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

 

ASAE: Three Years Later

Almost three years ago, I shared my first Member Update after stepping into the role of ASAE’s president and CEO in September 2021. At that time, I was immersed in a listening tour to better understand the challenges keeping our stakeholders awake at night and how ASAE could more effectively meet their changing needs. While I recognized some areas where our organization could grow, I was filled with optimism, hope and a strong determination to deliver on our promise.

Today, ASAE continues to evolve, consistently scanning the horizon for new challenges and opportunities to better serve this dynamic community. In the past three years, we've made significant progress. Last year, we surpassed the 50,000-member milestone, with no signs of slowing down. Financially, ASAE is rebounding from the lows of the pandemic, driving revenue growth through new product development, pricing adjustments, increased member value, and more. Our focus is on ensuring the responsible, long-term financial sustainability of ASAE, and we are strategically moving towards that goal.

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to ASAE’s volunteer leaders, members, and partners for embracing and supporting ASAE’s vision, as well as me and our dedicated staff, as we’ve worked to implement meaningful change. Change is never easy, but standing still is not an option. We look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to make ASAE your ideal professional home today and in the association workplace of tomorrow. 

 

In Unity, We Thrive: ASAE24 in Cleveland

Nearly 5,100 association professionals, exhibitors, speakers, partners and other industry stakeholders gathered in Cleveland August 10-13 to learn, make connections and demonstrate a unified association community at the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition.

If you attended, we thank you and hope you found your experience full of unparalleled learning, connections, strategic insights and inspiration. Together, the ASAE community has the power to lift our profession to new heights and make the world a better place. In Unity, We Thrive! Visit ASAE’s LinkedIn to catch up on photos and videos from this year’s meeting, and check out some of the great trade press coverage and local news coverage as well.

Special thanks to Destination Cleveland and the entire Cleveland community for making our community feel so welcome in The Land during our stay.

ASAE is committed to your future success and enhancing the profession of association management and we look forward to your future engagement with us. Mark your calendars now for ASAE25, taking place August 9-12, 2025, in Los Angeles.

 

Congratulations to ASAE Chair, Heidi Brock

Heidi Brock, president and CEO, American Forest & Paper Association, was officially installed as chair of ASAE during ASAE’s 2024 Annual Meeting & Exposition in Cleveland earlier this month. She and the rest of the Fiscal Year 2025 ASAE Board of Directors will begin their terms on September 1, 2024.

Heidi brings a wealth of experience, a deep commitment to our mission and a vision for the future that I know will help lead ASAE to new heights. I look forward to working with her and the ASAE Board to continue ASAE’s strategic evolution and strengthen our collaborative culture.

 

Future Host Cities for ASAE’s Annual Meeting

During ASAE24 in Cleveland, ASAE announced the host cities for its flagship conference – the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition – through 2034.

Future host cities for the ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition are:

2025: August 9-12, 2025, Los Angeles, CA

2026: August 15-18, 2026, Indianapolis, IN

2027: August 7-10, 2027, Charlotte, NC

2028: August 12-15, 2028, Chicago, IL

2029: August 11-14, 2029, Washington, DC

2030: August 10-13, 2030, Columbus, OH

2031: August 9-12, 2031, Orlando, FL

2032: August 7-10, 2032, St. Louis, MO

2033: August 6-9, 2033, Baltimore, MD

2034: August 5-8, 2034, Milwaukee, WI

Booking ASAE Annual Meeting host cities so far in advance enables the ASAE community to proactively plan their future professional development and engagement opportunities and gives ASAE and each host city more time to collaborate and invest in local communities through ASAE’s Meeting Community Needs initiative and other initiatives.

Congratulations to these future ASAE host cities. We look forward to partnering with these cities to deliver exceptional experiences for ASAE attendees and showcase each city’s unique brand of hospitality.

 

New ASAE Economic Impact Research

During ASAE24 in Cleveland, ASAE also released the most definitive research on associations to date, quantifying the massive economic impact our community generates in every state. ASAE partnered with Oxford Economics, the world's foremost independent economic advisory firm, in a study of 20,000 associations to capture the economic impact of the sector. The study shows:

• Associations are a vital component of America’s job market, directly supporting 1 million jobs and providing $71.4 billion in wages throughout all 50 states.
  
  
• Association events inject significant revenue into state and local economies, creating a ripple effect that benefits a diverse range of businesses. More than 272,000 events attract nearly 52 million participants, directly support 342,000 jobs, and generate $42 billion in spending in communities nationwide every year.
  
  
• Associations and their events generate critical tax revenue for every level of government, helping to fund infrastructure, education, and public safety. Each year, associations pay almost $28 billion in federal, state, and local taxes – and events generate an additional $7.5 billion in taxes to state and local governments.

For more details about the study and to see an interactive map with state-specific association economic impact data, please visit Resources – The Power of Associations.

 

Association Coalition for AI Kickoff

The Association Coalition for Artificial Intelligence (ACAI) held a kickoff meeting Aug. 12 during ASAE’s Annual Meeting in Cleveland, with more than 40 association CEOs in attendance. 

We’re thankful for the strong interest from association CEOs willing to serve on the coalition. The ACAI is chaired by Jason Oxman, president and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). This coalition represents a collaborative effort among association leaders to advance the understanding, adoption and ethical use of AI technologies within our community, and to add our industry voice to the development of public policies governing AI technologies.

During the kickoff meeting, ACAI members discussed the technology tools and AI policies needed at their own organizations; how ASAE could best help their organizations when ti comes to AI adoption; and what regulations or laws could impact their organizations or their members’ businesses as it relates to AI.

The ACAI will meet quarterly and will look to schedule its next meeting in November in Washington, DC, in conjunction with ASAE’s next AI Summit.

 

Tax Reform in 2025 & Impact for Associations

Earlier this month, the ASAE Board approved a strategic investment to allow ASAE to take the lead in advocating for associations as Congress shapes a tax reform package next year.

Sweeping Trump-era tax breaks established in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will expire in 2025. This sets the table for a major tax reform battle in Congress. There is already very disconcerting talk on Capitol Hill about targeting associations and other tax-exempt organizations for additional tax revenue. This poses a significant threat to our community and we will need your support to fight off this legislative attack.

Join ASAE’s upcoming webinar on this topic, Associations at Risk: 2025 Tax Reform Implications, on September 26 at 1:00pm ET. you have questions, please contact the team at publicpolicy@asaecenter.org. To learn more, join ASAE’s tax reform email list.

 

ASAE Real Estate Update

Working with our partners at CBRE, ASAE is close to identifying new office space in Washington, DC. We have narrowed potential office locations to three buildings. We look forward to securing a state-of-the-art professional environment for ASAE’s staff and stakeholders that reflects our brand and organizational evolution.

CBRE recently shared an interesting article on how organizational leaders and companies are increasingly focused on employees’ well-being when considering office space, including user needs, physical and mental benefits, physiology and work styles. Enjoy the read!

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