Record-setting Salute honors best in associations
A record-breaking number of participants packed the Presidential Ballroom at the Capital Hilton in Washington yesterday for the Association TRENDS 2011 Salute to Association Excellence awards program.
More than 540 heard heartfelt speeches and testimonials for the three recipients of TRENDS' highest honors - Barry Melancon, CPA, 2011 Association Executive of the Year and CEO of the American Institute of CPAs; Charles Tate, CPA, 2011 Top Association Vendor of the Year and managing partner of accounting firm Tate & Tryon; and Peggy Dowd, the recipient of the inaugural TRENDS In the Trenches Award.
To view the remarks by Melancon, Tate and Dowd, as well as other presentations, click here.
Acknowledgments started with honoring the Salute's 25 sponsors, another record for the event.
Greg C. Fine, CAE, introduced the 2010 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals who attended: Kari Bedell, executive director, Greater Washington Society of CPAs, and Andrew Sandusky, COO and EVP, Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians, Harrisburg. Fine is marketing and communications VP for the Association for Corporate Growth, Chicago, and a 2009 Young & Aspiring Association Professional. (Pictured, from left, TRENDS publisher Joel Poznansky, Andrew Sandusky and Kari Bedell. Photos by Chuck Fazio Photography.)
In the 2010 All Media Contest, 87 gold, silver and bronze honors were awarded across 27 categories. Many of these award recipients attended the Salute this year, including the Publisher's Award winner, the American Dietetic Association, recognized for its "One Source, Endless Opportunities," convention registration promotion package. The ADA promotional campaign targets prospective registrants through a series of distinct, simple and well-designed mail and online messages. (Pictured, Joel Poznansky congratulates Georgia Gofis of the American Dietetic Association.)
For the second year, the Angerosa Research Foundation has presented its awards at the TRENDS Salute. Debra Stratton, president, Stratton Publishing & Marketing, Alexandria VA, announced these honorees. (See related article here.)
In the Trenches Award winner Peggy Dowd recalled how, when she was hired at ASAE in 1982, she did not even know what the acronym meant or what the association community was. Since then, Dowd, the director of ASAE's executive section and board services, has learned that "associations are about relationships." Also, associations keep America moving forward, such as after disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.
"Associations will be there to pick up the pieces and make things right again," she said. Dowd was introduced by 2000 Association Executive of the Year Thomas Kuhn, CAE, president of Edison Electric Institute.
Charles Tate, the Top Association Vendor of the Year, recalled the lessons he learned in life, first from his parents, including his mother who was in the audience, and then from his colleagues throughout his early career. He recalled an incident in which the well-known but now retired accounting firm owner Kent Feddeman took advantage of the then-recently changed policy of the American Institute of CPAs to allow accounting firms to advertise. Feddeman told him, "If they don't see you, they can't hire you." However, the ad caused some conflict. A small figure representing associations was pitted against a much larger figure, representing a Big-8 accounting firm. The message was: "If you're looking for a little service from your big firm, call us." (Pictured, from left, Charles Tate, Peggy Dowd, Barry Melancon and Joel Poznansky.)
Tate, managing partner of Tate & Tryon, Washington, was introduced by 2006 Association Executive of the Year H. Cris Collie, CAE.
In his acceptance remarks, Melancon said association executives "have an obligation to drive our individual associations forward." He noted three areas of management to which executives should be dedicated:
• Risk - "Failure to take rational risk is a road to failure."
• Balance - Association staffs "earn the right to be on the leading edge [of risk] by being responsive to members."
• Communication - "Our ability to harness social media tools ensures our future success."
Melancon, CEO, American Institute of CPAs, was introduced by AICPA chairman Paul Stahlin, CPA.
