What does it take to last 100 years? Ask a centenarian, and they may tell you the secret is a shot of whiskey every day, or a daily walk, or a sense of humor, or the happenstance of good DNA. They can’t know for sure, of course, but we ask anyway, because there’s something about the century mark that makes us stop and take stock of the journey.

And so it is as we begin the celebration of ASAE’s 100th birthday next year. We wondered: What are the keys to a long life for an association? Mark Athitakis explored that question with a handful of centenarian associations, and although the particulars vary, he found common threads weaving together qualities like adaptability to change and steadiness on fundamentals like financial stewardship. You’ll find those organizations’ secrets to longevity in “Built to Last.”

ASAE’s centennial is a celebration of the whole association community—of your voices and accomplishments and contributions to addressing the big challenges of the past century, as well as the promise of what you’ll do in the next. Over the coming year, Associations Now will keep you up to date on findings from a major ASAE Foundation research initiative on associations’ impact on the world, and we’ll bring you conversations with association leaders who can provide a closer look. We’ll have questions for you, too, about what you’re proud of and what ambitions your association has for making the world stronger, smarter, and better over the next 100 years.

So kick off the party with us in this issue, and join the conversation over the next year. Because we can’t take stock of this journey, or see the path ahead, without you.

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