By Denman Wall
As a new year gets underway, it’s always good to take a
moment to see where you have been. Organizations are no different and NYSAE
certainly had a memorable 2016. Thanks to the board, sponsors, volunteer
committees, attendees, guests and staff, NYSAE had a year of years. The organization experimented with some new
things and continued traditions that ranged from breakfast gatherings and
celebrations to full-scale cutting edge summits, including the seventh annual MeetNY
Hosted Buyer Event at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square.
In a virtual stroll down memory lane, here are some highlights
from last year.
The first summit of the year, NYSAE’s Nonprofit/Association
Membership Summit, highlighted the strategies you need from the experts you
wanted to hear. Sessions at this standing room only event covered topics
dealing with what you need to know to grow and engage young members, strategies
to unraveling the retention puzzle, and listening to your database.
In February, NYSAE helped those who are seeking career
advancement by hosting a professional development workshop. The workshop was
useful in helping attendees understand what it means to move into a leadership
role in a mission-driven organization.
NYSAE's one-of-a-kind buyer hosted event, Meet NY, held at the New York Marriott Marquis.March brought the meetings and events planning community a
show to remember…In more ways than one. MeetNY, also referred to as “The Best
Hosted Buyer Event in the Northeast,” provided invited guests and their hosts
with eye-opening seminars that covered handling active shooter situations and trust
building for membership organizations. Following the seminars, attendees were
welcomed to a cocktail reception overlooking Times Square. But, that’s not all.
The evening ended with hosts and their guests taking in a Broadway show - On Your Feet!
In the spring, NYSAE’s Technology Summit and Vendor Showcase
celebrated previous technology award winners. The educational sessions included
“Best Practices for Leading Website Change” and “From Good to Great.”
Just after the summit, NYSAE held its Synergy Awards luncheon
at the University Club in Manhattan. At the luncheon, the organization gave its
highest honors to the individuals and organizations that helped to shape and influence
the association sector during the year. Awardees included Tim Baer, Zon-Wei
Cheng, Jean Dorak, Terry Lawler, and Robert Spangler. The Social Responsibility
award went to the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)
while the Outstanding Technology Leadership Award went to Girls Who Code. Digital
Excellence awards were presented to the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers (AIChE), SHARE, Guide Dog Foundation & America’s VetDogs as well
as the US Council for International Business (USCIB) and the Greater Fort
Lauderdale CVB.
Members gathered at the offices of the American Management Association for NYSAE’s 97th Annual Meeting. They voted on bylaws amendments, heard highlights of the year, and elected officers and directors.Late spring and summer were important times for NYSAE
leadership. In May, the organization elected its slate of officers at the 97th
Annual Meeting. Michael L. Weamer continued his post as Chair of the Board.
Gerard M. Thiers, CAE, was elected Chair-Elect. Neil Mullanaphy rounded out the
slate of officers as Treasurer. Elected directors included Stephen Aird, Joanne
S. Barry, CAE, Robert Blumenfeld, Jennifer A. Ian, CAE, Charles M. Riotto, and
Robert Spangler.
Two months later, NYSAE held its annual Board and Committee
Retreat where the organization set course to revitalize certain aspects of the
organization. The retreat, held at the Hotel Indigo in Riverhead, NY, was
dedicated to identifying the main success factors for the next three years of
operation. The goal was to set forth initiatives that would revitalize revenue
streams and see NYSAE successfully transition into its next 97 years.
Setting out with new goals in mind, the organization
sponsored an array of Shared Interest Groups, including Executive Women in
NonProfits (EWIN), Technology and Next Generation Leadership Group (NextGen). Highlights
included well-attended sessions on increasing visibility and self-promotion, a
case study on change within an organization, and gaining an understanding of
tomorrow’s leaders.
Fall’s summit season kicked off with another
Membership-focused event. The theme was Highly Successful Strategies for
Recruitment, Retention, Personalization, and ROI and featured speakers Scott
Oser and Ed Rigsbee, CAE with contributions from Bill Shankel, CAE and a lunch
keynote by Rick Whelan, CDM, of Marketing General Incorporated.
Not to be left out in the cold, the winter season featured
an additional Professional Development Workshop and a Technology Webinar. Also
in December, the NYSAE Holiday Party at the Intercontinental Hotel New York
Times Square featured live jazz by “New York’s Best Musicians,” a music service
that brings performers to various events.
In all, there were about 30 different learning seminars,
networking opportunities, and other events during 2016. Attendees from all
walks of the association and non-profit profession enjoyed meeting with each
other, learning and sharing in NYSAE’s rich tradition of top notch, industry-recognized
activities.
What will 2017 bring? It’s bound to be exciting.
Denman Wall is
Director of Interactive Services at Dolci Interactive, a service of Dolci
Management Services headquartered in New York City and can be reached at dwall@dolcimanagement.com.