Delivering on Purpose.

By the time you read this column, you may have registered online for ASAE's annual meeting for the first time. If so, you discovered that you could also create a customized schedule and use it to navigate your way through what is anticipated to be ASAE's biggest event ever. Such streamlining steps typify the outcomes of ASAE's past administrative year during which Jeffry W. Raynes, CAE, ASAE's outgoing board chair, renewed the organization's commitment to delivering the elements of ASAE's strategic plan.

The comprehensive plan supports ASAE's core purpose: to advance the value of voluntary associations to society and to support the professionalism of the individuals who lead them. Online registration capabilities are but one of an array of new products and services designed to deliver on this promise.

Electronic tools

In the past year, ASAE has completely reengineered its infrastructure of systems and equipment.

Membership software. Internally, we have worked with Component Graphics, Inc., to customize the most advanced membership services software ever used by ASAE. The system will allow us to establish more individualized service to our members and much more.

Web site enhancements. We've upgraded ASAE's Web site, adding access routes to our vast knowledge inventory maintained and updated by ASAE daily. AskASAE is proving to be one of the more popular online services, providing nearly instant responses to questions involving the shared issues and challenges confronting our members. The expanded Career Headquarters online job bank now stores close to 3,000 resumes of association professionals.

Educational opportunities

A more robust roster of professional development events expands the reach of education options.

Depth of leadership training. A restructured and expanded professional development division is rolling out a lineup of seminars, conferences, and symposia in more locations--and with more frequency--than anytime in ASAE's history as the premier source for association education and leadership training. The division will unveil new career track programs at ASAE Philadelphia 2001.

Print and online products. Book publishing is doubling its output of new titles this year, while initiating new co-marketing arrangements with other publishing houses. And, if you haven't already heard, the Society of National Association Publications, Arlington, Virginia, recently honored ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT with silver 2001 EXCEL Awards for both general excellence and design excellence. Online newsletters are delivered in a more timely fashion than in the past, while our CEO online reference services are being expanded weekly.

Perhaps most importantly, we removed the barriers to information access--no matter what the medium--allowing members to move in and out of ASAE's 13 membership specialty sections based on their needs.

Relationship building

ASAE is supporting the profession in other ways as well.

Advocacy efforts. A more aggressive advocacy program has increased our interaction with members of Congress and state legislatures, and state and federal regulatory officials. ASAE has supported numerous association legal challenges this past year through the filing of amicus curiae briefs. These efforts are advancing members' legal efforts in ways that affect the entire family of associations.

Leveraging relationships. We've encouraged the allied societies of association executives to enter into partnership agreements with ASAE, bringing resources and programs together to more effectively serve the members at both the local and national levels. In addition, joint membership with colleagues in Europe is now in place, while in 2000 ASAE hosted for the first time the World Congress of Association Executives, which was attended by 350 international executives.

Advancing your success is a promise delivered--with a growth spurt this year that opens the door to increased opportunity for all ASAE members for years to come.

MICHAEL S. OLSON

President and Chief Executive Officer

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