Features

• Cover Story: The Age of Agile Advocacy
  By: Tim Ebner
  In light of a new administration and Congress, associations are taking a fresh look at their government relations strategy and tactics. A key word for 2017: agility.
• Career Growth After 50
  By: Karla Taylor
  What must association professionals over 50 do to shape their careers and futures? Become skilled transitionists.
• Opening Up Membership to New Groups
  By: Mark Athitakis
  As industries change, associations have been challenged to reassess who qualifies as a member. Many have found strength and greater engagement in expansion.

Departments

The A List

• Ask the CEO: Cathy Weatherford
  Cathy Weatherford, president and CEO, Insured Retirement Institute, answers questions from IRI member Paula Nelson.
• Crowdsource: Events Firm Gets Hands on with Zero-Waste Goals
  By: Alex Beall
  Staff at RAI Amsterdam got their hands dirty learning how they can help their office and clients reduce waste.
• How the Modern Quilt Guild Went Worldwide
  By: Emily Bratcher
  When two quilters decided to create a meeting for modern quilters in the Los Angeles area, they couldn't have imagined that less than a decade later their small gathering would grow to 12,000 members across 200 guilds around the world.
• Comings & Goings
  New hires and personnel moves in associations.

Leadership

• A Task Force Focus on Diversity and Inclusion
  By: Tim Ebner
  The American Library Association takes a task force focus on important issues, like diversity and inclusion. This type of distributed leadership ensures that diverse voices are heard in important conversations about strategy and initiatives.
• CEO to CEO: Asking the Right Interview Question
  Four associations CEOs discussed the important question they ask when interviewing a candidate for a senior-level role.
• 3 Lessons: Diversity Diligence
  For Cynthia L. Simpson, CAE, diversity is not a one-and-done initiative. Rather, a review of hiring and promotion procedures and engagement of top leadership conveys the importance of D+I.

Money & Business

• A New Marketing Event Brings an Association a New Crop of Revenue
  By: Emily Bratcher
  The United Fresh Produce Association created a new event to help its members brainstorm about their brands, and it's paid off in more than just one way.
• Stay Protected From Online Copyright Claims
  By: Blake Hegeman, CAE
  The "safe harbor" provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act protects online publishers from infringement claims based on actions by outside users of their platforms. But aspects of the law have changed, and publishers need to take steps now to maintain their protection.
• Retirement Ready
  Shelly Howard-Horwitz of Association Investment Advisory Solutions explains why benchmarking is a critical step in sponsoring retirement plans.
• Idea Bank: Association Website Spotlights its Members
  By: Alex Beall
  A website from the International SPA Association, inspired by the "Humans of New York" project, shares its member stories.
• Data: Wild for Wearables
  A new report shows that consumers are increasingly sporting smart technology on their wrists. How can associations harness the trend?

Technology

• Report: Address Tech Capabilities to Keep Members Satisfied
  By: Alex Beall
  A new report from the ASAE Foundation found that keeping members happy means meeting new tech expectations.
• Bring IT to the Executive Table
  Many organizations are beginning to understand how tech projects can support their strategy and mission, but in some cases, there is still a disconnect between IT and the executive team. David Stephenson, director of information technology at Worldwide ERC, shares how to create that connection.
• I Can't Live Without My … Smartsheet
  This easy-to-use work-management tool helps to keep people and projects on track.

Membership

• Goodbye, Checks: Associations Look to Alternative Payments
  By: Tim Ebner
  Associations are making it quicker and easier to pay and renew membership dues, which means checks are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Both technology and consumer demand are helping to fuel the rise of alternative payments as popular options for dues payment.
• How to Build an Onboarding Blueprint
  By: Tim Ebner
  Identify your problem and establish set goals before developing an onboarding plan.
• Data: Secure Browsing for Members
  Do you protect members' information and security while they browse online? A new study says some associations fail to use secure browsing.

Meetings

• The Benefits of Live Streaming Events
  By: Samantha Whitehorne
  Five reasons to consider live streaming your next event.
• Destination: San Francisco
  The City by the Bay is a perennial conference favorite.

Brain Power

• Books: Matter; Time, Talent, Energy; Leading the Unleadable
  By: Kristin Clarke, CAE
  Three must-reads that will help you ensure future organizational success, boost team productivity, and work better with difficult colleagues.
• Engage and Promote in the Digital Ecosystem
  Shama Hyder, CEO of the Marketing Zen Group and speaker at ASAE's 2017 Membership, Marketing, & Communications Conference, discusses how to get your content to rise above the clutter.
• How I Got Here: Lemmietta McNeilly, CAE
  Before becoming a chief staff officer, Lemmietta McNeilly, CAE, worked in both the hospital and university sector.

[email protected]

• Reconstructing Healthcare
  By: Chris Vest, CAE
  With plans for healthcare reform on the table, Congress may consider an old association solution again.