Peter Waite, CAE
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My first boss, Julian Huffer, encouraged me to join the “Institute of Association Executives” as it was then known, to build my personal network and gain volunteer experience. Little did I know that this would eventually lead me to founding my own association management company… but here we are 36 years later, still having fun.
Running three associations and a small business entails lots of meetings so you have to make it a priority to reserve the dates of CSAE events and try to get to them whenever you can. Being open to meeting new members is something I try to do given how I remember Donna Mary Shaw welcoming me to the very first meeting I attended and how she always sought me out at events to check-in. If I can give back one tenth of the support, advice, and encouragement I got from her, and others, then I’m doing a good job.
Connect with Peter on LinkedIn.