The Value of Your Name.

Sometimes the convergence of ideas hits so strongly as to almost knock your socks off. So you might say I've been walking around sockless lately. I've noticed similar themes emerging in several contexts--during my work on an article for the May issue about branding, at the ASAE Foundation's Think Tank 2000 in Chicago, in this month's cover and "Aiming in a New Direction" stories, and even at the 20th anniversary celebration of Independent Sector, a Washington, D.C.-based group of charitable and nonprofit organizations.

At the Independent Sector event, the president and CEO of National Public Radio, Kevin Klose, spoke eloquently about the boundarylessness of the digital age. Klose sees the Internet as "challenging us to establish identity that has credibility, unassailable integrity, and independence," and noted that for NPR, "the identity of our Web site is a crucial piece of who we are."

To my mind, filled with recent research about branding, Klose was talking about being comfortable with your organizational identity while at the same time learning to reconfigure that identity to step up to today's plate. In this issue Jane Eisinger interviews John Mancini, president of the Association for Information and Image Management International, who talks about redefining AIIM's mission in light of Web challenges--to convince members that "their future lies in being an enabler of e-business if the organization is to survive." Mancini remarks that one competitive advantage--as well as challenge--is that of providing unbiased, trustworthy content to his user community.

In "Preparing for an Open-Range Future," Bruce Butterfield, CAE, does a wonderful job of helping us understand why changes are occurring, what they mean to associations, and what associations can do to ride the waves of change. Butterfield makes the point that "in the uncertainty of cyberspace, an association's familiar and trusted name has value."

Mark Walsh, president and CEO of VerticalNet, Inc., acknowledged this particular association advantage in his remarks at the ASAE Foundation's Think Tank 2000. He shared observations about the behavior of business people on the Web-- for example, that they are community oriented, driven by self-interest, and wanting simplicity. Walsh also noted that the Internet is creating new networks of buyers and suppliers and that while you (associations) may know your business, the fact is that the business model has changed.

When asked how associations can protect their brand, knowledge, and credibility in a Web environment, Walsh suggested that they will need to form new brands for a transaction platform (i.e., the Web). Now that's an interesting twist. Do you adopt a new business model but keep your old brand, or adopt a new model with an all-new brand?

Which reminds me: Next month ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT builds on its strong brand by looking like it feels--sharp, fresh, and easy to use. We believe its appearance will now be in keeping with its intent and value. Most of all, we hope it delights you.

ANN I. MAHONEY

Editor in Chief