Associations are uniquely positioned to be the trusted power brokers within their industries—driven not by profit but by mission and purpose. That foundation gives them the rare ability to unite competitors, partners, regulators, and innovators in a shared pursuit of a stronger, more sustainable future.

This potential is realized when associations look beyond the boundaries of their membership to the broader ecosystem they represent. The greatest impact comes when they take the larger risk of setting a broad table—one that welcomes the many diverse voices shaping their industry's path forward. In those rooms, associations become the place where leaders get the chance to sit down, exchange ideas, and confront the most critical questions about the future together.

Two recent examples capture this convening power in action: the Tee Time Summit hosted by the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Future of the Industry Summit hosted by the School Nutrition Association (SNA).

When Competitors Became Collaborators

The Tee Time Summit united leaders from across the golf industry—course owners, management companies, distributors, and technology platforms—for a one-day working session on the future of tee-time distribution and data ownership.

Ahead of the summit, NGCOA distributed Insights Briefs outlining key trends and tensions, ensuring participants began the day with shared understanding and clear context. As discussions unfolded, long-standing competitors started collaborating to design a more transparent and sustainable digital future for golf operations.

"The most heartening thing," reflected NGCOA's CEO Jay Karen, "was to see competitors turn into collaborators at the same tables. It was a validating experience that associations are trustworthy places to do meaningful work for our future."

The summit concluded with a collective sense of direction and renewed trust—evidence that associations can design experiences to transform competition into shared progress.

A Whole-System Conversation in School Nutrition

The School Nutrition Association's Future of the Industry Summit demonstrated the same power of convening at a larger scale. More than 120 leaders—operators, administrators, government officials, suppliers, and community advocates—gathered to explore four themes shaping the next decade of school nutrition: regulation and advocacy, revenue and investment, cost and resource efficiency, and technology and innovation.

Through foresight exercises and design-thinking facilitation, participants co-developed ideas for what the next generation of school nutrition could look like. They envisioned a "nutrition cloud" for shared data, AI-driven tools to reduce food waste, flexible funding models to sustain programs, and a national narrative that positions school meals as essential public infrastructure.

SNA CEO Patti Montague described it as "an incredible experience for the 125-plus stakeholders who attended." The resulting white paper captured a unified vision for a resilient, equitable, and data-driven school nutrition ecosystem.

Designing for Shared Insight

Both summits succeeded because of intentional design. Each began with clear framing, accessible background materials, and facilitation that built trust and ownership among participants.

• Preparation created common ground. NGCOA's briefings and SNA's lightning talks aligned participants before they entered the room.
• Diverse perspectives were essential. Each convening intentionally included all parts of the ecosystem—suppliers, regulators, operators, and advocates.
• Facilitation made collaboration tangible. Structured dialogue and purpose-driven design fostered openness, creativity, and forward momentum.
• Outcomes built continuity. Both events closed with next-step commitments and clear pathways for continued collaboration.

Building the Future, Together

The stories of the golf and school nutrition communities reveal something far greater than two well-designed summits. They signal an evolution in what associations are called to do. Convening entire ecosystems to focus on the future is not simply an event format—it is a strategic posture and a promise of purpose.

Every profession and industry faces a version of this moment: a landscape of disruption, fragmentation, and opportunity waiting to be shaped. Associations hold the rare ability to bring together the most influential, diverse, and passionate voices of a field—united in their commitment to strengthen the future of the whole. That is the work of stewardship, and it sits at the heart of association leadership.

When associations step fully into this role, they become the architects of alignment and progress. They turn industry challenges into shared vision, and collaboration into enduring strength. Through this work, they advance their industries, amplify their impact, and design a future defined by collective purpose.

The charge ahead is clear: Keep creating spaces where leaders from every corner of a field can imagine and build the next era together, thereby igniting progress, strengthening industries, and shaping the future they envision.