Association Management articles from April 2003

Association Management archives from April 2003

Association health plan legislation gains support. (Headlines).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Senate introduced legislation last month supporting federally regulated association health plans. Original sponsors of S. 545 include Sens. Kit Bond (R-MO), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Jim Talent (R-MO), along with four additional...

House passes "Do Not Call" legislation. (Headlines).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... President Bush signed "Do Not Call" legislation into law this month. This legislation supports the establishment of a national registry of consumers who do not wish to be contacted by telemarketers. Consumers may register online or by calling a...

Seven associations have been honored with an Award of Excellence in the second round of judging in the 2003 Associations Advance America Awards program. (Briefly).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Seven associations have been honored with an Award of Excellence in the second round of judging in the 2003 Associations Advance America Awards program. The newest honorees include the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, Seattle; the...

Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL), a key supporter of association issues on the House Ways and Means Committee. (Briefly).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL), a key supporter of association issues on the House Ways and Means Committee, addressed ASAE members at a March 6 Alliance Forum. Weller updated the audience on the status of legislation that Congress is considering, as...

There is still time to submit applications for the 2003 Banff Centre Award for Excellence in Association Leadership before the April 25 deadline. (Briefly).
April 1, 2003... There is still time to submit applications for the 2003 Banff Centre Award for Excellence in Association Leadership before the April 25 deadline. The award, sponsored by ASAE and The Banff Centre, recognizes association executives who...

Get ready for ASAE Hawai'i 2003, August 23-26 in Honolulu. (Briefly).(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... Get ready for ASAE Hawai'i 2003, August 23-26 in Honolulu. This year's general session speakers will be James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, a New York Times best-seller, and son of an Iwo Jima flag raiser; and Rosabeth Moss Kanter,...

Congress supports funding for Tourism Promotion. (Headlines).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The Fiscal Year 2003 Consolidated Appropriations Resolution includes a $50 million appropriation to the Commerce Department to put into action a plan to market the United States as an international tourism destination. This measure will call...

Commission continues evaluation of Postal Service. (Headlines).
April 1, 2003... The newly appointed Commission on the United States Postal Service met for the second time in February to focus on a business model for the USPS. In testimony before the commission, Mary Rouvelas, vice president of the Alliance of Nonprofit...

The customer counts. (Preview).(Editorial)
April 1, 2003... Albert Einstein is said to have hung a sign in his Princeton office that read, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." Or maybe it was "Not everything that counts can be counted, and not...

Empowering exceptional service. (ASAE Up Front).
April 1, 2003... Determine what you are good at doing, and be better than anyone else doing it. That is sound advice--often given to businesses and associations to help them focus on what they do best. But because nothing human is perfect, all good plans...

Reducing legal risks when reducing your workforce. (Legal).
April 1, 2003... One unhappy reality of the current economic climate is that many associations have had to cut costs in a variety of areas, including personnel. Reductions in force, or RIFs, as they are often called in impersonal and sterile terms, are...

Alabama pharmacists find Rx by partnering with schools. (Service Salute).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The dispensing of medication to students in Alabama's 1,471 public schools--the majority of which have no nurse on staff full time-- runs a lot smoother, thanks to a program created by the Alabama Pharmacy Association, Montgomery. The...

Presentation pointers. (What's on the Web).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... If your to-do list includes developing a presentation for an upcoming seminar or conference, check out www.presentations.com. This site offers a plethora of information on everything from creating audiovisuals to equipment innovations to tips...

Reserves play key role in associations' fiscal health. (Eye on the Industry).
April 1, 2003... Maintaining adequate reserves is one of the most important factors in preserving an association's fiscal health. The challenge is to balance resources to meet both present and future obligations, while still providing service and value to...

Assessing board boundaries. (Legal).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Q: We are a professional association interested in conducting an extensive membership survey. A board member responded to our request for proposals. Is it permissible for the association to hire a board member during that member's term of...

Rethink your work habits. (Professional Practices).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Champing at the bit to get to that next rung on the career ladder? Sometimes all it takes are simple changes in work habits. Here are some suggestions offered by PlanSoft's electronic newsletter mpoint that might jump-start your professional...

Captivating communication. (Public Relations).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... One effective way to put your association in the spotlight is to disseminate must-have information. Here are a few informative suggestions offered by several associations that evidently know how to capture the public's attention. * The...

Keeping executives happy. (Hospitality Industry).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The hotel industry is paying close attention to preferences of travelers in this era of high-speed competition. A new survey conducted by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), McLean, Virginia, finds increasing...

Realtors' PAC sets records. (Government Affairs).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... By any account, 2002 was a very good year for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Political Action Committee. RPAC set records in both receipts--$6 million-and in membership participation--44 percent, or more than 350,000 members....

Industry sectors offer predictions. (Meeting Trends).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A crystal ball sure would come in handy in these topsy-turvy times. Here's the next best thing: predictions for what's on the horizon from meeting planners and convention and visitors bureaus. Meeting planners. Budgets will get even...

Technology and you: achieving efficiencies with .NET. (Avectra Presents).
April 1, 2003... As an executive in the member-based industry, one of my main priorities is to ensure that my organization strikes a balance between staying current with advancements in technology and operating efficiently within budgetary guidelines. This...

AMCs on the rise. (Data Dispatch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The AMC Institute, New York City, reports a 25 percent increase in the number of association management companies since 1995 and a 40 percent increase since 1990. AMCs provide services to more than 3,000 associations, employ 4,126 people in the...

Paper payments prevail. (Data Dispatch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A research scan conducted by the EMA Foundation for Paper-Based Communications, Alexandria, Virginia, finds strong preference for paper billing procedures despite intense promotion of online billing. Fifty four percent of North American...

Upswing in e-learning. (Data Dispatch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... The largest-ever increase in use of learning technologies has been reported by the American Society for Training 6 Development, Alexandria, Virginia. The percentage of e-learning training rose to 10.5 percent in 2001--up from 8.8 percent in...

Tracking benefit costs. (Data Dispatch).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Benefit costs rose 4 percent in 2001, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Its "Employee Benefits Study" found that benefit costs averaged 39 percent of total payroll costs among employers surveyed, with medical benefits accounting for...

Working together more effectively. (Collaborations).(ten tips for effective association collaborations)
April 1, 2003... As more and more organizations combine forces to enhance efficiency, achieve mutual goals, or maximize resources, it becomes ever more critical that partnerships succeed and work effectively. The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, St. Paul,...

Payback time: turning an association Web site into a profit center. (Web ROI).
April 1, 2003... IN JULY 1999, WHEN I JOINED THE RISK AND INSURANCE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY, INC. (RIMS), New York City, the association's Web site (www.rims.org) contained more than 2,000 pages of static information. About five years old, the Web site had no...

Solid contract, soft landing: today's economic climate calls for a comprehensive CEO contract.
April 1, 2003... FOR SEVERAL YEARS, ONE OF THE basic principles of the unwritten Book of Association Common Wisdom has been that every association chief executive officer should have a written employment agreement, and that the executive who did not have one...

Compensation calculation: ASAE's Association Executive Compensation and Benefits Study reveals the latest trends in pay and perks for senior-level staff.
April 1, 2003... In 2002, more than 50 percent of associations were negatively impacted by the country's economic troubles. Reductions in salaries and benefits, elimination of staff, and organizational realignments are just a few examples of how associations...

Make way for Web surveys: turn a print research product into an online service.
April 1, 2003... Editor's Note: Surveys conducted by associations are nothing new. They are commonly used, for instance, to gain information directly related to members such as in the case of member-satisfaction or member-needs surveys. Some of the more common...

Facing up to board conflict: a five-pronged path to conflict resolution.
April 1, 2003... THE ADVERTISEMENT MIGHT READ LIKE THIS: POSITION AVAILABLE. Fast-paced chamber of commerce must fill executive director position immediately. This nonprofit association is located in a rapidly growing, metropolitan area in the West. The...

Marketing via e-mail: complete your marketing plans with an effective e-mail component.
April 1, 2003... WHILE RECENT DECADES HAVE BROUGHT an overwhelming amount of technological and delivery breakthroughs to marketing--from Zip disks to blast faxes to FedEx-no other marketing medium in recent memory has caused such a stir in the nonprofit and...

Economical accounting without a CFO. (Finance).
April 1, 2003... For small-staff associations without a chief financial officer or a dedicated bookkeeper, applying appropriate financial controls--without spending a bundle on outside accounting fees--can be a major challenge. At the Oregon State...

Get the pulse on members' sense of community. (ASAE Resource).
April 1, 2003... One role of associations is to build community. But how do you assess the level of community within your organization? The ASAE Foundation has developed a powerful new research-based tool, The State of Community Assessment (SOCA), to help...

Locating nondues revenue streams. (ASAE Resource).
April 1, 2003... Considering developing a new nondues revenue program? Looking to find out what other associations are doing? Generating and Managing Nondues Revenue in Associations: A Benchmarking Guide examines the ways associations are creating and...

Turning up real revenue opportunities. (Nondues Revenue).
April 1, 2003... It seems that every association I speak with nowadays is looking for new nondues revenue sources to make up for sagging revenues elsewhere and to help attract and retain members. I've also had countless vendors contact me asking how they can...

Understanding associations' global role. (Outreach).
April 1, 2003... Associations are key ingredients to the success of emerging nations. U.S. foreign policy indicates that a healthy nonprofit sector in other countries can benefit U.S. businesses, having fostered association development overseas for some 20...

Shaping travel and tourism's future. (Meetings).(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... The Third Global Travel & Tourism Summit, which will be May 15-17, 2003, in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, comes at a time rife with hot topics for discussion, and those issues surely will take center stage at the meeting. The event, which...

CEO to CEO.(Interview)
April 1, 2003... Q: Is your employee-evaluation process effective? What do you do to help staff members improve performance or reach their potential? Because we are a staff of three, the evaluation process goes on all the time and tends to be pretty open....

CEO to CEO.
April 1, 2003... Q: If you were retiring tomorrow, what one thing would you like to he remembered for and feel most proud of accomplishing for your organization? Ellen Gerber, CAE Executive Director, New York County Dental Society;...

ASAE membership and meetings. (ASAE Resources).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... For meeting registration, membership applications, and changes to your membership record, contact the ASAE Member Service Center by phone: 202-371-0940 or 888-950-ASAE; fax: 202-371-8315; or e-mail: service@asaenet.org.

Access ASAE online. (ASAE Resources).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... ASAE's Web site, www.asaenet.org, provides fast and convenient access to people, practices, ideas, and resources. From managing your member account to connecting online with colleagues and experts to attending educational programs right at your...

Section newsletters. (ASAE Resources).
April 1, 2003... ASAE's 13 section newsletters provide information targeted to the specific needs of executives in special interest areas of association management. The newsletters are delivered via e-mail to members and provide links to articles on ASAE's Web...

AMC Accreditation Program. (Programs).
April 1, 2003... The AMC Accreditation Program identifies and assesses quality association management companies and improves the quality of services provided to the association community. For more information e-mail amc-accred@asaenet.org.

Associations Advance America Awards. (Programs).
April 1, 2003... A broad awareness campaign designed to impress upon people the value of associations, both to their individual and corporate members and to the larger society. E-mail aaa@asaenet.org; or visit www.asaenet.org and select "Awards and...

CAE program. (Programs).
April 1, 2003... The CAE program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate those who demonstrate knowledge essential to the practice of association management. For more information call 202-626-2770; or visit...

Global advocacy. (Programs).
April 1, 2003... Associations Make A Better World is a global awareness campaign to help associations promote the value of our industry worldwide. To learn more, check out www.asaenet.org/betterworld, where you can download a free brochure and logo. Questions?...

Audiotapes. (Products).
April 1, 2003... Audiotapes of the recorded ASAE Knowledge Network sessions and select annual meeting and Management and Technology Conferences and Exposition sessions can be purchased through ASAE's Member Service Center by phone: 202-371-0940 or 888-950-ASAE;...

Books. (ASAE Resources).
April 1, 2003... ASAE's Bookstore provides association executives with a comprehensive collection of practical, up-to-date, and innovative management and leadership resources. All members receive a free ASAE publications catalog. For extra copies, please...

Allied societies directory. (Services).
April 1, 2003... A state-by-state listing of ASAE-affiliated societies. Go to www.asaenet.org and click on Directories and then click on Associations.

ASAE-assist. (Services).
April 1, 2003... An online tool for answering members' research requests. ASAE's bibliographic database contains abstracts for articles, books, surveys, and much more. Visit www.asaenet.org/research.

ASAE foundation. (Services).
April 1, 2003... The foundation is the leading resource to help association industry leaders become catalysts for change and innovation. To get more information, visit www.asaefoundation.org.

AskASAE. (Services).
April 1, 2003... AskASAE is an online repository of answers to frequently asked questions about association management issues. Go to www.asaenet.org and click on FAQ in the serch area. You must be a registered member of the ASAE Web site to use this service.

Association peer review. (Services).
April 1, 2003... ASAE's association peer review is a two-and-a-half day comprehensive analysis that measures the organization's overall performance and impact and identifies opportunities for growth, improved market share, and elevated member service, For more...

Career Headquarters. (Services).
April 1, 2003... ASAE's career advancement services include CareerHeadquarters.org, offering job listings, a resume bank, and career-related resources; the Career Advancement Center with industry job listings and other resources; and one-on-one resume reviews,...

CEO Center. (Services).
April 1, 2003... The CEO Center is an exclusive ASAE membership benefit for association chief executive officers. ASAE has helped CEOs develop marketing and business plans, redesign job descriptions, conduct a board self-assessment, and much more. Call...

Industry research. (Services).
April 1, 2003... Studies of current practices and norms in association management and the association industry provide relevant benchmarking data on topics such as compensation, benefits, technology, meetings, education, governance, publishing, AMCs, and more....

Knowledge networks. (Services).
April 1, 2003... Most sections of ASAE sponsor knowledge networks. All sessions are held at the ASAE Conference Center, Washington, D.C., unless otherwise noted; many are audioconferenced. Nonsection members are welcome to attend. For the current knowledge...

Library. (Services).
April 1, 2003... If you're in Washington, D.C., make an appointment to visit ASAE's library, housed in the Information Central department and open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Here you'll find books, monographs, samples, and resource...

Networking listservers. (Services).
April 1, 2003... ASAE listservers (e-mail lists) offer members a convenient means of exchanging ideas and information with their colleagues. Each ASAE professional interest section hosts at least one listserver and, as a member, you can subscribe to any or all...

Virtual seminars. (Services).
April 1, 2003... Presented in conjunction with KRM Information Services, these highly interactive and moderated telephone conferences give you the opportunity to participate without leaving the comfort of your office. Handouts can be delivered to your desk or...

Special rates for ASAE members. (Services).(Directory)
April 1, 2003... ASAE members can benefit from a variety of affinity programs and services. To learn more, call the numbers below or go to www.asaenet.org/services. * Airborne Express program. Save on domestic and international shipping with Airborne...

Association convention cancellation. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Gulf Insurance and Aon Association Services can protect your association against loss of revenue resulting from the cancellation of a convention or meeting. Call 800-453-5191.

Association directors and officers liability. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Protect the assets of your association and its board members with coverage from The Hartford and Aon Association Services. Call 800-453-5191.

Association insurance consulting services. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Evaluate and improve insurance coverages, and identify and implement association-sponsored insurance programs for your members. Call Ed Armstrong at 202-626-2869.

Association management company professional liability. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... With this policy, protect your exposure and that of the associations you manage. Call Aon Association Services at 800-453-5191.

Association office package. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Competitive rates offered from The Hartford and Aon Association Services for protection of property, general liability, business interruption, computer systems, automobile liability, crime/employee dishonesty, and workers' compensation. Call...

Specialized professional liability. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... MIMS International's professional liability errors and omissions coverage is profession specific and can create a nondues revenue source. Call 800-899-1399.

Standard setting errors and omissions liability. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Protection against claims for financial loss, contingent bodily injury and property damage, unintentional discrimination, copyright infringement, misappropriation of ideas, and more. Call Medial Professional Insurance at 816-471-6118.

Voluntary employee benefits. (Insurance Services).
April 1, 2003... Earn nondues revenue while offering employee-paid insurance benefits. Call Aon Worksite Solutions at 800-704-0195.

Fan of the opera. (Keeping Your Edge).(Interview)
April 1, 2003... WHO? Mark J. Golden, CAE WHAT? Executive Director WHERE? National Court Reporters Association, Vienna, Virginia WHEN? 1998 Q; How and when did your interest in opera begin? A: My parents exposed our family to music--with...

FutureFocus newsletter: the association leaders' resource for change and innovation. (ASAE Foundation).
April 1, 2003... Welcome to the premier issue of FutureFocus, the new quarterly newsletter that showcases ASAE Foundation news, programs, research activities, donor recognition, and events. Whether you're an active Foundation supporter and participant, on your...

SOCA: A cutting-edge tool for an age-old question.
April 1, 2003... Sponsored jointly by Marriott International and Starwood Hotels and Resorts through their contributions to the Partners for the Future Campaign. How do you Measure Community in your Association? From economic challenges to the...

Future scan: a framework for a meaningful direction.
April 1, 2003... Change is happening quick, fast and in a hurry. There is barely enough time to implement strategies and monitor how they unfold before another issue or impact is waiting at the door. Many associations are dealing with four or five issues at one...

For scan fans. (Research Update).
April 1, 2003... The ASAE Foundation futures scan field book will be released at the ASAE Annual Meeting and Exposition in Hawaii (August 23-26). This publication will help associations of all sizes and circumstances find ways to incorporate scan data and...

Our donors, our partners.
April 1, 2003... Individual and organizational donors are the lifeblood of the ASAE Foundation. We rely heavily upon the generous support of those that believe in our aggressive research agenda. This support may come from our industry partners; the for-profit...

ASAE Hawai'i 2003, August 23-26.(Calendar)
April 1, 2003... ASAE FOUNDATION SESSIONS PREVIEW Location is everything and few destinations beat Hawai'i for climate, landscape, culture and diversity. What better backdrop than this tropical locale for the ASAE Annual Meeting and Exposition? During the...

Partnership Dinner.
April 1, 2003... Last month, the ASAE Foundation held its annual Partnership Dinner at the Hilton Washington and Towers on March 19. This 40th anniversary ruby celebration honored Jeffry W. Raynes, CAE, executive director and COO of APICS-the Educational...

For your bookshelf: recent ASAE Foundation titles.
April 1, 2003... The Will to Govern Well: Knowledge, Trust and Nimbleness By Glenn Tecker, Jean Frankel, Paul Meyer, CAE Expert authors Glenn Tecker, Jean Frankel and Paul Meyer, CAE look at the challenges and offer a number of observations regarding the...

Florida meetings: a bright idea! (Florida).
April 1, 2003... Florida has drawn it share of forward thinkers, and your group is no exception. From inventor Thomas Edison and novelist Ernest Hemingway to legendary environmentalist Marjory Stoneman Douglas and auto pioneer Henry Ford, the Sunshine State has...

A first class convention resort destination: Orlando's new amenities enhance its already world-class standing. (Advertisement).
April 1, 2003... "If you build it, they will come," was a memorable line in a popular movie. Well, Orlando has built it and they are coming. Discerning meeting planners are booking Orlando meetings because of the extraordinary selection of amenities that...