GSAE eNewsletter

Register today!

Association Executives only – complete the 2015 Meeting & Purchasing Guide survey by Nov. 30 for a chance to win a $100, $50 or $25 American Express gift card!
*Be sure to check out our exhibitors so you can tell us who you need to connect with during the appointment-based portion of the tradeshow!

As Raymond James’ chief investment strategist and a managing director of the firm’s Equity Research department, Jeff Saut provides timely and insightful market commentary to Raymond James financial advisors, their clients and institutional clients through daily strategy calls, weekly written commentary, as well as local and national media appearances. Read Mr. Saut's full bio.

Schedule – Spend the Day with GSAE
10-11:30 a.m. – Morning Workshops (more details coming soon):

• "DOL’s Proposed Overtime Regulations: Learn What May Be Coming To Associations" – Justin R. Barnes, Attorney at Law, Jackson Lewis LLP
• Meeting Planner Workshop & Mock Site Visit
• Political Skills Inventory
  

11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. – Tradeshow & Lunch: A walking, talking, eating and connecting experience – it’ll be grand!
2-2:45 p.m. – Economic Forecast Keynote featuring Jeff Saut & Fancy Dessert, sponsored by IPMG of Raymond James in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Lincoln Financial

Cost
Association Exec & 3rd Party Meeting Planner cost: $30

Exhibitor Cost
GSAE Member Exhibitor: $800
GSAE Guest Exhibitor: $950
Loyalty Exhibitors (exhibited in 2014) receive a $100 discount
Booth share fee – $200 (to share with someone from a different company)

Exhibitor cost includes pre- and post-show mailing labels, logo, contact info and links to your website from our online tradeshow map and two registrants. Booths are limited to two representatives. 

Thank you to our Sponsors:

Tradeshow Floor	Interactive Tradeshow Map	Keynote Speaker & Dessert
		in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Lincoln Financial

*Two food & beverage sponsorships are available. Contact GSAE for more details.

Thank you to our Host:	Thank you to our AV Sponsor:	A recap of GSAE's 2014 Tradeshow Luncheon. You don’t want to miss 2015!

Please note: Non-exhibiting corporate members/guests may not attend this event, in order to maximize our exhibitors' ROI. This is the only event with this type of registration limitation. Onsite registration is not available to our corporate members or corporate guests. Thanks for your understanding.

 

Download the GSAE app for conference info, resources, directory and more!

Please watch this brief video to get started and then download the app from iTunes or Google Play.

Engagement App Log-In & Features from Results at Hand Software on Vimeo.

 

Named in 2015, the award celebrates the spirit and memory of Peggy Seigler, MPA, CDME, a beloved and valued member of the community, and recognizes the vast and numerous contributions of our corporate supplier colleagues. The Peggy Seigler Corporate Member of the Year Award will be presented annually to the corporate supplier member who has demonstrated outstanding and continuous service to the association community in Georgia.

Please plan to join us on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at the Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center for our Holiday Luncheon, where we'll celebrate GSAE members and leaders. Register today.

 

This year, the Senior Officers and Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG) leadership chose David Ellis, CAE, Executive Officer of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, to receive the Executive Officer of the Year Award. David has been an EO for more than 10 years and has been an outstanding leader within the federation. This award is based on attendance at meetings and seminars, involvement in the Georgia Executive Officers Council, and participation in HBAG and National Association of Home Builders activities and meetings. David provides the continuity that helps hold a local association together. Congratulations, David!

 

 

Rick Bethea, CASE, recently announced his retirement as Sales Manager at The Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, effective January 15, 2016. He has really enjoyed being part of the GSAE community during his time at Sonesta. Lisa Tennison, Senior Sales Manager, will take over the association market, effective immediately.

Prior to joining the sales team at the Sonesta Resort in September 2012, Bethea held sales positions in Savannah, GA; Baltimore, MD; Washington, D.C.; and in Norfolk, VA. Rick recently celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary to his wife, Gail. They plan to stay in Bluffton, SC, and enjoy close friendships made in both Savannah, GA, and on Hilton Head Island, SC, as well as family in Atlanta, GA. Congratulations, Rick!

 

The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau is happy to announce the hire of Rita Lowery as Director of Sales. Lowery has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality-tourism industry, from holding key sales positions at major hotels in Atlanta and Macon to working at Cobb Travel & Tourism for more than 13 years. While there she headed the Cobb Sports Council.

"We feel privileged to have Rita’s joining our CVB and heading up its sales division," said CVB Director Chuck Jones. "Rita will oversee all sales initiatives and be responsible for ensuring that all goals and performance metrics are met, including generating actualized room nights and achieving a high citywide occupancy rate, especially given the 2013 expansion of The Classic Center and increased hotel inventory in Athens, including a Hyatt Place connected to The Classic Center."

 

Chris Hendrix, CMP, Assistant Director of Sales, Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, is pleased to share Charleston's exciting news! Known for rich history, well-preserved architecture, a celebrated restaurant community and mannerly people, the Charleston area has been recognized as the No. 1 Small U.S. City for the fifth consecutive year by Condé Nast Traveler 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers rank destinations on Arts/Culture, Friendliness, Scenery/Sights, Restaurants/Food, Accommodations, Shopping, and Value. This year’s Readers’ Choice Awards received 128,000 ballots, the highest in the 28 year history of the awards.

In addition to the No. 1 Top Small U.S. City ranking, Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Mary Rieger, Director of Southeast Sales) ranked No. 6 Top 20 U.S. Resorts in the South, and Wild Dunes Resort ranked No. 20 Top 20 U.S. Resorts in the South.  Congratulations, Charleston! Read more here.

 

Katy Murray, Sales Manager, Sea Palms Resort & Conference Center, is pleased to announce the completion of its $4 million dollar renovation, including enhancements to the resort’s conference center, restaurant & lounge, accommodations and pool area. The Conference Center redesign includes new meeting rooms and changes in lighting, carpet, AV, and connectivity, now totaling 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Other enhancements include new bedding packages, flat screen TV and balconies in the guest rooms, upgraded golf course with new bunkers and reseeded greens, a new health club and pool upgrades with cabanas and an outdoor fireplace. The resort has also added a multitude of activities to create and enhance the guest experience. The resort's new restaurant concept, The Public House at Sea Palms Resort, will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Read more here.

 

Missy Brandt, Senior Sales Manager, is proud to share that the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau has completely redesigned its website www.VisitAthensGA.com to give it the fresh and functional feel that users have come to expect. With user experience the top priority, the new website design allows visitors to access information when/wherever they want it and local Athens hospitality partners to easily manage their own content. The new website will allow the Athens CVB to continue to promote the city of Athens as a destination of choice in the most effective way possible. Read more here.

 

Wednesday, November 18
GSAE Board of Directors Meeting
9:30-11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, December 9
Holiday Luncheon, Awards Show, Silent Auction & Annual Business Meeting – Register today!
10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Hosted by Georgia Tech Hotel & Conference Center
Sponsored by Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau and The Georgia Center's UGA Hotel & Conference Center

Donate to the Holiday Silent Auction today!
Donating to the auction is a great way to show your support and help raise funds to help continue GSAE’s mission of advancing the profession of association management and enhancing the professionalism of association executives. We're asking all GSAE members and friends for support of the Silent Auction this year. Any donation of any size will be most appreciated and welcomed – we can even package smaller donations together to create a fabulous gift basket or experience! Start planning your shopping list today – view a list of current donations here.

Webinars – $49 per credit hour

• Thursday, November 12, 2015, 2-3 p.m. EDT
• Ask Why, Then What – Leading Volunteers for Success
• Tuesday, November 17, 2015
• Developing Your Association's Value Proposition
  
• Tuesday, December 1, 2015, 2-3 p.m. EDT
• What’s Your UBER?
• Thursday, December 17, 2015
• The Power of Story: How & Why Story Telling Has Become a Crucial 21st Century Skill
  

View all upcoming live webinars here and on-demand webinars here.

 

We are pleased to announce the following slate of officers and Board Members for 2016.

Chair: David Ellis, CAE
Chair-Elect: Tara Morrison, CAE
Treasurer: Gene Stinson, CAE, PCED, CEcD, HLM
Past Chair: Jim Fowler, CAE

Directors: Julie Anderson, CAE; Jon Krueger; Gale Macke; Joel Peacock; Bryan Tolar; Mark Sedgley; Sarah J. Berke, CAE; Kristen Hartman, CAE; Lee Lemke, CAE; Carol Hall.

Our thanks to our board members who have completed their terms this year:
Todd Daniel, CAE; Natalie Nardone, CAE; Mike Walsh, CAE; Sheryl Ehlers

The Nominating Committee endorses the slate for the GSAE Foundation Board of Trustees.
Chair: Pat Dunwoody, CAE, LEED AP; Chair-Elect: LeeAnne Minnick; Treasurer: Robin D. Lane, CAE; Past Chair: Mike Giles.

Respectfully submitted:
Susan Cheshire, CAE; Jim Fowler, CAE; David Ellis, CAE; Angela Holland, CAE; Mike Pennington, CAE

 

The host property of each luncheon will receive a reserved table during registration, the opportunity to place materials at each place setting, podium time, significant exposure and an attendee mailing list following the luncheon. This is a great opportunity to showcase your property! All GSAE luncheons are on Wednesdays. All 2016 dates are available: February 17, April 20, July 13, September 21, November 16 (includes tradeshow) and December 14.

 

We need 2 CAEs to act as proctors for the 2015 CAE exam on December 4 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at SAIS (5901 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, Suite B-200, Atlanta, GA 30328). To act as a proctor, you must meet requirements set out by the CAE Commission, including:

• Hold the CAE credential.
• Not have been involved in candidate preparation in the past year.
• Not be a relative or have an employment relationship with any candidate at the administration of the examination you will be proctoring.
• Protect the security and confidentiality of the examination and the confidentiality of the identity of the examination candidates.
• Not discuss the content of the examination with any candidate before, during, or after the exam administration. You may clarify logistical instructions.
• Administer the examination according to the instructions provided by ASAE.
• Refrain from distracting activities during the examination such as eating or talking on the telephone.
• Collect all examination materials and return them immediately after the completion of the exam via the means provided by ASAE.
• Never comment or make any type of assessment of any candidate's performance on the examination.
• Not discuss the examination with anyone else, except ASAE Credentialing staff and/or any CAE Commissioner.      
  

Please contact Wendy by November 6 if you're available to proctor on December 4.

 

Thank you to Le Meridien Atlanta Perimeter for sponsoring the Leadership Academy Retreat, October 22-23, and giving our participants a robust site visit.

Please also join us in thanking this season’s faculty members. Stay tuned for more news about our outstanding new class!

 

• Dues for 2016 remain unchanged and are due January 1. Click here for the full dues schedule.
• Individual Member dues are $195 (exec #1); $150 (exec #2-3); $125 (exec #4 ).
  
• Corporate Member dues are $300 (corporate contact #1); $250 (corporate contact #2 ).
  
• Shared Interest Group meetings are included in your membership (a nominal fee may be included to cover a meal).
• Luncheons will be held February 17, April 20, July 13 and September 21; the cost is $39 for all GSAE members.
• November 16, 2016 Tradeshow – exhibitor price is $799 ($100 discount to all 2015 exhibitors).
• The December 14, 2016 Holiday Luncheon & Silent Auction is $49; additional staff members from the same company are $39 each.
• The 2016 Annual Meeting in Athens, GA is June 1-3. Registration fees for the first individual member – $299; corporate supplier member – $359; additional attendees from the same organization – $199 each.
• Annual Meeting room rates: Hotel Indigo – $139 run of house (plus taxes); Graduate Athens – $114 run of house (plus taxes).
• Full on sponsorship brochure is available online today.

 

Nonprofits across Georgia will again rally the state’s collective philanthropic spirit on November 14 for the third annual GA Gives Day. Year after year, this GCN-led initiative is proving the power of partnership to ignite a giving movement. Since the inaugural year in 2012, more than 2,000 nonprofits across the state have raised a combined $5.1 million through GA Gives Day, as tens of thousands of Georgians come together each fall to build up their most cherished cause in what we call a "flashmob of giving." Donate to the GSAE Foundation today to ensure the future of the association management profession. Since it’s inception in 2002, our internship grant program has helped introduce 28 college-age interns to the association management and hospitality professions. More than 22 associations and CVBs have benefitted from the program’s support. Your donation is tax-deductible under the applicable IRS codes. Thank you!

 

ASAE has opened up registration for American Associations Day, the only fly-in for association professionals. With the upcoming potential 40 percent tax on healthcare plans and new overtime rule there is no shortage of issues that threaten the association community. Join us to learn about the issues, meet association professionals from your state and around the country, and attend the ASAE Board Reception. The dates are March 9-10, 2016 in Washington, D.C.

There is no registration fee for this event. Additionally, a scholarship is available for attendees who make Hill visits that are from outside the D.C.-metro area. This event also includes 3.25 CAE credit hours. To RSVP for this year’s fly-in, contact Mary Kate Cunningham, ASAE Public Policy Department staff, at (202) 626-2787 or mcunningham@asaecenter.org. Find out more at ThePowerOfA.org/hillvisit.

 

The Georgia Society of Association Executives is proud to partner with Institute for Organization Management, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s professional development program for non-profit executives, and offer two $500 partial tuition scholarships to one of Institute’s 2016 sites. The two scholarships, available to our members, will be awarded to students attending Institute for the first time to assist with enrollment fees and cannot be combined with any other Institute scholarships.

For more than 90 years, Institute has educated association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders across the country through its national program, highly rated curriculum and high caliber instructors. Thousands of executives have attended Institute sites across the country to strengthen their management skills, learn industry best practices, and gain a broad national perspective from peers. Institute has helped them build stronger organizations, become stronger business advocates and better serve their members. In addition, you will earn points towards your CCE or CAE certification as Institute’s curriculum is directly tied to the bodies of knowledge of both the American Society of Association Executives and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Upon completion of the Institute program, graduates receive the IOM recognition which allows them to use the letters "IOM" in public mention and professional correspondence. The IOM recognition signifies the completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management and commitment to the industry.

Are you already an IOM and have an updated job or title? Update your contact information and stay connected.

If you are interested in this scholarship opportunity, contact Wendy at wendy@gsae.org by November 17.

Early registration deadline for Winter Institute is November 20.

For more information about Institute’s curriculum, sites and dates, visit the Institute Web site and Prospective Student Toolkit to help you gain insight into the program.

 

To participate in this confidential study, please click here. 

The survey is comprehensive and will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. In addition to receiving a complimentary overview of the research, every participant will be eligible to receive one of 10 $25 Amazon gift cards.

The information generated from this survey will help you understand critical changes in the association business environment for the economy, information, workforce, global and government factors. The survey benchmarks nearly 60 different implications on association strategy ranging from membership, to meetings and education and government advocacy.

The final analysis, provided to you through a white paper, will give you a comprehensive look at the association business environment that you can share with your leadership and help inform their discussions on the future of your association. The outcome will show you where your organization is similar or different from a national sample of trade and professional associations.
 
This study is produced by Association Laboratory, an independent strategic research firm specializing in association business strategy.

Note from Wendy: If enough members from our community participate, we will receive a state-specific executive summary. Please take time to help our community benchmark association strategies. Click here to take the survey. Thanks!