The GSAE Board of Directors is delighted to announce our 2014 Annual Meeting host city, Visit Savannah, our host hotel, Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, and our meeting host, Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.  

• Established in 1733 as Georgia’s first city, Savannah is both historic and hip with the capacity to host groups larger than you might think.
• With 4,600 rooms within walking distance of the beautiful Savannah River, we can provide endless options and multiple price points.  
• The food is "to die for" and your favorite beverages can be enjoyed in your "go cup" as you explore the city.
• The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa is Savannah’s AAA Four Diamond Resort.  Book your room today!
  
• Golf, spa, riverfront pool and hot tub and a complimentary, quick ferry to River Street await you!
• The Savannah International Trade & Convention Center is a superbly functional, architecturally stunning 330,000 sq. ft gleaming waterfront complex on the historic Savannah River.
• SITCC features 100,000 sq. ft. of divisible exhibit space, 50,000 sq. ft. of prime meeting space, including 13 meeting rooms, four executive board rooms, a 25,000 sq. ft. Grand Ballroom, and a state-of-art 367 seat auditorium.

 

Moving an organization forward in the midst of a time of transition is a challenge that most association leaders are facing today.  Thinking differently about how value is created is a must during the time author and consultant Jeff De Cagna, FRSA, FASAE calls, "The Age of Transformation."  See more here.

 

As another year comes to a close it's a natural time to reconsider goals, both personal and professional. This article from the SmartBlog on Leadership shares that leaders need to constantly develop themselves as human beings ... A checklist of "to dos" is fine, but it isn’t enough anymore. Your ability to respond to change and sustain your leadership over time requires you to persistently "become" a better leader through improving the behaviors that allow you to lead at your best."

 

Looking for a little holiday inspiration? Visit these displays of Christmas decorations from around the world. (And you don't even have to leave your desk to do it!)

 

Governor Nathan Deal has appointed GSAE member James P. Martin to the Georgia State Board of Accountancy.  Martin retired as the executive director of the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants after 35 years of service.  He serves on the board of Hart Partners and on the finance committee of the First United Methodist Church in Hartwell, where he also teaches Sunday school.  Martin earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia and a law degree from the Woodrow Wilson College of Law.  He and his wife Carolyn have four children and eight grandchildren.

 

National Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metals Association's Liz Johnson (now Liz Harris) married Milton Harris on Monday November 11, 2013 at Torres Park in Chalmette, LA.  The ceremony was an intimate gathering of friends and family in a gazebo overlooking a small lake less than 10 miles from the French Quarter in New Orleans.

 

Nardone Consulting Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the marriage of Sarah Jackson, CAE (now Sarah Berke) to Jason Berke, CPA.  The wedding was held November 30, 2013 at the TradeWinds Resort on St. Pete Beach, FL.  The happy couple will be traveling to Cancun, Mexico for their honeymoon.

 

The Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) named Shepard Exposition Services as the 2013 ACVB Member of the Year at its annual Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame event on November 12 at The Foundry at Puritan Mill.  Leslie Avery is a National Sales Manager for Shepard and a long-time supporter of GSAE.  "Shepard Exposition Services is much deserving of ACVB's 2013 Member of the Year. Shepard goes well above the call of duty to make Atlanta shine by providing exceptional service to clients as well as assisting ACVB with programs and events," said Ellie Westman Chin, ACVB’s Vice President, Business Development and Corporate Events.  Read the full press release here.

 

Although the 2014 GSAE Quarterly Luncheon & Participation Fair is still a few months away (February 19 at the Holiday Inn Atlanta Capitol Conference Center), it's never too early to start thinking of ways to expand your GSAE involvement!  If you'd like to join a SIG(s) before then, or if you're interested in chairing a SIG, simply email GSAE.

GSAE's Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) offer one of the best resources for association executives and professionals.  These self-directed groups of GSAE members focus on a particular area and delve into various topics within that area.  In addition to learning from the "experts" in a particular area of interest, GSAE's SIGs offer members a place to discuss with peers issues of personal relevance.

Emerging Professionals SIG
Formerly the Young Professionals, this SIG is designed for GSAE members who are new to the association profession and are  interested in connecting with peers and leaders to grow professionally.  Join the discussion and learn about upcoming events by becoming a fan of the Facebook page today.
 
Government Relations SIG
For association professionals who have an interest in government relations or who work in an advocacy environment.

Small Association Staff SIG
Designed for staff of associations with 10 or fewer employees. Focuses on best practices and sharing resources.

Communications SIG
For communications professionals working in an association or generalists with some communications responsibilities (including electronic communications).
 
Atlanta-area YourMembership.com Users Group
Formerly the Affiniscape 360 Users Group, this SIG is for association professionals using YourMembership.com and will meet quarterly for peer-to-peer training on the merger and a variety of modules.     

Education/Certification SIG
Focuses on issues of importance to association professionals who develop education programming or work with certification programs.

 

We are looking for our millennial association professionals who are interested in programming our July 9th Luncheon. Our goal is to show our members great new ideas to reach the next generation of adult learners and to showcase our emerging  leaders’ talents. Contact Wendy to participate.

 

2014 promises to be an exciting year for GSAE’s social media strategy.  Our Board has adopted a very ambitious plan and we need your help for it to be a success.  If you can answer yes to one of these questions and want to engage your peers across the electronic realm, let us know!

• Love LinkedIN? Do you spend time on it weekly?  Help us manage our subgroups, promote conversations and lead our connections to GSAE membership.
• Thrilled to be on Twitter? Do you dream in hashtags? Automatically convert links to tiny urls in your head? GSAE staff needs a tutorial and an account that does something more than follow our friends at AENC. 
• Fascinated by Facebook? Get admin status and have at it with pictures, links, events and "boosts."

Coming soon: Community Czars.  The January Update will outline opportunities to lead our connection points in our members only community through our upgrade to YourMembership.com.  Watch this space!

 

Tuesday, December 10
GSAE-Kellen Company Discussion Group - Apps and Mobile Sites for Today’s Devices
8-9:30 am
Kellen Company - 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 300, Atlanta
Register by Dec. 3.  Breakfast will be provided.

Tuesday, December 10
Branding You and Your Organization Through LinkedIn – sponsored by Association Executives of North Carolina and Georgia Society of Association Executives
2 – 3 pm EST (11:00 PT / 1:00 CT / 12:00 MT)
Register online - $45 member rate
This program will teach association professionals the power of using LinkedIn to increase the brand of the individual and the organization.

Tuesday, January 28
GSAE-Kellen Company Discussion Group - Creating Member Value
8-9:30 am
Kellen Company - 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 300, Atlanta
Register by Jan. 21.  Breakfast will be provided.

Save the Date for GSAE Events in 2014
Feb. 19 - GSAE Quarterly Luncheon at Holiday Inn Capitol Conference Center
April 16 - GSAE Quarterly Luncheon at Georgia World Congress Center
May 28-30 - GSAE Annual Meeting in Savannah, Georgia
July 9 - GSAE Summer Luncheon
Sep. 17 - GSAE Quarterly Luncheon: The Abit Massey Lecture Series
Nov. 19 - GSAE Tradeshow & Quarterly Luncheon
Dec. 10 - GSAE Holiday Luncheon, Awards Show & Silent Auction at Georgia Aquarium

 

We are so excited about our 2014 calendar.  We’ll add additional opportunities for connecting and learning through the year, but this is a great start!

• Membership dues for 2014 remain unchanged and are due January 1. Click here for the full dues schedule.
• Shared Interest Group meetings are included in your membership (a nominal fee may be included to cover a meal).
• Luncheons in February, April, July and September are $25 for all GSAE members.
• Stand alone workshops will be priced based on $30 per CAE credit hour offered.
• The Holiday Luncheon & Silent Auction is $40 for all GSAE members.
• The 2014 Annual Meeting registration fees for the first association executive attendee - $295; corporate suppliers - $350; additional attendees from the same organization - $175 each. 
• Annual Meeting room rates at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa - $150 run of house (excludes resort fee and taxes). Book your room today.
  
• The CAE Study Group, worth up to 12 CAE hours, meets for 9 weeks starting in June. The cost is $50 for GSAE members.  
• Full on sponsorship brochure is available online today.
  

 

GSAE has joined a consortium of SAEs to provide high caliber online education.  Every 6 weeks or so, we’ll offer live webinars on relevant, timely topics to help you be better at your job.  If the time or date doesn’t suit your schedule, though, we also offer recorded versions you may order and view in the comfort and convenience of your own office.  Bonus: of the 47 recorded sessions available, 40 are eligible for CAE or CMP credits if you complete the short exam at the end.

Branding You and Your Organization Through LinkedIn – this program will teach association professionals the power of using LinkedIn to increase the brand of the individual and the organization.
Sponsored by Association Executives of North Carolina and Georgia Society of Association Executives
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
2 – 3pm EST
$45 for Member

 

 

The only legislative fly-in for association professionals is fast approaching.  On March 25–26, 2014, association executives will visit Washington, DC to advocate for vital association issues.  Last year, a record number of participants came from 36 states, and this year the issues facing the association community and our exempt purposes are even greater.

This year’s sessions will feature briefs on timely issues like tax reform and nonprofit governance as well as a primer on getting the most out of your congressional meetings.  In addition, get valuable face time with colleagues from your home state, association CEOs, the ASAE Board of Directors, and other leaders in the association community.  To help make this a geographically diverse event, ASAE is offering a scholarship to those outside the DC-metro area.  To RSVP for this year’s fly-in, contact Mary Kate Cunningham at mcunningham@asaecenter.org or by phone at (202) 626-2787.