Mix committed volunteers with high energy and enthusiasm and you get ideas galore for a fantastic 2013-14 for NYSAE. "That was the goal and that was what was achieved at our Board and Committee Retreat held in July," said Stephen C. Crane, PhD, NYSAE chairman of the Board and executive director of the American Thoracic Society. The event was held at the offices of the American Cancer Society. "NYSAE relies heavily on its volunteers to help carry out its mission."
Crane opened the session by reiterating his objectives for the coming year—increasing the membership, re-establishing the Nonprofit CEO Forum, and expanding on NYSAE’s successes of the past year, including its outstanding array of educational offerings and the MeetNY vendor-hosted event.
"We will have a lot of opportunities during the coming year to reach beyond our organization and spread the good word about associations and nonprofits and their value to our economy and to society at large," said Crane, "particularly as we look at what might be achieved when a new city administration is elected."
Crane also stressed that is our job to create the next generation of NYSAE members and leaders, as well as the next generation of people to work in our associations and nonprofits. "We will be looking into reaching out to public policy programs at local universities to see if we can involve students in NYSAE. We need to get people to know who we are as organizations, and as a society."
Here are some highlights of what members can look forward to this year.
- The Education Committee (Chair: David P. Murphy, MBA, CPA, senior vice president, wealth management, UBS; Vice Chair: Steven Wolfe) is planning four Institutes, starting with an October 16 program on Finances and Nondues income. Other Institutes will focus on Meetings and Events, Technology, and Integrated Marketing. Additionally, the Education Committee will hold four Career Development Workshops, starting with an October 29 program on networking techniques.
- The Board of Directors approved an Awards Committee (Chair: Nicole Millman-Falk, CAE, president, Millman-Falk Communications; Vice Chair: Gina Ryan, CAE, president, CEO Pathways/Creative Executive Options) proposal that will open up two of NYSAE’s awards—Outstanding Association/Nonprofit Executive and the Social Responsibility Award—to nonmembers. The Awards Committee will be working with the Public Relations and Marketing Committee to solicit applications from non-member candidates. The committee is also planning an extensive outreach campaign to NYSAE members to encourage them to apply for awards so they can be recognized.
- The Membership Development Committee (Chair: Jennifer A. Ian, MBA, director of member services and chapter relations, American Thoraci Society; Vice Chair: Robin Hickey, executive director, New England Society in the City of New York) is calling on all members to share their enthusiasm for NYSAE with nonmembers. It has planned an extensive outreach and marketing campaign. Phone calls will be made to all lapsed members in September, and various incentive programs are being developed to encourage membership. To engage new members, the Membership Development Committee will reach out to all new members with a phone call from one of the committee members.
- The Technology Committee (Chair: Patricia Ahaesy, CMP, president, P&V Enterprises; Vice Chair: David Teisler, CAE, director of communications, Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy) wants to demystify technology and make it more understandable to non-techies. The Technology SIG will cover such topics as starting a social presence; establishing a social media policy for your organization; making your website more mobile friendly; and understanding the cloud.
- The Public Affairs Committee (Chair: Robert O. Lehrman, JD, special counsel, Hundred Year Association of New York; Vice Chair: Joseph P. Benincasa, president and CEO, The Actors’ Fund of America) has established a very full agenda for the year. In addition to supporting ASAE with reaching out to New York contacts for federal issues, the committee plans to mentor and train NYSAE members who plan to attend ASAE’s yearly Legislative Summit. The committee continues to monitor state developments as the attorney general proposes changes to New York’s nonprofit law. Executive Order 38, which caps compensation for CEOs whose organizations receive state funding is also being watched by the committee. The committee is also hoping to establish a coalition with other organizations that might have similar interests to advance our causes.
- The Meet NY Committee (Chair: Dean D’Anna, account director, Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Vice Chair: Neil Mullanaphy, senior vice president of sales, Puerto Rico Convention Bureau) is organizing the March 4 Meet NY event—the premier hosted buyer event in the northeast. Educational sessions will be held at the New York Society of Security Analysts Conference Center, to be followed by a networking reception and mini trade show at the Hard Rock Café, and a Broadway show.
- Pulling all the pieces together is the Public Relations and Marketing Committee (Chair: Marian T. Thielsen, director of marketing, American Pet Products Association; Vice Chair: Lynda Roy, executive director, The College Board). Its role is to market the benefits of NYSAE membership and spread the word about the role of associations and nonprofits in New York. The committee will be working to create awareness among young professionals who are entering the workforce about the association/nonprofit field.