for it in this format.

Decide what style of Logo you want. This can be a standard metal pin, or an embroidered patch. (put a coin behind it for added weight if you want.)

Find a manufacturer for your design. If you want a metal pin check with your local jewelry hobby group. You can find them by visiting your local rock shop, Michael's craft store, or watch the paper for group meetings. Hobbiests are some of the most helpful and friendly groups and they are more than willing to spend some time talking about your work and how to make it.
If you decide to us a professional manufacturer please remember that the cost of tooling and mold making can be very expensive, and is an "Up front" cost. Forking out a couple of thousand dollars for tooling can kill your idea before it even gets off the ground.
If you choose to have an embroidered patch look in your phone book for t-shirt or executive gift shops. They will be able to guide you and then produce your patches. A visit to your local sewing shop would not be out of line too. Today computer controlled home embroidery machines are fairly reasonable and many towns have groups that get together to share embroidery designs. These groups usually meet at the sewing shop and are a wealth of information and help.

Whatever you do please remember that any custom work will be expensive. If you look at the cost of pins and patches on the web you will be surprised when you find that a custom one will usually cost twice or three times as much as an already existing design. This is because the tooling cost is spread out of hundreds or thousands of pieces.

No matter what, don't give up. Trying to get any group to agree on anything is next to impossible. In the end though you will have something to be proud of.