FOCUS
December 2018
NORTH
HEAVY EQUIPMENT HELPS HEAL
CHILDREN Top 10 Association Legal Questions for 2018 pg 7
Who Says Innovation Has to Be Difficult? pg 11
Published by
www.associationsnorth.com
pg 5
Minnesota Utility Contractors Association Uses Day of the Dozers Event to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospitals & Clinics
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Focus North is published 10 times a year by Associations North, 1970 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 100, Roseville, MN 55113. Phone: 651.647.6388 Fax: 651.647.6416 Website: www.associationsnorth.com Email: info@associationsnorth.com The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of Associations North. Editorial contributors in any area of association management are welcome. Articles accepted for publication are subject to editing by Associations North.
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Advertising is accepted on a space availability basis. Contact angela@associationsnorth.com or call 651-647-6388 for further advertising information.
Staff Angela Kisskeys, Co-Director VP of Operations & Communications Sarah Ruzek, Co-Director VP of Finance & Education
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CONTENTS December 2018
Amanda Aldrich Events Manager
FEATURES
Chris Villeneuve Membership & Office Manager
DEPARTMENTS
Equipment Advancing Leaders: 5 Heavy Helps Heal Children 7 Fuel For Forward-
Mission
Minnesota Utility Contractors Association Uses Day of the Dozers Event to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospitals & Clinics
To advance and serve the association management profession in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.
Vision
Associations North, our members and their associations will thrive and grow.
8 Advancing Engagement +
Diversity & Inclusion
Top 10 Association Legal Questions for 2018
+ Events: 10 Meetings In The Details
Winning Back Lapsed Members: Solutions for NonRenewal Reasons
Moving Forward Together
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The Association Life
14 Conversations 15 Calendar of Events 16 Brain Power
Advancing
Recruitment: Moving Membership
In principle and in practice, Associations North values and seeks diversity and inclusiveness within the association management industry. Associations North advocates for and promotes involvement, innovation, and expanded access to leadership opportunities that maximize engagement across underrepresented groups in the Associations North membership.
Thinking
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4 More Reasons Associations Should Provide Professional Development
18 Signature Event 19 The North Experience 20 Et Cetera 21 Spotlight
Advancing 11 Advancing Communications: 12 The Essentials: Stay Connected
Invaluable Insights
Who Says Innovation Has to Be Difficult?
HR Compliance - Complex and Overwhelming... or is it Simply Common Sense?
Board of Directors If you had one extra hour in your work day, what would you do with it?� Mark Salter, CAE, ABC (Chair) CFA Society Minnesota
Clean out old emails
Sarah Ruzek Associations North
Cassie Larson, CAE (Past - Chair) Empty my MN Nursery & Landscape Association email
Angela Kisskeys Associations North
Robbie Thompson (Chair-Elect) Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Justin Bieganek Mercury Creative Group
Clara DeRosier MN Electrical Association
Learn about new business models
David Siegel, CAE, IOM (Secretary / Treasurer) Builders Association of the Twin Cities
Write blog posts
Future planning Read the paper and research Connect with clients and vendors Read industry articles
Janel Fick Global Management Partners LLC Amanda Friedrich, CMP Visit Saint Paul
Learn more
Finish paperwork
Cody Nuernberg Northwestern Lumber Association Dave Renner, CAE Minnesota Medical Association
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Thank You!
2018 YEAR LONG SPONSORS
PREMIER PARTNERS
ADVANCER SPONSOR
INNOVATOR SPONSORS
ENGAGER SPONSORS
CONNECTOR SPONSORS Fargo-Moorhead CVB | Visit Duluth | Visit Saint Paul 3
The Association Life
Featured Industry: Aging Services & Care Whoever you are, whatever you do, there is an association working on your behalf.
Care Providers of MN Care Providers of Minnesota is a non-profit membership association with the mission to Lead Members to Excellence. Our 900+ members across Minnesota represent nonprofit and for-profit organizations providing services along the full spectrum of post-acute care and long-term services and support. We are the state affiliate for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, and with our national partners we help members succeed.
LeadingAge Minnesota LeadingAge Minnesota is driven to transform and enhance the experience of aging. We serve as a catalyst, working alongside our members, caregivers, advocates and consumers to collectively shape the future of aging services and
MN HomeCare Association Minnesota HomeCare Association
ensure older adults in every community live with dignity, meaning and purpose.
(MHCA) is a non-profit trade association representing more than 150 home care agencies throughout the state. MHCA members include Basic license, Comprehensive license, hospice agencies, Medicare-certified, and PCA providers.
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Heavy Equipment Helps Heal Children Minnesota Utility Contractors Association Uses Day of the Dozers Event to Raise Funds for Children’s Hospitals & Clinics
Any parent knows that bulldozers, excavators, and other large trucks and construction equipment are guaranteed to catch the attention of a young child. It’s even better when it’s part of a charity event that raises funds to support Minnesota Children’s Hospitals & Clinics. That’s what the Minnesota Utility Contractors Association (MUCA) has done for the past five years with its Day of the Dozers event, educating families in the community about its work in the underground utility construction industry. DAY OF THE
DOZERS Founders
Platinum Trench Sponsor
Golden Bucket Sponsors
Partners:
Rocket Concessions brain freezee
Diamond Sponsors – Operating
Silver Scoop Sponsor
Bronze Shovel Sponsor
Diamond Sponsors – Static Genisis Demo tools The Original
Northland Crane Service, Inc
Special Thanks To:
Vision Midwest
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Building Restoration Corp
Cottew Racing
“For our most recent event on September 29, we had record-breaking attendance with over 3,500 parents and children,” MUCA Executive Director Stephanie Menning said. “We surpassed our goal of $50,000 this year and raised over $63,000 for children in need of medical care right here in Minnesota.” Held at ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Day of the Dozers provides kids with the opportunity to ride along with qualified operators of construction equipment. It relied on dozens of contractors donating their time and vehicles, along with about 100 volunteers to help with registration, escorting kids to and from the machines, and selling t-shirts, soda, and water. This year’s donations supported the Children’s Emergency Transport program. The operators enjoyed sharing what they do every day with children excited to get a closer look at their favorite heavy machinery. Kids also played in sand pits, participated in other fun activities, and enjoyed snacks from local food trucks. In addition to the rides, Day of the Dozers also hosted an “811 Kids Zone.” Parents and children learned about the importance of safety around utilities, as well as the “Call Before You Dig” message from various Minnesota utility companies.
“We surpassed our goal of $50,000 this year and raised over $63,000 for children in need of medical care right here in Minnesota.”
Members of the Minnesota Regional Common Ground Alliance presented engaging activities for the kids including marking flags, paint can bowling, and pipe locating. The activities were supported by MUCA sponsors such as Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, Connexus Energy, Gopher State One Call, USIC, and the Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety. “The kids learn a lot from the ‘811 Kids Zone’ initiative,” Menning said. “They hear safety messages about digging around utilities and staying away from power lines. They also participate in various activities and, once a child completes them all, they received an ‘811’ hero cape from Gopher State One Call.” Day of the Dozers began in 2013, when David Harn (formerly with Cat Paving and currently with Progress Rail in Missouri) gathered five contractors together and
partnered with the ERX Motor Park to raise money for Minnesota Children’s Hospitals & Clinics. After Harn left Minnesota, MUCA determined that Day of the Dozers was a perfect fit with its mission to promote the industry. “ERX Motor Park in Elk River is the perfect place for this popular event,” Menning said. “The layout is ideal for keeping attendees safe with permanent safety barriers, along with several areas for various machines to operate, give rides, or remain still for kids to climb on.” In total, Day of the Dozers has raised over $200,000 for Children’s Hospitals & Clinics since its inception. The contributions have been used to sponsor a cancer infusion room, an emergency triage room, the Ronald McDonald House located in the St. Paul Children’s Hospital campus, and the ‘Big Rig’ Emergency Transport program. The event also fosters connections between utility workers and the public, helping consumers better appreciate the hard work done by those who restore, update, or install their utilities. MUCA began in 1978 as a non-profit trade association serving over 140 companies in the underground utility construction industry. The organization provides safety training, continuing education, scholarships, and legislative relations for its members. MUCA’s member companies are involved in sewer, water, gas, telephone, and fiber optics installation, excavation, site work, and trenchless technology. To learn more about Day of the Dozers and how you can participate next year, visit: muca.org/mpage/day_of_dozers_home.
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Advancing Leaders: Fuel for Forward-Thinking 4. Can we provide private educational institutes for our members within our tax exemption?
Top 10 Association Legal Questions for 2018 Heidi Christianson & Zach Crain, Nilan Johnson Lewis PA Presentation from 2018 Leadership Conference
10. We have been asked 3 times to endorse the products of a for-profit company or vendor that sells stuff to our members. Can we do that?
7. We are contemplating a survey of prices members pay for a specific type of service common to members. Any problem there?
Endorsing products and advertising result in unrelated business income. It is fine to have unrelated business income, but a tax exempt organization must track and pay income tax on the net income from this type of activity.
Associations of competitors need to take caution not to violate state and federal antitrust laws when sharing competitively sensitive information. Member representatives should not see the raw price data submitted by member competitors. Association staff or a vendor should aggregate and report the data. It should not be current or future data.
9. Keeping great talent has become a challenge in this economy. As a nonprofit can we provide retention bonuses to our staff for staying with the association? Retention bonuses are a common tool used to retain employees. So long as the bonus does not constitute payment of the net income or dividends of the tax exempt organization, payment of a modest bonus will not raise concerns. Tax exempt organization should use salary surveys to determine reasonableness of compensation. 8. Some of our board members cannot attend next week’s meeting and we have an important vote. Can we have those board members send the Chair their vote by email? Proxy voting is not allowed for nonprofit board members. Nonprofit boards must take action either in person (or via teleconference) or in writing. Email can be used if you do 7 it right.
6. Can we pay our board members for services like speaking at conferences? Board members can be paid reasonable compensation for services provided. The Board should determine reasonable compensation in advance and observe conflicts of interest policies with respect to particular transactions. 5. A committee of volunteers created an educational module to support one of our key initiatives. It has been very popular and generated significant revenue. Does she have legal rights to the module. The general rule is that two parties who cooperate to develop intellectual property like an educational module co-own the property (they have the same rights to it). This can be avoided by having volunteers agree to assign their rights to the association.
Private educational institutes may further the mission, or they may be unrelated to the mission. Services for members that do not directly further the association’s mission will result in unrelated business income and are the main reason for revocation of tax exemption currently. 3. Do we have any new obligations under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (also known as “GDPR”)? While GDPR only applies to EU residents, we should expect other states to enact similar laws soon. These laws require that individual information be kept confidential, that people have the right to be “forgotten,”and that certain reports are made whenever there is a data breach. 2. Can we provide disaster relief to members in another state? An association should adopt a hardship policy, and appoint a disinterested group of volunteers before providing hardship grants to members. An association can solicit contributions from members and match the members’ contributions to the fund. Contributions to benefit members are not tax deductible. 1. What are some ways we can protect our employees and members from sexual harassment? Associations have an obligation to prevent harassment of employees, board members, volunteers, and members. Review current policies, be sure that staff and board members are trained in recognizing potential harassment and understand how to handle a report. Some organizations are also using confidential “hotlines” to encourage timely reporting of any issues.
Advancing Engagement + Recruitment: Moving Membership
Winning Back Lapsed Members: Solutions for Non-Renewal Reasons memberclicks.com
Former members represent a whole pool of potential new members who are a little easier to recruit. Why? They’re already familiar with your organization, so you don’t have to spend time explaining who you are and what you do! That said, they left for a reason. Here are a few solutions for overcoming common non-renewal reasons when reaching out to your lapsed members: REASON: Didn’t feel engaged. SOLUTION: Enlist your active members. According to Marketing General Incorporated’s 2018 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, lack of engagement with the organization was the top cited reason for not renewing membership. This probably comes as no surprise - it’s a common frustration! And you’ve probably tried a number of things to engage members so they never leave in the first place.
REASON: Missing specific benefits. SOLUTION: Talk about new benefits. Chances are, you’ve introduced some new or enhanced benefits since they left. Hype them up when talking to lapsed members, and be sure to include a testimonial or two from current members! This should be easy if you’ve been conducting member exit surveys. Look back to your records and see what benefits members have noted were missing from their experience. You can use that information to do a mass campaign, or individual outreach! REASON: Didn’t understand membership value. SOLUTION: Show them a list quantifying your benefits. Sometimes members simply can’t see the return on their dues investment, so they leave because they think they aren’t getting anything out of it. But you can easily demonstrate that value by assigning a dollar amount to each benefit!
Have you ever thought about enlisting your active members in a re-engagement campaign? Here are a few angles to try:
REASON: They’ve retired. SOLUTION: Create a new membership type.
• Show tangible examples of a member getting value out of their membership. • Ask them to call former members they had a relationship with. • Ask them to call former members who they’re similar to (job role, age, needs, etc.).
Retired members of your industry or community are an incredibly valuable resource, and should be treated as such! However, it’s likely they won’t need most of the benefits you offer. Create a new retiree membership type that is cheaper and includes less (or just different) benefits than a regular membership!
REASON: Cost was too high. SOLUTION: Offer a discount.
Alternatively, retirees are also great volunteers and speakers for conferences and panels. Consider some kind of trade agreement where they’ll receive certain benefits in exchange for helping out a few times a year.
Whether it’s personal finances or an employer who’s stopped paying for dues, cost is another big reason for leaving. Offering a discount is a quick and easy way to encourage your lapsed members to come back! Consider extending the discount over a few membership periods as a sort of “bulk” discount. (For example, purchasing a three-year membership at $100 off per year.) That way you can count on their renewal for three years (or so), and they’ll enjoy extra savings!
Whatever you do, be sure your communications are personal. These folks were once a part of your organization: It wouldn’t be a good look if you treated them like a stranger!
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Advancing Meetings + Events: In The Details and remote working options and it can be even more difficult to attract quality candidates to associations. This is more reason to invest in and support current employees.
4 More Reasons Associations Should Provide Professional Development Professional development is often the first thing to be cut and the last to be added. Yet, the benefits of offering employees learning opportunities exceeds the initial cost. Here are four more reasons associations should reconsider providing employees with professional development opportunities as well as some simple steps to get started. Do as I say! Association leaders are used to creating a long-term vision and finding ways to inspire staff, members and the community to support it – even when it seems costly at first. The benefits of professional development are similar: once you understand the far-reaching, positive impact it can have, it is an easy sell. And one of the most rewarding outcomes is leadership development. Building future leaders from current staff is one of the most effective and economical long-term investments an association can make. And time and time again, we have seen the benefits of leaders who have come through the ranks to the top spots: they understand staff needs, have a unique insight of the institution in addition to institutional knowledge and they are often driven to give back in a way their peers from outside the organizations usually are not. Say cheese! Supporting and encouraging learning opportunities consistently also improves morale. While most organizations cite cost as the major reason for cutting funding to attend
seminars and conferences, there are low-cost continuing education options. Mentoring, coaching, and online courses are just a few ways employees can continue to learn without travel or registration fees. Associations that take advantage of these opportunities send a clear message to their teams: we value learning. More specifically, employees feel supported as important members of the team and appreciated for their unique contributions. Three Cheers! Similarly, by providing consistent support for professional development, associations strengthen their culture. A strong culture means strong teams which are not only more productive, they are more efficient and maintain positive attitudes through challenges. A strong culture that supports professional development also has an easier time attracting new talent. In addition to the traditional professional development offerings and the newer lower-cost options, organizations can take advantage of customized training. Partnering with professional coaches, training institutions and other local education options allows associations to offer team as well as individual educational opportunities that are specific to their community, needs and staff. All hail the king! Attracting strong talent is always challenging. Add to that alternative work schedules, progressive benefits,
Cultures that support learning have staff that are more engaged, creative and positive. Employees understand the goals of the association, the role they play in the achievement of those goals and clearly see how the organization supports their growth in the process. This creates cohesion and a shared vision that in turn creates a cycle of positivity in the culture. Retention is a natural by-product. The bottom line is professional development benefits all aspects of the organization. There are enough creative ways to encourage consistent learning that cost should no longer be a deterring factor. Further, by truly measuring the significant and far-reaching positive implications of creating a learning culture, it quickly becomes clear that it is an investment worth making. Once you have embraced the idea, here are some tips to get you started: 1. Set a vision, mission and goals for learning opportunities that clearly align with the association’s vision, mission and goals. 2. Determine a budget that supports all levels of development even in fiscally challenging times. 3. Create a clear message around the importance of learning, the many ways it can happen and the reasons the association supports it. 4. Set a system in place that captures lessons learned during continuing education and encourage sharing those lessons across departments. By: Catherine B. Iste. Learn more at: betterhr.org.
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Advancing Communications: Stay Connected
Who Says Innovation Has to Be Difficult? Scott Steinberg Who says innovation has to be difficult for your association? While game-changing breakthrough technologies and new scientific discoveries tend to hog media headlines, it bears remembering: Evolutionary changes (slight shifts in business strategy or thinking) can often be every bit as powerful as revolutionary advancements when it comes to engaging and growing your membership. All too often, at the pace today’s market moves, and scale on which market leaders operate, we often forget — all it frequently takes for organizations to get ahead is just a minor shift in tactics or perspective. For example: When L&T General Insurance — a full-service health, property, and casualty insurance provider — wanted to find a way to serve the hugely-diverse and hugelyscattered Indian markets. Instead of applying a Western business model and attempting to install branches in every remote town and village and hoping customers would come to it, the company took a contrarian approach. Rather than leverage traditional market strategies, it flipped them on their heads, equipping insurance agents with smartphones and tablets on which a suite of online, cloud-based apps capable of issuing policies and processing claims on the spot was preinstalled, so that agents could go to customers instead. In less than 2 years, it built a $28,000,000 million business that had issued over 100,000 policies.
“As an association executive, ask yourself. What kinds of innovative new solutions could your organization produce if you made even the simplest changes.” When Newell Rubbermaid’s Contigo brand wanted to find a way to differentiate its products in the hugely-crowded and-contested market for portable containers and cups?
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It didn’t invest a fortune into dozens of abortive product roll-outs, attempting to guess what working professionals on the go would want. It simply studied today’s busiest travel sites, where commuters tended to congregate and after discovering that passengers were constantly wiping off their mugs’ mouth guards on napkins, sleeves, and handkerchiefs, it introduced a new line of travel mugs with special covers designed to keep out dirt. And when MasterCard needed a new idea for a mobile payment app? It simply put the call out to employees at Innovation Express, a global series of hackathon events where business people, designers, and software developers team up to create new business plans and products in record time. Two days later, Qkr — which can let you order food from your seat at a stadium, or pre-order school lunches for children right from your pocket without ever setting foot in a cafeteria — was born. As an association executive, ask yourself. What kinds of innovative new solutions could your organization produce if you made even the simplest changes – e.g. creating online platforms for sharing ideas, salons that routinely brought members from every walk of life and experience level together, or 48-hour jam sessions where everyone was invited to brainstorm new concepts and build them into working prototypes before the weekend was up? And what kinds of simple shifts in positioning and messaging could you make in outreach efforts to help give them a fresh shot of excitement and relevance? While it’s not always obvious to the casual observer, innovation is far easier than you think. All it takes to successfully steer around a challenge, or overcome a problem, is simply a greater sense of perspective, and greater willingness to be more creative with how you apply the tools at-hand.
Advancing The Essentials: Invaluable Insights
HR Compliance - Complex and Overwhelming... or is it Simply Common Sense? Linda M. Nelson, CPA, Olsen Thielen CPAs, Ltd. Every business faces a wide range of HR challenges of which many come with what seem like limitless local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations. As a result, HR Compliance is an area of angst for most employers due to concerns associated with ending up on the wrong side of the law. There is little doubt the HR landscape is filled with paperwork, legislation, and workplace regulations, yet the majority of these items should not be of any concern for employers. Really the source of most all laws which have been enacted are a result of poor business practices where companies did not place a priority on the human assets that are the foundation to every successful business. If you are operating your business with a focus on your employees as high-valued assets, compliance will be little more than a formality and not cause for concern.
“The source of most all laws which have been enacted are a result of poor business practices where companies did not place a priority on the human assets.”
Having said that, every company would be well served to incorporate HR policies that place a priority on maintaining a fair and equitable workplace that limits conflict, while demonstrating to everyone the company is committed to making it a great place to work. As much as “common sense” is the largest contributor to HR compliance, every company should have policies that serve as guidelines to hold everyone accountable. The best HR practices incorporate the following key elements: • A regularly updated employee handbook to educate employees on organizational expectations and transparently communicate legal requirements for workplace behaviors and activities of both the employer and employee. • Current, accurate job descriptions clearly defining each position in the organization. This assists senior management monitor performance relative to an objective standard. • Consistent, ongoing performance appraisals which will serve to help employees understand how they are performing to expectations. This should include an outline on how the company will coach employees when needed to applaud and motivate those who excel on the job. • A sensible, well-publicized affirmative action plan to prevent all forms of discrimination in your workplace.
• An annual on-site employment law seminar to provide employees and key personnel meaningful opportunities to learn how to prevent time-consuming audits and/or costly violations of local, state, and federal employment laws and regulations.
“HR policies that place a priority on maintaining a fair and equitable workplace, while demonstrating to everyone the company is committed to making it a great place to work shows your employees are assets.” • Regularly scheduled self-audits to make sure that your HR policies and documentation comply with current laws and regulations. Always be mindful of HR Compliance, but remember good business practices, a commitment to maintaining a great work environment, and “common sense” will go a long way in assuring your organization will not face HR legal issues.
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Conversations: In Focus
Different view points. Different solutions.
What is one valuable thing you learned this year?
To truly embrace self-care. Once I started to do that, everything from personal to professional life became less stressful and manageable.
Kirsten Peterson Governance & Foundation Manager International Association of Business Communicators
Jim Amundson
This year I became more directly involved and responsible for our advocacy and government relations work. As a result, I learned valuable information about campaign finance laws, deadlines and Campaign Finance Board reporting. Even if I’m less involved at some point in the future, what I learned will be very valuable as I lead a trade association.
President & CEO Independent Community Bankers of MN
I can’t limit myself to just one so please indulge me and allow me to share two: 1) Just when you think you have it all figured out, the rules change. 2) Show up even when you don’t want to because that’s when the magic happens. Lynn Balfor Deputy Executive Vice President Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
Relationships are the cornerstone to getting things done. So foster and maintain those relationships with members, industry partners, coworkers, & legislators. Continue to maintain relationships with people you’ve met from former roles. You never know when a friend from the past can provide a solution for the present. Michelle Dreier Member Engagement & Government Affairs Manager Electrical Association
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For more details and to register, visit: www.associationsnorth.com/calendar
Calendar Of Events: Mark It + Make It
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WEDNESDAY JANUARY
CAE Informational Meeting Associations North 10:00 am - 11:00 am Learn more about earning your CAE (certified association executive) designation, exam, deadlines, study tips and organizing a study group. Recent CAE’s will be invited to attend and share their experience, study tips and answer your questions.
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THURSDAY JANUARY
Webinar: Key Interests-Based Advocacy: Simple Steps to Strategic Targeting At Your Desk 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Mass email campaigns and onesize-fits-all grassroots efforts rarely lead to policy success. Lawmakers at any level, from the state legislatures to local county and city officials, are rarely persuaded by the same issue, opinion, or advocacy tactic.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY
CEO Strategy Series: Obstacle Busting - Upping Your Game (Session 1 of 3) Hyatt Regency Bloomington Mpls 8:30 am - 4:00 pm Turbo-charge your quarter with clarity and purpose. Designed to help you move from putting out fires to making great leaps, identify staffing gaps, realize your full potential and help your staff do the same. Learn a 10-minute process to move from “stuck” to “started,” and set “Fast Five” goals.
Upcoming Events January 2
February
Associations North Diversity & Inclusion Program (ANDI):
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Virtual Orientation
Webinar: We Want You Back: Tools to Regain Lapsed Members
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CAE Informational Meeting
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Creating an Exceptional Volunteer Program
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Associations North Diversity & Inclusion Program (ANDI):
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Webinar - Hiring Interns 101
Communicating Across Styles
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Webinar: Key Interests - Based Advocacy
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CEO Strategy Series: Obstacle Busting
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Webinar: The Big Ask - How Storytelling Can Get You What You Wnat
March 20
Associations North Diversity & Inclusion Program (ANDI):
2019 is going to be an exciting year! If you are interested in serving on a planning committee and creating memorable events, email: info@associationsnorth.com.
Communications - Presenting & Writing
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CEO Strategy Series: Strategy & Innovation
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Webinar: An Inclusive Society - Under Construction
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Brain Power
Investing Reserves Maintaining adequate monetary reserves is extremely important for one’s financial stability. Just recently, a client of mine lost a very large customer, causing an unexpected drop in their sales revenue. Were it not for the fact that my client had been wisely investing their reserves for more than a decade, they may not have been able to weather and recover from this loss of income. Below are ideas for responsibly managing your reserve money, along with examples of how they work. If you think you may need to spend your reserves over the next few years, the stock market may not be the place for you. However, that doesn’t mean you should do nothing. Interest rates have slowly begun to rise over the past year, but many banks and credit unions are still paying out very low interest rates. In order to make sure your bank is providing you with a competitive interest rate, you can check what the current rate is in the business section of your local newspaper or on websites like bankrate.com. It is also important to note that some banks require minimum account balances of $10,000 or $25,000 before they will pay you a higher interest rate on your money. Interest rate payouts at your local bank are still something to consider.
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Another option for investing your short-term reserves is laddering CDs. An example of which is buying one CD with a 6 month maturity, one with a 12 month maturity, and another with an 18 month maturity, etc. This will create a liquidity event every 6 months and may allow you to lock in higher interest rates if interest rates continue to rise. More moderate length options also exist, if you will not need to access your reserves over the next few years. Some of those include short-term bonds, intermediate-term bonds, balanced funds, and stock funds. However, it may be prudent to use a technique called dollar-cost-averaging when investing in these options. This is due to the fact that we are currently experiencing the longest bull-market in US history. An example of dollar-cost-averaging would be to invest $1,000 per month for a year, instead of investing $12,000 all at once. This will spread out market risk by allowing you to purchase more shares for the same price, should the market begin to decline. Aside from these shorter-term investments, you can also invest your reserves in long-term investment vehicles. However, you should consult with your financial advisor and board of directors before making any long-term investment decisions. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Investing in balanced funds and stock funds involves risk, including possible loss of principal.
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The North Experience: Meeting Planners Symposium
This year’s Meeting Planners Symposium was all about unique venues and unique experiences. From the scrabble team challenge to the mini hackathon, meeting with no walls and surprise session on a coach bus, this learning opportunity was anything but ordinary. Teams worked together to solve a complex problem and pitch their idea for $500 cash. Through beautiful chaos, attendees discovered fresh, unconventional approaches to do their jobs better.
“Excellent! This is my most useful event of the year!” - 2018 Attendee
To see more photos, visit: flickr.com/p hotos/associ ationslive
SAVE THE DATE 2019 MEETING PLANNERS SYMPOSIUM NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Hacking [hak’ing] verb The act of solving complex problems in unorthodox ways. Discovering fresh, unconventional approaches that replace prevailing wisdom.
Arrowwood Resorts | Canterbury Park | GES Exposition Services | Roseville Visitors Association Trade Show Leads | Wisconsin Dells VCB
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Et Cetera: Association Extras
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS! Tim Ehrmann
Association Development Services, Inc.
Clair Holder
Delta Hotel Minneapolis Northeast
Dominick Marschall
Minneapolis Airport Marriott
Stephanie Menning
MN Utility Contractors Association
Margaux Meyer
Ewald Consulting
Marlene Novak
Marquette Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Meggan Reinoso
Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge
Vinny Strack
LeadingAge Minnesota
Alison Toddy
Hampton Inn and Home2 Suites by Hilton Brooklyn Park
Dawn Vickerman
Kahler Hospitality Group
CEO STRATEGY CIRCLES - LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE A 3-part series designed with the chief staff executives in mind. This valuable cohort opportunity will provide protected time, practical tools, valuable concepts and personal coaching to help participants identify the steps necessary to create a vibrant, healthy and relevant association. Facilitated by Mary Byers, co-author of Race for Relevance, Road to Relevance and highly sought-after association speaker. 10 spaces remain! Register & Details: associationsnorth.com/calendar.
BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR In addition to Associations North volunteer opportunities, have you considered becoming a published author? Focus North is seeking authors for the 2019 editorial calendar. Establish yourself as an association expert in front of 1,200+ readers and earn CAE credit while you’re at it. Seeking editorial topics on membership, communications, CEO, legal, financial, meetings/education, diversity and inclusion and more. Interested? Email angela@associationsnorth.com.
2019 MEETUP GROUPS Meetup Groups are small, informal meetings comprised of Associations North members who have shared interests. Meetup Groups discuss issues, ideas and trends on many areas of association management. Stay informed, learn new skills and connect with Associations North members. 2019 Meetup Groups include: Advocacy, CEO, Communications, Meetings and Membership. Find the next meet up group on Associations North calendar or learn more at: associationsnorth.com/meetups. 20
Spotlight: Member In Motion
Amie Mayo
Get to know industry movers and shakers.
Chief Marketing Officer Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics & Health Care Compliance Association
My favorite type of cuisine is...
My personality in one word:
Anything with seafood.
Determined.
What keeps me awake at night...
My dream car...
Thinking how I could have done something better.
Audi S8 plus.
Words to live by...
I recharge by...
One dish I will never eat...
Choose kindness.
Exercise, family vacations, and shopping alone.
What store would you like to max out your credit card?
Liver and onions.
What workplace amenity would you add?
Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Chair massages.
Where would you choose to live: by the ocean, in the mountains or in the woods? The mountains; hiking, skiing and sun all in one.
One word to describe myself as a child... Responsible.
One short term goal... Travel more.
If you knew me you’d know... I wear my heart on my sleeve.
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I have too many ______ in my closet. Shoes.
Save the Date 2019 Solutions Conference with Annual Meeting & Expo Tuesday, May 21 Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
Details: associationsnorth.com/solutions
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MORE CHOICES TO STAY. MORE SPACE FOR ASSOCIATION GROUPS.
With over 42 hotels, six new properties, and 9,200 guest rooms, Bloomington is home to the largest concentration of hotels in Minnesota. That means there’s always room for groups to stay, meet and work. And the Mall of America® serves as a dynamic backdrop and instant entertainment complex for evening outings that everyone can enjoy. Explore Bloomington and book your association group at tcook@bloomingtonmn.org
