Greetings ASAE Community,

Please find a few important updates from ASAE in the past few weeks:

 

Next Up: #ASAE24 in Cleveland

Have you registered yet for ASAE’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Cleveland on Aug. 10-13? We are roughly 10 weeks out from the largest annual gathering of the global association community and attendance is now pacing with ASAE’s pre-pandemic Annual Meetings.

With more than 100 education sessions spanning every facet of association management, ASAE Annual Meeting attendees will have unparalleled opportunities to learn, network and collaborate with peers from around the world. The 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting will also feature an exceptional lineup of Main Stage speakers who are at the forefront of their respective fields.

We’re close to sharing some very exciting news on entertainment for the Opening Celebration on August 10 at Cleveland’s iconic downtown arena, the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, so stay tuned. In addition to the Opening Celebration, ASAE and its partners at Destination Cleveland are planning an exciting slate of evening entertainment at some of Cleveland’s standout venues during the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting, including the ASAE Research Foundation’s The Classic (ticketed event) on Aug. 12 at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; and the Closing Celebration on Aug. 13 at The Flats Entertainment District.

Check out the full schedule for the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition and register today to embrace the power of unity in Cleveland.

 

Association Coalition for AI

ASAE recently launched the Association Coalition for AI (ACAI) to unite association leaders in advancing the understanding, adoption and responsible implementation of AI technologies within the association community.

 

In addition to positioning associations at the forefront of responsible AI adoption, this pioneering coalition will safeguard associations’ credibility as the most trusted sources for information, resources and best practices that advance industries and professions.

We’re thankful for the strong interest from association CEOs willing to serve on the coalition. The ACAI will be chaired by Jason Oxman, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). Initially, the ACAI will meet quarterly, with a kickoff meeting to take place during ASAE’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Cleveland Aug. 10-13, 2024. To learn more, read the press release.

 

Congratulations to the 2024-2026 DELP Class

ASAE recently announced the selection of 12 scholars for the 2024-2026 Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP). DELP, now in its 24^th year, is a two-year program that supports individuals from under-represented identity groups to advance into the ranks of leadership in the association management profession. Read more about the new DELP scholars here.

DELP scholars participate in an accelerated leadership program of education, mentoring and volunteer service in the association community. During their two-year term, DELP scholars receive membership in ASAE and registration, travel and lodging to ASAE Annual Meetings and other select education programs and events, along with mentorship and a variety of additional professional development benefits.

ASAE thanks Visit Detroit for its ongoing support of the DELP program for more than 20 years. Visit Detroit’s steadfast support of DELP has enabled the development of more than 240 diverse association leaders in the community.

 

2024 Gold Circle Award Recipients

ASAE congratulates the recipients of the 2024 Gold Circle Awards, which honor the creativity, execution and success of outstanding marketing, membership and communications campaigns in the association community.

The 2024 Gold Circle Award winners were recognized during ASAE’s MMC+Tech Conference in Washington, DC, May 30-31, including the Overall Excellence Winner: Society of Women Engineers; Program: Increasing Global Diversity via a Record-Breaking STEM Event. Congratulations to all our Gold Circle honorees!

 

ASAE’s Inaugural Global Association Visionary Award

During IMEX Frankfurt last month, I had the honor of presenting ASAE’s inaugural Global Association Visionary Award to Susan Sarfati, FASAE, CAE.

Separate from ASAE’s Individual Honors, Power of Associations Awards and Gold Circle Awards, the Global Association Visionary Award was created to recognize a global leader who has demonstrated a lifetime of commitment and service in advancing and elevating the visibility and impact of the association profession worldwide.

Susan is the CEO of High Performance Strategies LLC, and currently consults with associations around the world. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Sarfati was the founding President and CEO of The Center for Association Leadership and Executive Vice President of ASAE. She also was President and CEO of the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives (GWSAE) for nearly 13 years. Congratulations, Susan, on this well-deserved honor.

 

Association Spotlight: The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative

Periodically, I like to use this space to highlight the Power of Associations to effect positive change on the world. I was personally moved in learning about the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative launched in 2020 by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Chemours and HBCU Week Foundation.

Recognizing a lack of diversity in the chemical industry workforce, FOSSI was developed to help eliminate financial barriers to higher education and recognize the demonstrated achievement and future potential of students in communities across the nation. To date, FOSSI has brought together over 80 sponsor companies and raised over $30 million to fund more than 600 scholars. FOSSI has an ambitious goal of funding 1,000 scholars by 2025.

As always, thank you for your engagement with ASAE and please reach out with any questions.

 

Warm regards,

Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE

President and CEO