
magazine

Editor’s Note: Old-School Social
In an age of social media nastiness, in-person social interactions—including at association meetings—provide welcome relief.
Small but Mighty Meetings
To create a meeting with high impact, you don’t need a big budget or a huge crowd. You may just need the right people in the right place with the right expectations for a small event that delivers big value.
Novel Ways to Network
Relaxed and creative networking formats can go over big.
Next-Level Networking for Association Professionals
Associations that offer only mix-and-mingle networking receptions miss a valuable opportunity to help all attendees share more meaningful interactions. Here’s how adding thoughtful structure (and more fun) to your networking events gets genuine conversations and connections flowing.
How Meeting Planners Can Manage the Data Deluge
Meeting planners can track more information than ever about attendees. That data can help you understand where your event succeeded and where it may have fallen short, but the information stream often feels like a flood. A smart advance strategy that defines what you need to know can keep you from going under.
Association CEOs: What I Wish I’d Known
There’s nothing like hindsight, coupled with experience, to show you where your blind spots were long ago. An extended career tends to bring perspective and appreciation for what you may have undervalued in the past. We asked five association CEOs what they wish they had known as young professionals. Although their answers may be especially valuable for today’s YPs, these lessons are worth heeding at every stage of an association career.
Advice for CEOs From Young Professionals
We asked these young professionals what advice they would give CEOs about how to harness the potential of the YPs who work for them. Here’s what they said.
How Associations Can Maintain Their Social Media Prowess
From privacy scandals to algorithm changes, handling social media for associations is harder than ever. Here’s how the experts are keeping up.
Executive Summary: Nadia Aboulhouda, CMP
Nadia Aboulhouda, CMP, the director of conferences for the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, loves traveling.
Ask the CEO: Andrej Suskavcevic, CAE
Andrej Suskavcevic, CAE, president and CEO of Financial Executives International, answers questions from FEI member John G. Panetta Sr.
Crowdsource: Good Neighbors
Associations share a building and commitment to community.
Power of A: Data’s Big Lift
New standards, laid out by the Association of Equipment Management Professionals, are driving fleet management forward.
Global Spotlight: Divide and Conquer
How one medical association stays on top of the world.
Comings and Goings: Sept/Oct 2018
A roundup of new hires and other personnel moves in the association industry.
Board Smarts: Focus Formula
Use the 80/20 rule for better board meetings.
CEO to CEO: Professional Development
What was your most valuable professional development experience ever?
3 Lessons: On The Rise
For Sharleene Cano Quiara, CAE, director of membership and publications for the American Thyroid Association, learning to lead takes ongoing commitment.
New Money: Just a Taste of a Credential
Online practice test is first step to a credential.
Idea Bank: In the Driver’s Seat
Women in Trucking empowers girls with a truck driver doll.
Good Counsel: Smart Giving
Use federal gift and ethics rules strategically to energize your lobbying efforts.
The Fix: Covered Cancellations
Eileen Hoffman, assistant vice president at Aon Affinity, explains why event cancellation insurance—which covers an association’s losses if an event is cancelled, curtailed, or abandoned—is so important. In a nutshell: “Having this insurance coverage could be the difference between having the finances for future meetings or not.”
Associations USA: Iowa
Associations are everywhere. Here’s a snapshot from Iowa, the hawkeye state.
Data Nugget: Easy Flexing
Meeting staff demands for more flexible work arrangements doesn’t faze most nonprofit employers these days.
Tech Memo: Rise of the DPO
GDPR ushers in the data protection officer. Here’s why that role is becoming necessary for many organizations.
Talking Tech: Refresh Your FAQs
Has it been a while since you’ve updated your website’s frequently-asked-questions page? FAQs can be like wallpaper: always present in the background but seldom noticed or updated. TJ Peeler, a user experience (UX) designer at Beaconfire RED, says this essential page should be monitored, updated, and tracked for its performance in web analytics.
I Can’t Live Without My… Asana
A project management tool that’s up to the task.
Data Nugget: How Big Data Boosts Recruitment
Organizations use big data to figure out a wide variety of complex problems and set strategies, including for talent acquisition. In a recent study, LinkedIn identified the most common ways that organizations use big data to optimize recruitment.
Membership Memo: Letter Perfect
Small changes, like the American Alliance of Museums' addition of a gender-neutral prefix, make inclusion real for members.
Rules of Engagement: Hold Back the Flood
Welcome new members with a steady, manageable stream of information.
Destination: Tampa
Treasures await in Florida’s third-largest city.
Meetings Memo: Price It Right
The Association for Jewish Studies embraces an income-based conference pricing strategy.
Data Nugget: Budget Boost
With meetings and events growing in both size and frequency across the world, it makes sense that budgets are growing too. In a recent survey, here is how 2,668 meeting and event planners said their budgets are changing.
Books: Be Bold
Break free from the status quo, with the help of Jonah Sachs’ Unsafe Thinking.
Career Coach: Stay or Go
4 statements that can tell you if it’s time for a new job.
How I Got Here
Nate Smith, the vice president for government relations at the American Traffic Safety Services Association, came into his role in government relations as a congressional intern.
Association Agenda: Coalition Ammunition
Associations find strength in numbers.
Brought to You by … Perfume
In sometimes surprising ways, associations play direct and indirect roles in bringing the products, services, and activities of daily life to people around the world. Including perfume.