The Role of Association CEO


Whether your association budget is large with many staff or your budget is small with few or no full-time staff, the responsibilities of the CEO are common and many. The difference is the CEO of the small association is responsible beyond the level of leadership but also involved directly with implementation down to the administrative task. Consider these major responsibilities: Membership Development, Membership Benefits, Membership Administration, Governance, Volunteer Development, Meeting/Event Management, Government Affairs, Market Development, Education, Operations, Communications and Cheerleader.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Benefit of Networking

I met Tom Morrison, now CEO of the Metal Treating Institute (www.heattreat.net) many years ago when we both belonged to our industry association exec group, the Alliance of State Automotive Aftermarket Association Execs (ASAAA). For the very same reason I tell my association members and prospects that networking is one of the most valuable of our member benefits, I practice what I preach and join as many professional association management groups as I can handle. I join and participate so I, too, can network; not networking to get a job but networking to learn from others who do what I do.

Today, I followed up on my lunch appointment to meet Tom again for the first time in a decade. I remember thinking of him as one of the up-and-coming professional execs, very progressive in his thinking and a technology leader. That is what made today's private networking session with him so valuable for me. Since I last spoke with Tom he has earned the Presidency of the Florida Society of Association Executives and has introduced so many forward-thinking elements to his MTI that he has grown their member equity by over 500%.

My time with Tom today was a seminar. I learned so much from him in such a short period of time it makes me appreciate, again, the real benefit of networking. If I had not met him through ASAAA, I would not be any smarter tomorrow than I was yesterday. But because of my network, I am smarter.

Why am I writing about this today?

Next week I will be networking with three of my industry exec groups in three days, sharing experiences with 40 of my professional colleagues. I know that I will learn something which will benefit my association immediately. Even more valuable, however, I will continue meeting new experts and developing deeper professional relationships that will serve me for many years to come.

What disturbs me is there are many aftermarket association executives who will not be attending those meetings primarily because their Boards have not been convinced that networking for their exec is an investment just like the investment they are preaching to their own prospects. To those Boards and their execs, I implore you to put the TIAE, ASAAA and AASP meetings on your 2012 calendar. Networking is a benefit of membership for your association but when your executive director is networking, the association benefits.

1 comment:

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