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2005 News
IAAMC and ASAE Team Up to Deliver a Powerful One-Two Punch for AMCs 06/30/2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IAAMC and ASAE Team Up to Deliver a Powerful One-Two Punch for AMCs
By Pamela N. Valenzuela, CAE
June 2005 issue of the AMC Connection
Quick-tell me how you can get specialized instruction on how to run your AMC, network with hundreds of potential clients, and provide your staff with 100-plus opportunities to strengthen their association management skills, all in just one four-day trip? There is only one possible answer: Attend the AMC Owners/Principals Program and the 2005 ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership Annual Meeting & Exposition, August 13-16 in Nashville.
This marks the second consecutive year the International Association of Association Management Companies, Westmont, Illinois, and the ASAE AMC Section Council have come together to help AMCs get the most for their time and travel. "IAAMC focuses on how to run your AMC, and ASAE focuses on providing education to individuals who work for nonprofits. These are two very unique goals," says Sue Pine, IAAMC president-elect and executive vice president of Fernley & Fernley, Inc., Philadelphia. And when combined, they provide dual benefits for AMC owners.
"As a member of both organizations, I appreciate the combined body of knowledge and opportunity to go between sessions on AMC management and association management," says Pam Williams, CAE, president of Williams Management Resources, Naperville, Illinois.
More built-in value
This year's meeting is even smarter-building on last year's successes and adding even more benefits and overall value. The program begins Saturday, August 13, with an agenda for AMC owners, principals, and CFOs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This provides private time for these AMC stakeholders to share and discuss issues that pertain only to them. "The one day of meetings planned for this year is an excellent way to focus the value for an AMC," says Robert Gelardi, chairman and CEO of the Kellen Company, with offices in Atlanta, New York City, Washington, D.C., Tucson (Arizona), and Brussels.
Another notable benefit is that AMC owners and association executives have a greater opportunity to participate in the full ASAE conference. "AMC owners will enjoy Saturday's owner-specific agenda and the opportunity to participate in the ASAE conference through Tuesday," says Kay Whalen, CAE, president of Executive Director, Inc., Milwaukee, and incoming chair of the ASAE AMC Section Council.
Gelardi points out that this provides AMC attendees plenty of time to "network among a broader base of our peers," while at the same time being visible to important clients and prospective clients within the overall meeting.
Gregg Talley, CAE, president of Talley Management Group, Inc., Mount Royal, New Jersey, agrees, pointing out that "association executives are a key audience for AMCs to market to for business."
The right fit
A third valuable benefit is that there is something for everyone in the wide range of educational opportunities between the two programs. In addition to the AMC program, the ASAE and The Center Annual Meeting features a wide array of General Sessions, Thought Leader Super Sessions, and Learning Labs for three days. Each of these days, there will be at least one AMC-specific session, developed by IAAMC and the AMC Section Council, as well as dozens of session choices in key association management competencies, such as governance, finance, executive management, marketing, meeting planning, and government affairs. There will also be a huge exhibit hall of association solution providers, numerous social events, and around-the-clock networking opportunities.
Bob McLean, CAE, president of REM Association Services, Arlington, Virginia, reports, "I learn much from colleagues, both in the sessions and in the hallway conversations. I hear about industry news, learn about new technologies, meet vendors I've never heard of, and catch up with friends I've made at previous meetings."
During recent years, IAAMC's and ASAE's separately held conference agendas have left their common members unsure about which meeting to attend, or trying to figure out how to attend both, which could add up to a week away from the office. The joint ASAE-IAAMC collaboration, which includes shared educational and networking opportunities, as well as business meetings of both organizations, reduces the time and money an AMC attendee needs to spend to still participate and benefit from the two organizations. "It's two business meetings for the price of one trip," says Michael LoBue, CAE, president of LoBue & Majdalany Management Group, based in San Francisco.
LoBue and others agree that reduced time away from the office is the greatest benefit of the joint conference. And it is time well spent, echoes McLean. "New ideas are essential to both my personal growth and that of my small association management company," he says. "The joint IAAMC and ASAE meetings present an unparalleled opportunity to stop focusing on the day-to-day issues that usually dominate my schedule, and instead to start thinking about new ideas and solutions. I inevitably gain lots of energy and ideas by attending, and return to my office better equipped to serve my clients and grow my business. What other reason do you need?"
Pamela N. Valenzuela, CAE, is president of Ascent Management, LLC, Alexandria, Virginia. E-mail: pvalenzuela@ascent-management.com.
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ABOUT FERNLEY & FERNLEY
Fernley & Fernley, Inc., founded in 1886, is a fourth-generation family firm in the association management business, representing 30 trade associations and medical and professional societies. Fernley & Fernley holds the distinction of being among the first to receive national accreditation from the AMC institute (formerly the International Association of Association Management Companies) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and is the longest established Association Management Company in the country. Throughout the years, Fernley & Fernley has maintained a solid reputation as a leader within the association management field and in the wide spectrum of industries it serves. To learn more about Fernley & Fernley visit their web site at www.fernley.com.