Every year the NYSAE Synergy Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their outstanding practices and contributions to making Metro New York's Association and Non-Profit community thrive. All awards are open to both members and nonmembers of NYSAE except for the Distinguished Service Award, which is for NYSAE members only. Self-nominations are encouraged. To be eligible, individuals and organizations must operate in the NY Metro Area. All available awards may not be recognized each year.

Synergy Awards

Impact Innovation Award

This award celebrates an individual or an organization within the association community whose overall contributions or a specific, outstanding innovative program, activity or achievement has made a significant positive impact in the NY metro region.

Lifetime Achievement

This award celebrates an individual who, during their lifetime, has made consistent and significant contributions to an organization, in their specific field or within their community.

Chief Executive of the Year

This award recognizes an executive who has contributed significantly to the advancement of the association management or not for profit professions as a key leader and has demonstrated outstanding achievement in advancing the mission of their organization. 

Meetings Professional of the Year

This award is open to a meetings professional who plans offsite association or non-profit meetings, events, conferences or trade shows.  To be eligible the person must have created an experience that challenged the status quo and effectively aligned it with the strategic goals of their organization. This individual is a visionary in the planning and meetings environment as they have had to combat the obstacles our post pandemic world has provided, needing them to take their events to a whole new level and create compelling experiences to engage a community.

Distinguished Service Award - MEMBERS ONLY

This award recognizes outstanding committee service demonstrating team leadership either as a chair, vice chair, past chair, participant, or liaison as a contributing member of one or more NYSAE committees that promote the purposes of NYSAE and benefits its members. 

Rising Stars

This award recognizes individuals who have seven years or less of professional experience and have demonstrated the ability to develop relevant products, services, and resources that increase value and advance the mission of their organization.  

DEI Champion

Recognizes an individual or association that has demonstrated significant initiatives and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within their organization and/or their membership. The award covers excellence in all areas of diversity including age, disability, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, race, and religion. The commitment could include ongoing training programs, policies, employee access, or community projects.

Excellence in Educational Programming

This award recognizes an organization that has created a relevant educational program that contributed significantly to the development of its members’ profession or industry workforce. This organization has utilized a variety of methodologies to stay engaged with their community virtually and gathered the knowledge to connecting with a new audience through the virtual education and participation.

Excellence in MarCom

This award honors an organization for creativity and/or innovation in marketing and communications. The outstanding work can support any category of marcom, including print media, strategic communications, audio/video, podcast, webinars, or a marcom campaign (related to the campaign, three or more pieces with a common theme).