"NYSAE’s 96th Annual Meeting wraps up another successful year in serving the entire association and not-for-profit community of our great city & state and in fact the entire Northeast region," said Lester N. Shafran, LLB, JD, NYSAE Chair of the Board and Executive Director of the Independent Payphone Association. Looking ahead to NYSAE’s 97th year, Shafran encouraged members to volunteer as a committee member and participate in the upcoming committee retreat, which begins with an evening reception on July 16 on the rooftop at the American Heart Association and concludes on July 17 at a meeting where committee receive their charges and begin to develop the programs for the year.
Michael Weamer (center) newly elected Chair of NYSAE and President & CEO, The Marfan Foundation, is joined by (left to right): Joel A. Dolci, CAE, NYSAE President and CEO; Vice Chair Charles M. Riotto, President, International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association; outgoing Chair Lester Shafran, Executive Director, Independent Payphone Association; and Chair-Elect Gerard M. Thiers, CAE, Executive Director, Association of Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped.
Shafran saluted NYSAE’s Education Committee, which produced NYSAE’s array of educational. In addition to NYSAE’s Institutes, he noted, the Professional Development Workshops received excellent reviews and were well attended. A special shout-out was given to Committee Chair Beverly Daniel, President, CareerGrowth Group, for her hard work.
This past year, there was an increased interest in InView, NYSAE’s online publication. Edited by Nicole Millman-Falk, CAE, President, Millman-Falk Communications, InView enabled NYSAE to continue to utilize technology as a strong vehicle to help promote several NYSAE programs, including its institutes and MeetNY, which continues as the best-hosted buyer event in the northeast. The monthly publication includes news briefs, trend reports, and case studies and how-to articles to help association and nonprofit executives stay on top of their skill sets. The publication also includes member news and books briefs.
Robert Lehrman, far right, gives the report of the Nominating Committee at NYSAE’s 96th Annual Meeting.
A highlight of NYSAE’s December Holiday Party was a performance by the award-winning Voices of Gotham choir, led by a Doug Brown, Chairman & CEO of Paradigm Associates and a new NYSAE member. "The evening Cocktail Reception at the American Heart Association’s rooftop Board and Conference Room was a sell-out," said Shafran and "resulted in holding our Rites of Spring Reception also on the AHA’s rooftop. We have received a very clear message from members that evening programs are preferred as the attendance this year, has once again, exceeded our expectations."
A education and fun-filled MeetNY, a spectacular Awards Luncheon, and outstanding SIG education sessions rounded out NYSAE’s 96th year. A special shout-out was given to NYSAE volunteers "and to the staff have performed magnificently this year," added Shafran.
The Annual Meeting also included a report by the Nominating Committee, given by Robert Lehrman, Special Council, The Hundred Year Association. "I report to you that the committee this year had no easy task. There were 12 nominees and only five board member positions to fill," he said. Nominated and unanimously elected were:
Officers
Chair of the Board
Michael L. Weamer
President & CEO, The Marfan Foundation
Chair-Elect
Gerard M. Thiers, CAE
Executive Director, Association of Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped
Vice Chair
Charles M. Riotto
President, International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association
Treasurer
Neil Mullanaphy,
Conventions Manager, American Traffic Safety Services Association
Directors
Louis J. Coletti
President & CEO, Building Trades Employers Association
Jeffrey P. Fagan CMP, CASE
Global Account Executive, Marriott Global Sales Organization
Amish Mehta, CPA
Partner & Director of Not-for-Profit Services, Friedman LLP
Barry Melancon CPA, CAE
President, American Institute of CPAs
Marian T. Thielsen
Associate VP, Sales & Marketing, American Pet Products Association
Concluded Shafran, "Without question, NYSAE is truly the association of associations serving the entire northeast association & nonprofit community."