Eighty Years of Leadership.

This month, ASAE celebrates an important anniversary and reflects on milestones in the association community. Take a look at some of the defining moments dating back to 1920 that have enriched ASAE's membership as their associations continue to advance America.

"ASAE's origin revolved around service to the major trade association executives, primarily based in the Washington, D.C., and New York City markets. As the organization expanded its constituency in the 1970s and 1980s, a greater number of individual membership organization executives joined and became involved in the direction of our professional society.

"As we celebrate 80 years and look to the arrival of our centennial anniversary, we see ASAE today as a vibrant community of trade, professional, and philanthropic organization executives and key staff professionals. Also in our ranks are association management company executives, executives from 40 other countries, a wide range of supplier members from hospitality, business services, and electronic commerce affiliations, and even student members at undergraduate and graduate levels. This broader diversity of constituents demands a greater variety of member services, benefits, and affinity programs. Our challenge now is to be sure we are accessible, responsive, and relevant to these customers in an ever-changing marketplace."

ASAF President and CEO 

Michael S. Olson, CAE 

1920: Emmet Hay Naylor, secretary-treasurer of the Writing Paper Manufacturers Association, becomes the first president of the American Trade Association Executives (ATAE). Approximately 2,000 associations exist in the United States.

1929: Margaret Hayden Rorke, ATAE's first female member, makes an anonymous donation to sponsor the first awards competition to acknowledge the meritorious work of associations. A fulltime stenographer-bookkeeper is acquired to assist the ATAE president.

1936: ATAE's first fulltime administrative assistant (with the title of executive secretary) is retained; within her first 10 months of employment, 40 separate mailings covering topics such as legislation, research, and economic appraisal are sent to members.

1949: The Journal of American Trade Association Executives is launched. The Convention Liaison Council is formed to provide an exchange of information among the convention, meeting, trade show and exposition, and travel and tourism industries.

1956: ATAE becomes the American Society of Association Executives, by a member vote of 613-54, to include professional and technical society executives as members.

1963: ATAE's quarterly Journal becomes the monthly publication ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT. The ASAE Foundation is launched.

1972: ASAE's board of directors approves the launch of a certification program (CAE) for association executives.

1975: The board establishes the for-profit ASAE Services Corporation to provide members discounts on appropriate services, and also establishes four sections: Communication, Meetings & Expositions, Membership, and Education.

1983: The annual ASAE Management Conference is restructured to include presentations selected on the basis of advance papers submitted by potential presenters. Kinsey B. Green. CAE, executive director of the American Home Economics Association, becomes the second woman chief elected officer of ASAE. During her term, five of ASAE's 33 directors are women.

1991: The partnership between ASAE and its 69 allied societies of association executives is significantly strengthened with an increase in cosponsored educational programming and creation of a grass-roots network to track legislative activity.

1995: ASAE celebrates its 75th anniversary and launches its Web site.

2000: ASAE introduces online newsletters, increases access to knowledge by opening all sections to members, and launches the redesigned ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT magazine. More than 135,000 associations exist in the United States.