The Trends Video

Videos & Speeches

Association Executive of the Year

John H. Graham IV, CAE became the President and Chief Executive Officer of ASAE August 1, 2003. During the first year of his tenure, ASAE and GWSAE completed an historic merger resulting in a new, unified organization. ASAE helps associations and association professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance. ASAE is more than 22,000 association executives and industry partners representing nearly 11,000 organizations, with a budget of $35 million and a staff of 135. Our members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies, and voluntary organizations across the United States and in 50 countries around the globe, as well as provide products and services to the association community.

Before ASAE, he served the American Diabetes Association (ADA) in Alexandria, Virginia for 24 years, the last thirteen as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to becoming CEO, John served the ADA in numerous capacities including Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Affiliate, National Director of Affiliate Development, Associate Executive Vice President for Operations and Deputy Executive Vice President. In his tenure as CEO, ADA quadrupled in size, from $50 million to $200 million in annual revenues and successfully moved from 53 independent, separately incorporated affiliate organizations to one nationwide organization with one staff, one budget and one plan.

Before joining the American Diabetes Association, John served the Boy Scouts of America for nine years. He has a bachelor’s degree from Franklin & Marshall College and serves on the Association Committee of 100, US Chamber of Commerce; Chairman of the Better Business Bureau Mobile Giving Foundation Board of Directors; America’s Promise Board of Trustee’s; and the Board of Directors of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.


Association Partner of the Year

David W. Giger, Senior Director - Sales & Industry Relations, Hilton Worldwide

David has held various executive positions with Hilton for over 35 years, including Director of Sales & Marketing positions for the Hilton Pittsburgh, The Capital Hilton, and DC's second largest hotel, The Washington Hilton. He also served for 8 of those years as Director of Sales- Worldwide Accts for Hilton Worldwide in Washington, was named Hilton's National Salesperson of the Year in 1997, promoted to Director-Sales & Industry Relations in 1999, and Senior Director in May 2006. He has received countless awards from his company though his many professional years, including induction to Hilton's Circle of Excellence, a group of Hilton's most accomplished sales executives, in years 1997, 2007, and 2008.

His current "hybrid" position with Hilton, representing the company's family of many brands and approximately 4000 hotels globally, combines duties to include select national account management, industry relations responsibilities, and special projects.

He is a 35 year active member of ASAE and PCMA, both for which he has served, and continues to serve, on many committees, and is an active member of AMPS. David co-founded the Capital Chapter of PCMA, the organization's largest chapter, as well as PCMA's Annual Professional Achievement Awards Dinner. During most of his career he has also been an active member and officer in the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association Intl., and was inducted into their Washington DC Hall of Fame.


2012 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 2012 All Media Contest attracted more than 400 entries from 150 organizations. Judges selected 66 gold, silver and bronze winners in 22 categories. All winners were honored at the 2013 Salute and in a special print edition of TRENDS. The Publisher’s Choice award also was announced at the Salute, and the winner was the American Institute of CPAs for ThisWaytoCPA.com, the gold winner in the websites category. See all of the winning entries at http://associationtrends.com/gallery.

 


2012 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals

The five recipients of the 2012 Young & Aspiring Association Professionals award also were honored at the 2013 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 2012 class:


Carrie Meadows Abernathy, CMP, CEM, Director of Education, Training & Events, Practice Greenhealth, Reston, Va.

Mitchell L. Dvorak, MS, CAE, Account Executive, Bostrom, Chicago

Tita Thompson Freeman, SVP, Business Roundtable, Washington

Leslie McGee, Managing Editor, Oncology Nursing Society, Pittsburgh

Evan Williams, CAE, IOM, VP of External Relations, Mechanical Contractors Association, Burr Ridge, Ill.