New Date - Wednesday, October 21, Noon - 1:30 pm
Please mark your calendars. Format and registration are coming soon (we are buying some time on our options).

Meet Mr. Abit

2020 Abit Massey Lecturer: Dr. Stefanie Lindquist

Dr. Stefanie Lindquist became Senior Vice President of Global Academic Initiatives at Arizona State University in November 2019, where she facilitates ASU's global academic portfolio. Prior to taking that position, she served as Deputy Provost and VP for Academic Affairs, and Foundation Professor of Law and Political Science at ASU from 2016 to 2019. She served as Dean and Arch Professor at UGA's School of Public and International Affairs from 2013 to 2016, after serving as Interim Dean, Associate Dean for Outreach, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas School of Law. Prior to teaching at the University of Texas, Professor Lindquist taught law and political science at Vanderbilt University. She also served as a visiting faculty member at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2013. 

Dr. Lindquist is recognized as an expert on the U.S. Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, and Administrative Law. She has co-authored three books and has authored dozens of published articles and book chapters. Her book, Measuring Judicial Activism, is the first publication to define the oft-used term quantitatively.

Thank You to Our Sponsor & 2020 Annual Meeting Host: Visit Savannah

GSAE sent an In-Person Meeting Pulse Survey to 286 members – executives representing trade associations, professional societies, civic groups, association management companies, chambers and CVBs, plus third party meeting planners.  We launched the survey to help our members benchmark their event plans against other organizations and to give our GSAE suppliers data to plan their own economic recovery. The comments have been put into sections to help you navigate the document. Feel free to share with others in your organization. If you did not receive a copy, please contact the office for the 13-page pdf. 

GSAE strives to give you the information you need to run your organization successfully and to help you be better at your job. If you represent an association looking to place an in person meeting in the near future, please consult our GSAE Membership Directory and connect with a GSAE member first.  

It’s still pretty ugly out there right now. We encourage both sides, association and supplier, to be fair with one another and to show grace as we navigate the unknown and the uncertain. GSAE is known as a nurturing, supportive community. Let’s continue to live up to our reputation together.  

Thanks for your support and your engagement. We are sharing your ideas internally, but please continue to let us know how we can help you and our GSAE community. Download results.

Gain access to the only 24/7/365 online compensation benchmarking tool designed exclusively for executives of professional, trade and service-centric associations/nonprofits.

• Compare your organization's key operational metrics to others across the industry
• Evaluate valuable KPI's, including salaries, benefits, positions/departments, and more!
• Generate customized reports to inform decisions and keep your organization competitive

GSAE has conducted a compensation and benefits survey biennially since 2013 through our partnership with Association Societies Alliance (ASA). Moving forward, this information will now be gathered through a 24/7/365 online platform, powered by Dynamic Benchmarking. The Real-Time Compensation Benchmarking tool is available to all GSAE members.

Entering data will always be free. For the first year (2020), generating customizable reports will also be free to all users. Effective January 1, 2021, users will be able to access reports through an annual subscription discounted for GSAE members. Get started now!

Earning the Certified Association Executive credential is the hallmark of a committed association professional. Please join us in congratulating GSAE's newest CAEs. 

	Jessica Atkinson, CAE Association Manager Nardone Consulting Group Atlanta, GA
	Terry Dougherty, CAE, CMP Senior Association Manager Nardone Consulting Group Atlanta, GA
	Samantha Evans, MBA, Credentialing Specialist, QAS, CAE Certification Manager International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), a division of G3ict Acworth, GA
	Lisa-Marie Haygood, CAE Executive Director Cherokee County Educational Foundation Canton, GA
	Jaime Morgan, CAE Customer Success Specialist Novi AMS Evans, GA

Georgia Hospital Association launched the #MaskUpGA campaign to encourage Georgians to wear a mask and social distance to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Download social media graphics to show your support and learn more.

The Power of A Awards recognize the outstanding contributions associations make to their communities. Congratulations to GSAE Members, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) and the Medical Association of Georgia (MAG), for being awarded 2020 Power of A Awards.

AAHOA received a Power of A Gold Award for their Human Trafficking Awareness Training. The training is free to members and provides education and resources for hoteliers to help identify and report suspected cases of human trafficking.

MAG received a Power of A Silver Award for their “Top Docs” Show. Produced since 2014, “Top Docs” features subject matter experts on a wide variety of public health and patient care topics to help physicians, staff, patients, and other stakeholders make better decisions.

The ASAE Summit Awards will be hosted virtually on September 30 from 6:00-7:30pm EDT. Learn more.

The JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District is open! The Marriott has 419 rooms across three unique buildings: the historical Power Plant, elegant Three Muses, and contemporary maritime Atlantic. The hotel also features over a dozen restaurants, including outdoor riverfront dining, art galleries and live entertainment. Learn more.

A huge thank you to Seth Richardson, Associate Director of Sales, for offering a tour of the property during the 2020 GSAE Annual Meeting.

VisitColumbusGA has launched a community-wide C.A.R.E.S. (Columbus' Amazing Resources Ensures Safety) initiative to communicate how local businesses and organizations are focusing on safety first. Learn more.

Travel and Leisure has released their top 15 Islands in the continental U.S. Congratulations to all the winners including:

#1 - Golden Isles, Georgia (Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons Island, Sea Island, St. Simons Island) – Check out their video
#3 - Hilton Head, South Carolina
#5 - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
#6 - Amelia Island, Florida
#11 - Sanibel Island, Florida

Learn more.

Congratulations to Mallary and Michael Whitten who welcomed baby boy Colin James on August 7. Mom and baby are happy and healthy!

Our COVID-19 resource page and Pajama Brigade resource page are available to our community. Resources include a GSAE meetings tool kit and sample questions list to work through with a facility. We encourage our hotels, facilities, and CVBs to access these resources too. We are all partners in keeping our attendees and visitors safe and using data-based decision-making practices. 

In addition, take a look at our Take 5 page, filled with greetings and activities from our corporate supplier members. We recently added the Ocean Voyager Live Webcam from Georgia Aquarium. It’s stressful out there – take a break with fellow members for a 5 minute relaxation break.

Recordings of our recent virtual meetings are available on our GSAE1917 YouTube Channel through GSAEtv.

The GSAE Nominating Committee is soliciting names of members interested in serving on the GSAE Board of Directors. The Nominating Committee will include up to five at-large GSAE association executive members in good standing (Kara Bastarache, CAE, Julia Boyd, CAE, Ragan Cohn, CAE, Shan Haugabrook, Tara Morrison, CAE, CMP and Jacob Wilder, CAE) in addition to GSAE Chair Joel Peacock, Past Chair Gene Stinson, CAE, PCED, CEcD, HLM and Chair-Elect Mary J. Wheatley, IOM, CAE.
 
Four seats for individual association member directors and one seat for a corporate supplier director will be available for two-year terms, beginning January 1, 2021. If you or someone you know would like to be considered, please complete a self nomination form or nominate another GSAE member here. All candidates must be members in good standing. Deadline for nominations is September 30, 2020.
 
The slate of nominees will be offered to the membership for review no later than November 9, 2020. Board members and officers will be accepted and installed at the GSAE Annual Business Meeting on December 9.
 
Relevant Bylaws:
At least ninety (90) days prior to the annual business meeting, the Board of Directors shall appoint a Nominating Committee of at least five (5) persons, each of whom shall have been an Individual member of the Society for at least two (2) years. The chairman shall be the Immediate Past Chair. Others on the committee shall be the Chair, Chair Elect and two or more other members not currently serving on the GSAE Board of Directors. Names of nominating committee members and an invitation for recommendations for candidates for nomination shall be announced to the membership at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual business meeting. The nominating committee shall submit at least one (1) name for each available elective office of the Society and said slate shall be presented, in writing, to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual business meeting and again, orally, at the annual business meeting.

GSAE recognizes excellence by presenting a variety of awards to members. To nominate a member for an award, simply email wendy@gsae.org. The deadline for nominations is September 30, 2020. Learn more about the awards program here. 

• Likely Hybrid - October 21 Quarterly Luncheon, The Abit Massey Lecture Series, sponsored by Visit Savannah
• Definitely Zoom - November 11 Quarterly Luncheon & Tech Showcase
• Hopefully In-person - December 9 Holiday Luncheon, Awards Show, Silent Auction & Annual Business Meeting at Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia

Please contact us ASAP if your organization would like to sponsor events in November or December.

Live webinars are worth 1 CAE hour. Did you know? More than 94 CAE-qualifying recorded webinars are available 24/7 on our GSAE website.

ASAE has a community sign-on letter urging Congress to pass relief legislation and include 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The deadline to join the letter is Monday, September 14.

In addition to providing for 501(c)(6) eligibility on equitable terms, the letter calls on Congress to enact the following PPP-related provisions:

1. Reauthorize until at least March 31, 2021;
2. Include 501(c)(6) nonprofits in the so-called “second draw” program;
3. Expand the definition for eligible “receipts” within the “second draw” program to include in-person event cancellations and lost revenue from certification programs and other education; and
4. Apply lobbying language as outlined in Section 90001 of the HEROES Act and included in the broadly bipartisan Local Chamber, Tourism, and 501(c)(6) Protection Act of 2020 (H.R. 6697).

As a reminder, the lobbying language referenced in #4 above would prohibit borrowers from including salaries of all federally registered lobbyists on staff in PPP loan term calculations. ASAE reported last month on alternative and harmful lobbying restrictions presented in the Senate. Learn more.

On September 17 at 2 p.m. EDT, a few MemberClicks marketers will be sharing their very own Virtual Event Playbook. They’ll discuss…

• How to select the right technology for your virtual event
• How to create valuable sponsorship packages 
• How to price and promote your virtual event 

And more! This is a free webinar worth 1 CAE credit (if you attend live). Register here! 

GACVB and STS will host the 3rd annual Group Sales Symposium on December 1-2 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta – Roswell. Attend sessions with industry experts and peers in various interactive formats to discuss new trends, tactics, and technology for improving meetings business and group market recruitment and production. Learn more.

Virtual Strategic Planning - You need to know what the future of your profession or industry looks like, what your members want to accomplish within that future, their relationship to your association and the influence of competitors on the choices critical to their success. Association Laboratory's proven process makes this a reality for your association.

Check out their FREE webinar Essentials of Strategic Planning for information on the best practices that inform their approach to this critical decision-making function.

Contact Dean West, FASAE, President at Association Laboratory today, at dwest@associationlaboratory.com  or call their Chicago office at (312) 224-2626 to understand how they can help you through these challenging times.

In light of COVID-19, the CAE Commission has made a few adjustments for those renewing their CAE in 2020:

• The renewal deadline has been extended from December 31, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
• The cap on self-study has been lifted. All 40 credits needed for renewal may be taken through any amount of live and/or approved self-study courses.
• The early-renewal discount will be extended to completed renewals submitted through March 31, 2021. The discounted renewal fee is $275 for ASAE members and $425 for nonmembers.

These additional options apply only to the renewal cycle for those originally due to renew by December 2020. Learn more.

The 2021 GSAE Membership Directory & Buyers' Guide will go to print soon and we want to make sure everything is exactly how you want it! Did you get a new job? Is your name spelled correctly? Do you have new contact information? Please update your profile by October 2.

Advertising space in the annual GSAE Membership Directory & Buyers' Guide is now available! Make sure your company has a lasting presence in front of GSAE members all year long. Ad sales close September 30. To be included, contact Debbi McClanahan, Media Director, at (352) 333-3490 or at debbim@naylor.com.