By Gina Ryan, CAE
Courtesy of the Awards Committee, members of the award-winning Sirens of Gotham will help usher in the season at NYSAE’s December 16th Holiday Party at the Intercontinental Hotel New York Times Square, Ça Va Brasserie. While being treated to holiday carols, I hope each of us will be inspired by the underlying message: Nominate your organization, your colleagues, or yourself for an award.
Performing in the heart of Manhattan, Sirens of Gotham is a fresh take on women's a cappella music and proud chapter of Sweet Adelines International. They perform various genres ranging from classic standards and music theater to contemporary pop. While they often perform as a full chorus of about 30 singers, they also perform in small groups, and frequently in quartets—the root of their barbershop harmonies—like the one we will be treated to at NYSAE’s Holiday Party.
Organizational Awards
Make your organization the first ever to get NYSAE’s newest award—the Digital Excellence Award. This award recognizes the philanthropic, professional or trade association of a regular member that demonstrates visionary innovation in use of digital technology and social media to advance its mission. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, apps are all part of our toolbox to reach our audiences and achieve our missions. Nominate your organization for your best-practices in this area.
The Website Excellence Award recognizes the websites of NYSAE’s philanthropic, professional, trade association and convention and visitors bureau members. The organizations of all regular members are eligible for this award.
The 2015 winners were:
NYSAE’s Social Responsibility Award recognizes organizations for their contributions to society-at-large. This award category is open to all organizations in the tri-state metro region of New York. The program, project or service must be one that is extraordinary, and above and beyond the primary mission of the association/organization, although it can be related to that mission. Special consideration is given to projects that have wide-ranging benefits and are potentially replicable within the association community.
The 2015 winner was The Doe Fund.
Individual Awards
The Outstanding Program Development Award recognizes an executive or manager who has contributed significantly to the development of innovative, visionary programming as a team leader within in a philanthropic, professional or trade organization and has demonstrated excellence in advancing the mission of that organization through one or more recognized Certified Association Executive domains, such as organizational management; leadership; administration; knowledge management and research; governance and structure; public policy, government relations, and coalition building; membership development; programs, products and services; and marketing, public relations, and communications.
The 2015 awardee and first-ever recipient was Bryan C. Harrison, PMP, QAS, CSC, Senior Manager of Networks for the Specialty Equipment Market Association.
NYSAE’s Distinguished Service Award recognizes a member who has made extraordinary contributions to our association by his/her skillful performance in aiding and assisting in areas such as special projects, new programs or with ad-hoc functions. Recipients have leaders in the association management community and its partner suppliers and have served as role models for other NYSAE members.
The 2015 awardee was Valerie J. Cammiso, CAE, Executive Director, International Council of Shopping Centers Foundation.
The Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes outstanding committee service, either as a committee chair, vice chair, past chair, or member.
The 2015 award recipient was Brian Kell, Senior Director of Communications and Marketing, American Thoracic Society.
The New Star Award recognizes the contributions of a new NYSAE member with less than three years of service made to NYSAE in the areas of committee work, special projects, or new programs.
The 2015 awardee was Jessenia Francisco, former Executive Director of the New York Chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals for America.
The Outstanding Association Executive Award recognizes an executive who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the association management profession as a key leader in a philanthropic, professional or trade organization and has demonstrated outstanding achievement in advancing the mission of that organization.
The 2015 recipient was Carter Keithley, then-President & CEO of the Toy Industry Association.
The Outstanding Associate Member Award recognizes the contributions made to an associate member’s organization that have significantly improved, promoted and benefited his or her company within the NYSAE community. Recipients have actively supported and promoted NYSAE programs and services, and have also been involved in other community, professional, civic, charitable and service organizations.
The 2015 award winner was Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq., partner, Venable, LLP.
Nominate, Nominate, Nominate!
Complete information on the awards program, including criteria, online nomination and application forms, and past recipients can be found at www.nysaenet.org/awards.
Spectacular Awards Luncheon
NYSAE’s awards will be presented at our Synergy Awards Luncheon, to be held April 20 at the University Club.
Gina Ryan is President of CEO Pathways/Creative Executive Options, a firm offering interim executive director services and transition management to newly formed or recently challenged associations. A New Star awardee, Ryan is a former NYSAE Board member and is the current Vice Chair of the Awards Committee. She can be reached at ceopathways@mac.com or 917-971-7524.