2024 Executive of the Year
Heidi Brock, President and CEO
American Forest & Paper Association
As President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Heidi Brock serves as the chief advocate for paper and wood products manufacturers. AF&PA member companies make essential products from renewable and recyclable resources, generate renewable bioenergy and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry’s sustainability initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2030: Sustainable Products for a Sustainable Future.
Brock joined AF&PA in 2019, establishing a strategic vision for the organization that has strengthened AF&PA’s advocacy mission and increased membership. Brock guided AF&PA throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with a steadfast focus on workplace safety and ensuring manufacturers can continue to deliver essential products. Under Brock’s leadership, AF&PA launched an award-winning website and earned 3 ASAE Silver Awards for efforts to promote the forest products industry. In 2022 and 2023, Brock was named one of Washington’s 500 Most Influential People by Washingtonian Magazine. She was awarded the John H. Graham IV Association Executive Award in 2023 by the Boy Scouts of America, National Capital Area Council.
Brock serves as the Vice President of the International Council of Forest & Paper Associations (ICFPA) and Chair Elect of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and Chair of the ASAE Research Foundation Boards of Directors. She serves on the steering committees for the Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries (ACSFI) and the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM) Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) Board of Advisors. Brock sits on the University of Puget Sound Board of Trustees, the Bryce Harlow Foundation Board of Directors, the U.S. Chamber’s Committee of 100, and the DC Central Kitchen Board of Directors. She is also an active fellow of the US-Japan Leadership Program. In 2018, Brock was awarded the CMA Leadership Award to recognize her work to promote sustainability and manufacturing.
Prior to joining AF&PA, Brock served as President and CEO of the Aluminum Association from 2011-2019, where she led two significant and successful trade enforcement cases for the aluminum industry while also achieving record membership levels. Brock previously served in various roles during an 18-year tenure at Weyerhaeuser, including Vice-President of Federal and International Affairs. She also served on the staffs of former U.S. Senators Dan Evans and Slade Gorton.
Brock received a bachelor’s degree in English literature and economics from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in business administration from Georgetown University. She is married to the Reverend Charles Brock, and they have a son, Samuel.
2024 Partner of the Year
Jay Younger, President & CEO
McKinley Advisors
We can’t help but notice that Jay Younger’s reputation often precedes him. It has to do with his uncanny ability to advance board and staff relationships, his constant state of calm, his skill in crunching numbers on the most complex spreadsheets and the rumor that he can keep up with the best of them at late night ASAE events. Back in the office, Jay is the president & CEO who makes sure that McKinley is one of the best places his employees have ever worked while earning the loyalty of his clients who seek his guidance again and again.
During Jay’s twenty-plus years in the association industry, he has become widely known as an expert in strategic planning, dues restructuring, governance, membership, organizational development and branding. He has a consistent track record of helping clients tackle challenging issues and arrive at unprecedented successes. He has extensive experience working with the staff and volunteer leadership of associations and is an accomplished facilitator and strategist. Jay is known for his uncanny ability to ensure that all participants feel they have been heard and included and to unify disparate audiences to proceed towards a common goal. In addition to his direct work with McKinley’s clients, Jay brings a wealth of expertise, experience, and positive energy to our project teams, supporting McKinley’s senior staff in their efforts to deliver exceptional client value.
Jay is an ASAE Fellow, and chaired ASAE Business Services Board of Directors in 2021. He also served on its Membership Section Council from 1999-2005, with a stint as chair in 2004-2005. Jay is a frequent presenter, author and contributor to a wide range of industry events and publications. At home, Jay is the quintessential family man, trading in his golf clubs for his kids’ ballet recitals, trips to the playground and countless early mornings. A native Washingtonian, Jay holds a B.A. in English from Duke University.
2023 Partner of the Year
Rebecca Achurch, President & CEO
Leading associations through change has been at the heart of Rebecca Achurch’s more than 20-year career in the industry. As CEO of Achurch Consulting (AC), she leads a team of dedicated professionals who help associations successfully navigate technical and cultural transformational change. Her commitment to bringing long-term value to mission-based organizations, combined with decades of multifaceted experience make her a true partner and advocate for her clients and the industry. Known for her transparency and openness, Rebecca tells it like it is – all key personal traits that ensure organizations can make vital decisions in the light.
Rebecca began her career in association management in the meetings department of the National Spa and Pool Institute (NSPI), where she learned the ins and outs of the meeting and trade show industry from some of the finest in the business. This is where her love for technology began – by implementing her first AMS in the early days of the internet era.
She furthered her expertise in translating business needs into technical solutions during her 13 years at the American Chemical Society (ACS). Here she built and managed a team that launched more than 35 innovative projects across the organization, tagging her with a reputation for taking on complex projects and pushing the envelope. Most notably, at ACS, she converted the legacy custom AMS and fulfillment systems into two best-in-class SaaS products, for which she earned multiple awards in innovation and improving the member experiences. And she accomplished most of this as a hybrid employee – well before the proliferation of Zoom. This experience started her on the path of advocating for hybrid and flexible work as a standard, rather than a benefit, long before it was popular.
Rebecca is one of the co-founders and board members of the Association Women Technology Champions (AWTC), an association dedicated to empowering and advancing women in association technology. She’s volunteered countless hours in the industry and recently completed a term on the ASAE Technology Council. A sought-after thought leader on digital transformation, project and program management, and creating a successful hybrid workforce, she has been featured as a source in the Boston Globe, Association Now, and other top-tier and industry publications. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, a Certified Association Executive (CAE), a Program Management Professional (PgMP), a Project Management Professional (PMP), and a Certified Scrum Master (CSM).
2023 Young and Aspiring Professionals
The four recipients of the 2023 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals award also were honored at the 2023 Salute. These individuals demonstrate outstanding work in associations – and they are all younger than 40! They are the top performers, both on the job and in volunteer capacities – the go-to people who are reliable and will roll up their sleeves and stay until the job is done. Congratulations to the 2023 class.
2023 Leading Association Lobbyists
The four recipients of the 2023 Leading Association Lobbyists award also were honored at the 2023 Salute. Congress has passed little in the way of legislation in the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean association lobbyists aren’t busy. Issues still need to be vetted, legislators still need to get information, and regulators also need to hear the voices of industry. In short, there are still plenty of opportunities for association lobbyists to make a difference for their constituencies. Congratulations to the all-new group of honorees.
2022 Executive of the Year
Joseph M. McGuire, President & CEO
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Joseph M. McGuire is President and CEO of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), the national trade association of the home appliance industry in the U.S. and Canada. Its global membership includes manufacturers of the vast majority of home appliances sold in the two countries as well as firms that supply and service these manufacturers. AHAM is involved in a broad variety of actions by federal, state, provincial and local governments including the development of appliance energy efficiency laws and regulations, environmental policy, and product safety standards. AHAM is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa, ON. AHAM’s website is www.aham.org.
Mr. McGuire has significant experience in energy, environmental and consumer product safety policy issues. He has led numerous industry coalitions on legislative issues and has crafted consensus agreements with government, environmental, efficiency, utility and consumer advocacy organizations.
McGuire is known as a leader within the association community, serving as the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Chair from 2012-2013 and earning recognition from CEO Update as a Top Association CEO in 2011. He serves as a Director of the American National Standards Institute and served on the National Association of Manufacturers’ Board of Directors and chaired its Council of Manufacturing Associations.
2022 Partner of the Year
Mark Lowry, President & CRO
Association Analytics
Mark has dedicated his entire professional career to building relationships with clients and partners based on trust, great solutions, and a shared mission to advance the association market. Mark is an expert at growing up-and-coming companies into name brands by committing to industry thought leadership, building company culture, and developing client-focused sales organizations.
As President & CRO for Association Analytics, Mark oversees sales, marketing, partnerships, operations, and contracts. He led the organization to 350% growth in the first year, transformed the business model toward sustainable service delivery and, within three years, established the company as the industry leader for analytics in the association market. A hallmark of Mark’s success throughout his career is his desire to teach, motivate and lead sales teams. Prior to joining Association Analytics, Mark spent 10+ years as the CRO of Higher Logic. While there, Higher Logic grew to be the most widely used community platform in North America, was consistently ranked as an INC Fastest Growing Company, was identified as one of the 50 greatest places to work by Washingtonian and other publications and grew to a multi-hundred-million-dollar business from a bootstrapped organization. Mark’s early career includes sales and leadership roles at Abila, Blackboard and ASI.
Widely recognized for his association industry and business expertise, Mark currently sits on 7 boards and councils providing guidance on organizational effectiveness and growth strategies. Mark regularly speaks at industry events and is frequently featured in industry publications. He is a proud graduate of Virginia Tech with 2 degrees. Mark is a proud husband and father to two young boys. He loves spending time with them at his home in Virginia and during the summer at the Jersey shore and on the family farm in North Dakota.
2022 Young and Aspiring Professionals
The six recipients of the 2022 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals award also were honored at the 2022 Salute. These individuals demonstrate outstanding work in associations – and they are all younger than 40! They are the top performers, both on the job and in volunteer capacities – the go-to people who are reliable and will roll up their sleeves and stay until the job is done. Congratulations to the 2022 class.
2022 Leading Association Lobbyists
The five recipients of the 2022 Leading Association Lobbyists award also were honored at the 2022 Salute. Congress has passed little in the way of legislation in the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean association lobbyists aren’t busy. Issues still need to be vetted, legislators still need to get information, and regulators also need to hear the voices of industry. In short, there are still plenty of opportunities for association lobbyists to make a difference for their constituencies. Congratulations to the all-new group of honorees.
2022 Trendy Awards Contest
The annual Trendy Award Contest brought in another round of amazing winners this year. The contest honors the best and most unique marketing and communications programs by organizations. The 2022 Trendy Awards Contest attracted more than 250 entries from 150 organizations. Judges selected 66 gold, silver and bronze winners in 23 categories. All winners were honored at the 2022 Salute. The Pinnacle award also was announced at the Salute, and the winner was SPE: Inspiring Plastics Professionals, the gold winner in the Best Podcast category. See all of the winning entries at http://associationtrends.com/gallery
2021 Trendy Awards Contest
The annual Trendy Award Contest brought in another round of amazing winners this year. The contest honors the best and most unique marketing and communications programs by organizations. The 2021 Trendy Awards Contest attracted more than 250 entries from 150 organizations. Judges selected 66 gold, silver and bronze winners in 23 categories. All winners were honored at the 2020 Salute. The Pinnacle award also was announced at the Salute, and the winner was Professional Beauty Association, the gold winner in the eLearning & Live Training category. See all of the winning entries at http://associationtrends.com/gallery
2020 Executive of the Year
Gary Shapiro, President & CEO
Consumer Technology Association
Gary Shapiro is an acclaimed author, lobbyist, and president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® which represents over 1,500 consumer technology companies and owns and produces the Consumer Electronics Show (CES)® — The Global Stage for Innovation.
A Georgetown Law graduate, Shapiro began his career as an associate at the Squire Sanders law firm. After an extended tenure in law, he began working on Capitol Hill as an assistant to a prominent member of the U.S. Congress. Later in his life, Gary would use this combined law and legal experience to be named one of The Hill’s top lobbyists numerous times throughout his career (2015-2021). As his experience in law and politics progressed, he became more aligned with the world of technology, which eventually brought him into the fold of the Consumer Technology Association in 1982.
2020 Partner of the Year
Eric West, Co-Founder & Principal
West, Lane & Schlager
Eric is a founding principal of West, Lane & Schlager, LLC, specializing in tenant representation and strategic real estate consulting primarily to associations, foundations, and non-governmental organizations.
Eric entered the commercial real estate industry in 1987 as a broker for Barrueta & Associates (currently known as Transwestern). For the first five years of his career, Eric represented landlords such as the Washington Harbour and the Lion Building. In 1992, Eric switched his practice focus to representing tenants. During his 30-year career in commercial real estate, Eric earned a reputation as a strategic market expert, creative negotiator, and leader in nonprofit tenant representation.
2020 Young and Aspiring Professionals
The six recipients of the 2020 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals award also were honored at the 2020 Salute. These individuals demonstrate outstanding work in associations – and they are all younger than 40! They are the top performers, both on the job and in volunteer capacities – the go-to people who are reliable and will roll up their sleeves and stay until the job is done. Congratulations to the 2020 class.
2020 Leading Association Lobbyists
The four recipients of the 2020 Leading Association Lobbyists award also were honored at the 2020 Salute. Congress has passed little in the way of legislation in the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean association lobbyists aren’t busy. Issues still need to be vetted, legislators still need to get information, and regulators also need to hear the voices of industry. In short, there are still plenty of opportunities for association lobbyists to make a difference for their constituencies. Congratulations to the all-new group of honorees.
2019 EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Matthew R. Shay, President & CEO
National Retail Federation
As president and CEO of the National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, Matthew Shay serves as chief advocate and spokesman for the nation’s largest private-sector industry employer, responsible for supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 42 million working Americans — and generating $2.6 trillion in annual GDP. Since his arrival in 2010, Shay has transformed NRF into Washington’s most powerful voice supporting the retail industry. Under his tenure membership has grown by more than 150 percent, including more than 18,000 companies; revenue has more than doubled; and the organization’s influence has grown significantly in Washington, across the United States and globally.
Shay has led the organization to new levels of effectiveness on policy issues, including tariffs and sales tax fairness. Shay has also been at the forefront of shifting and framing the narrative about the current state of retail, particularly its digital evolution and vibrant, multichannel future.
2019 PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Gayathri Kher, President and Co-Founder
fusionSpan
Gayathri is Co-Founder and President of fusionSpan. She has extensive experience evaluating business processes and technology infrastructures and assisting associations in implementing solutions that are scalable based on future needs. Prior to co-founding fusionSpan, Gayathri spent over 10 years working in the association industry. Gayathri has a Master of Science Degree in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Gayathri is an active participant in the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and currently serves as the Chair of the ASAE Technology Council.
2019 LEADING ASSOCIATION LOBBYISTS
The six recipients of the 2019 Leading Association Lobbyists award also were honored at the 2019 Salute. Congress has passed little in the way of legislation in the past couple of years, but that doesn’t mean association lobbyists aren’t busy. Issues still need to be vetted, legislators still need to get information, and regulators also need to hear the voices of industry. In short, there are still plenty of opportunities for association lobbyists to make a difference for their constituencies. Congratulations to the all-new group of honorees.
2019 YOUNG AND ASPIRING PROFESSIONALS
The six recipients of the 2019 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals award also were honored at the 2019 Salute. These individuals demonstrate outstanding work in associations – and they are all younger than 40! They are the top performers, both on the job and in volunteer capacities – the go-to people who are reliable and will roll up their sleeves and stay until the job is done. Congratulations to the 2019 class.
2018 ALL MEDIA CONTEST
The annual All Media Contest brought in another round of amazing winners this year. The contest honors the best and most unique marketing and communications programs by organizations. The 2018 All Media Contest attracted more than 300 entries from 150 organizations. Judges selected 66 gold, silver and bronze winners in 23 categories. All winners were honored at the 2019 Salute. The Pinnacle award also was announced at the Salute, and the winner was National Funerals Directors, the gold winner in the Best Video category. See all of the winning entries at http://associationtrends.com/gallery