FOCUS NORTH July/August 2021
Proactively Confronting the Pandemic The Minnesota Medical Association stepped up to encourage Minnesotans to #PracticeGoodHealth amidst COVID-19 challenges. PG 5
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Focus North is published 6 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
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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. 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
CONTENTS
Sarah Ruzek, Co-Director VP of Finance & Education Steffanie Berg Project Coordinator
Confronting Leaders: 5 Proactively 7 Advancing the Pandemic Fuel For Forward-
Mission
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.
Diversity & Inclusion
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
The Minnesota Medical Association stepped up to encourage Minnesotans to #PracticeGoodHealth amidst COVID-19 challenges
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Advancing Engagement + Recruitment: Moving Membership Use “Win-Back” Campaigns to Court Lost Members
Board Relationship Dashboard
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Moving Forward Together
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What’s CO-ing On?
18 Conversations 19 Calendar of Events 20 Brain Power 24 Et Cetera
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Advancing Meetings + Events: In The Details
25 Spotlight: Member in Motion
5 Reasons Why Most Events Don’t Grow and What to Do About It
16 Advancing 15 Advancing Communications: The Essentials: 11 Advancing Diversity & Inclusion: Stay Connected Invaluable Insights Journey Forward
Three Content Development Models to Drive Awareness, Engagement and Revenue
Accessible Events
Associations and Business Leagues – Focus on Unrelated Business Income
Board of Directors What is your favorite season and why? David Siegel, CAE, IOM (2021 Chair) Housing First Minnesota
Fall. You get to harvest what you have sown.
Angela Kisskeys Associations North
Summer. It’s full of many favorites and a vibe I simply can’t get enough of.
Maria Huntley, CAE, MANM Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians
Fall. The color, the smells and lots of fires with friends.
Karla Keller Torp Minnesota Shopping Center Association
Baseball Season. I guess that’s not Robbie Thompson (Past - Chair) a real season so Summer because Professional Liability Underwriting Society that’s when baseball is played.
Justin Bieganek Mercury Creative Group
Clara Albert, CAE (Chair - Elect) Electrical Association
Summer. I am always cold so warm weather is definitely my happy place. I am not sure why I live in MN.
Carrie Chang Minneapolis Area REALTORS®
Janel Fick (Secretary / Treasurer) Global Management Partners LLC
Summer. Cabin, bonfires, family, and lake time.
Mary Detloff, CAE Crescendo Consulting Solutions, LLC
Sarah Ruzek Summer. Sunshine, lakes and Associations North outdoor adventures.
Anything but winter. I live in the wrong state! Summer. Spending time outside, long walks, warm weather and evenings on the deck.
Matt Gruhn Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
Christi Kokaisel, CAE, MBA American Academy of Neurology Shannon Thomasser Visit Roseville
Summer, without a doubt. Boating, camping, fishing, hiking, sunshine, long days, warm weather. Can’t beat it!
Summer. All of the lakes in Minnesota.
Fall. I love the colors and temperature change.
Fall. I love the warm days and cool nights, overlapping baseball and college football seasons, and bonfire nights!
Summer and its long days. We have beautiful flowers in our yard and a garden I enjoy tending to.
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Moving Forward Together: Associations North Partners
YEAR LONG SPONSOR: AVEX Audio + Visual
Throughout this last year, our industry of live, and now virtual, event production has seen one concept repeatedly reinforced: When one of us succeeds; we all succeed. Connecting & building relationships through Associations North has always been an invaluable benefit of membership, but the opportunity to support each other in maintaining public confidence in an uncertain industry during this pandemic has been one of the best aspects of partnership.
ABOUT AVEX - AVEX is a full-service audio visual and event production company, and we’ve been in business for nearly 20 years. By pivoting with the times, we continue to specialize in providing the highest level of customer service for our clients and partners. We’re happy to assist in guiding Associations North members and partners through both the Live and the Virtual Event Technology process.
THANK YOU! TOGETHER, WE ARE MOVING PROFESSIONALS FORWARD.
Fargo-Moorhead CVB | Kahler Hospitality Group | St. James Hotel | Visit Duluth 3
What’s CO-ing On?
Making Lemonade With summer winding down and uncertainty still lingering, we find ourselves with a stronger appreciation for all the effort and strategy that goes into the small things, big things and everything in between. Once you’ve put the hours in and developed a plan, the world throws a curve ball. Curve balls aside, we are embracing the moment and choosing to make lemonade. Grab those lemons and join us for another great year! Like you, we are continuously evolving to best serve member needs and be the go-to resource. Leading the way, we are meeting challenges head on and have no plans to slow down. Here are a few ways Associations North is working to serve you and your team in 2021-2022:
Looking ahead, the Re-Imagined Conference will be back, along with additional membership, meeting, leadership, innovation and other programs to move your organization forward.
Premium Education + Learning – Committed to delivering opportunities to engage and learn, here’s a sampling of what you can expect:
Engagement – Often the best and most timely answers to your difficult questions are best answered by fellow Associations North members. That’s why we are excited to bring Meetup Group Day back in September and November. Each Meetup Group is designed for members to connect, share resources and discuss issues, ideas and hot topics.
Creating and Advancing Equity, Diversity + Inclusion (EDI) Associations North is proud to launch this pilot program for members seeking to further diversity and inclusion for and within their organizations. The 4-month cohort training opportunity is open to all members committed to improving and fostering EDI change. CultureBrokers® LLC, a Minnesotabased consulting firm and one of our newest members, was selected to lead this important program and facilitate EDI results-driven training to help members achieve diversity, inclusion and equity goals faster. If your organization has a desire to advance EDI and processes for measurable success, we highly recommend this program. Check it out for yourself or recommend a colleague, the deadline to apply is September 2nd. Learn more on page 22. CEOSync has revealed in its first year to be an invaluable platform for monthly focused conversations on key leadership topics. Highlights have included guest appearances by top visionaries like Sheri Jacobs (The Art of Membership), Harrison Coerver (Race for Relevance) and experts on Creating the Workplace of The Future, Operational Success and more. Some of the best strategies and cost-saving ideas come from sharing resources and solutions by top executives and diverse perspectives. Watch for 2022 details coming soon! Plans are in the works to bring together our meeting and event planner members in November, and our annual Winter Celebration and Annual Meeting in December. Ideally, these events would be in-person. While we yearn to be together, the safety and wellbeing of members and our team remains top priority. We will continue to keep strategy at the forefront and evaluate how education and events are best delivered as we move into the rest of the year and 2022.
Coming soon, a new online community will provide 24/7 access for members to engage, collaborate and stay informed. As we venture into this exciting new member offering, let us know if you are interested in volunteering during the planning and/or testing phase. Essential Resources – To ensure continued professional and organizational success, find resources from Associations North members and some of the industry’s leading experts who bring real-world solutions to your challenges. Samples, templates, job descriptions, compensation data, research on key topics and more are all available on Associations North website. New Equity, Diversity + Inclusion (EDI) Resource Hub coming soon. Associations North will continue to develop and execute 2021 priorities while remaining nimble yet impactful. Because of your participation, we have continued to navigate the winding road of these unique times and have grown stronger. With gratitude and a cold glass of lemonade, we thank you!
Co-Directors, Associations North
Making lemonade and enjoying Associations North Summer Social. See more photos on page 26.
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Proactively Confronting the Pandemic The Minnesota Medical Association stepped up to encourage Minnesotans to #PracticeGoodHealth amidst COVID-19 challenges. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many of us were sequestered at home, the more than 12,000 physician, resident, and medical student members of the Minnesota Medical Association were out doing what they do best: caring for their patients in a variety of different types of practices and specialties. As essential workers on the front lines facing an unknown virus, they rallied together to provide care and accurate information when Minnesotans needed it most.
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Its members’ proactive response to the pandemic didn’t surprise the MMA. Founded in 1853 – five years before Minnesota even became a state – the organization has witnessed physicians in action for the past 168 years. When the threat of COVID-19 arrived in the state, there was an extreme amount of confusion, misinformation, and, unfortunately, politicalization around the virus and the state and national response. The MMA responded by launching the “Practice Good Health” campaign in June 2020. With an expert lens and practical advice, the MMA campaign encouraged Minnesotans to wear masks, social distance, wash hands, visit the doctor when needed, and, eventually, to get vaccinated. The campaign sought to transparently communicate how the whole community could work together to keep each other safe and healthy. It reminded Minnesotans that despite the pandemic, routing preventive care and management of chronic diseases should not be ignored. “What was most amazing to see from this campaign was that even when physicians were at their busiest, we asked them to help promote the campaign and they rose to the challenge,” said Dan Hauser, MMA’s Director of Communications, Education and Events. As the pandemic response evolved from precautionary to proactive, physicians sent in pictures and videos about effective ways to fight the COVID-19 virus that were then posted on the MMA’s website and social media accounts. Cell phone videos of doctors receiving COVID-19 vaccines were passed along to MMA to be edited and shared with the hashtag #PracticeGoodHealth. Through it all, the MMA helped amplify its passionate physician member voices to let the rest of Minnesota know about effective ways to combat the COVID-19 virus. When vaccines started to roll out in spring 2021, the MMA, through its foundation, partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health to recruit volunteer physicians to staff vaccine buses that delivered doses to residents in communities that may not have otherwise had access to them. These kinds of volunteer efforts have helped the state to emerge as a national leader in response to the pandemic. “Even though our doctors were overwhelmed, they went above and beyond to promote ‘Practice Good Health’ to people throughout the state,” Hauser said. “Doctors take care of their fellow humans, and when confronted with the new COVID-19 virus, they partnered with the MMA to help the entire state.”
“We want to be an association that actively works to improve health equity and are excited about the work that is underway, knowing there is so much more to do.” In addition to COVID-19, the MMA has also been battling another pandemic that has plagued the country for centuries: structural racism. After the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 and the global reckoning about race that it sparked, the MMA began to examine its own long history to understand its role and contributions to discrimination and racism. Sifting through more than 100 years of articles in its journal, Minnesota Medicine, through board and House of Delegate actions, and other historical archives, the MMA is inventorying its past to learn from it and position itself as an anti-racist organization into the future. In addition to looking at the past, the MMA is also looking to support its membership in their day-to-day interactions with patients. With generous funding from UCare, the MMA is developing educational resources and supports to address the role that physician and other clinician implicit biases play in patient care and outcomes. “We want to be an association that actively works to improve health equity and are excited about the work that is underway, knowing there is so much more to do,” explained Hauser. “It has been extremely gratifying to see the commitment of physicians to health equity and they are appropriately pushing the MMA to keep at it.” It’s another instance of MMA’s physician, resident, and medical student members rising to the challenge, rolling up their sleeves, and doing the hard work needed to make Minnesota’s communities better for everyone. To learn more about the MMA and its efforts to #PracticeGoodHealth and fight structural racism, visit www.mnmed.org.
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Advancing Leaders: Fuel for Forward-Thinking
Board Relationship Dashboard Lowell Aplebaum, Vista Cova
As technology has continued to advance, our organizations and leadership have embraced relying on analytics and dashboards to help guide resource investment decisions. Associations who leverage their database to identify trends – and incorporate predictive modeling for a future lens – are able to apply logic to their decisions that go beyond the gut instincts of leaders. Yet, for all this data know-how, one of the most essential factors in organizational success falls outside of the database – the CEO-Board relationship. Most CEOs are highly conscious of the CEO-Chair partnership, using weekly 1:1 calls to maintain open lines of communication. As election cycles progress, those 1:1 interactions will usually extend to the incoming Chair as well. Yet, in this time when we have been operating at distance, when it was likely the last time the CEO was in the room with the rest of the Board was up to a year ago – what happens to the relationship between the Chief Staff Executive and the rest of the Board members?
“The nurturing of the CEO-Board relationship is a key element to a successful, strong partnership between staff and volunteer leadership.” 7
A Board Relationship Dashboard can help connect nurturing those top-level interactions with daily line-of-sight priority. On the wall in the CEO’s workspace, picture a dry-erase calendar. Instead of each square reserved for a month, they each hold the name of a board member. Within the square is basic information – the name of a partner or children, general interests, skills, birthday, what they are looking to learn/achieve in their service, and where they are involved. At the bottom of each square, on a monthly basis, the CEO rates the current relationship with each Board member. This could use a rating system as simple as 10 (one of the strongest relationships) to 1 (estrangement). Having such a selfreflective rating for each Board member can lead to a number of outcomes: • A low relationship score should be a proactive indicator to the CEO that outreach and relationship repair may be needed • A high relationship score can be used as an indicator of what is working well and could be replicated with other Board members.
consistently at a 4-5, this may justify a proactive outreach and be a worthwhile investment of CEO time in reestablishing conversation and connection.
“A Board Relationship Dashboard can help connect nurturing those top-level interactions with daily lineof-sight priority.” With a more proactive mindset, the factors contributing to relationship deepening or separation can be a place of learning as the CEO cycles through leader cohorts. Relationships are not strengthened by happenstance, but by dedication, priority, and focus. While this kind of tracking could be done through digital means, it would require the CEO to remember to go in and take a look/contribute to the tracking system rather than it being visible in a line-of-sight fashion.
• Monthly tracking over time will produce a relationship trend analysis which can be analyzed for patterns and used to develop interventions.
The nurturing of the CEO-Board relationship is a key element to a successful, strong partnership between staff and volunteer leadership. Keeping those relationships top of mind will lead to greater priority, proactive outreach, and a greater potential for partnership in mission advancement.
Even if a relationship is not on the lower end, if a Board relationship is
Go ahead, add a dry-erase calendar to your supply order and give it a try.
Advancing Engagement + Recruitment: Moving Membership
Use “Win-Back” Campaigns to Court Lost Members Cathi Hight, Hight Performance
How many dropped members do you have in the database? If you’re like many associations, the number of dropped members exceeds your current membership base. Some drops are due to attrition beyond your control such as mergers and acquisitions, death of an owner, business relocation or failure. Most members dropped for other reasons and are viable prospects again. It’s hard to say how many of your lost members you could successfully get to rejoin. Even if they would rejoin, do you really have the resources available to contact them and spend the time needed to win them back? Lost members are not valued equally and it is a mistake to assume that all dropped members are good prospects to win back. Customer retention studies show that organizations can winback up to 90% of lost customers if they are contacted, their issues are discussed and/or resolved, and there is interest in having them back. Smart organizations also realize that if happy customers are good advertising, then too many lost ones can be detrimental. Lost customers impact the bottom line and the ability to grow. Strategies for Successful Win-Back Campaigns Even if you are challenged by limited resources (e.g., time, staff, and budget), you can employ these strategies at some level to focus on the members you want back the most: 1. Understand the real reasons why members don’t renew • Conduct exit interviews through calls, visits, or surveys • Listen to their concerns without judgment or defensiveness 2. Focus on quick win-back members • Those you have a long-term standing relationship with personally • Those with easy-to-remedy solutions to regain their trust due to a miscommunication, oversight or price adjustment 3. Make members feel they are being re-approached with sincerity • Contact them in a timely fashion (as soon as possible or within 30 days)
• Thank them for their past membership and investments • Offer meaningful solutions to their concerns 4. Target dropped members with the highest Lifetime Values • Run a Lifetime Value of Membership report on dropped members with Average Total Per Year values from descending-ascending order (or highest Total Revenue) • Remove all members due to natural attrition • Create a list of the top 20% of members for a win-back campaign Practices for Quick Win-Back Efforts If members have dropped within the last 90 days, use these practices to win them back after contacting them successfully: • Acknowledge their concerns • Assure that specific problems will be addressed • Offer a generous remedy or solution to keep as a member • Give options to reinstate their memberships • Ask to reinstate their memberships for a period of time and agree on a re-evaluation date • Be equally gracious whether they rejoin at this time or not • If they don’t reinstate their membership, ask for permission to stay in touch with them Create a Long-Term Win-Back Campaign If you are unsuccessful in getting members you want back the most to rejoin, prepare to launch a long-term campaign to court them over the next one to two years. Here are suggestions: 1. Maintain an updated list of lost members to target 2. Develop a win-back campaign that reinstates trust in the organization 3. Strongly communicate a compelling reason to rejoin 4. Research the present needs and interests of targeted members 5. Evaluate and refine your win-back campaign by identifying which efforts are successful and which ones are not Growth and a sustainable membership base require investments in proactive retention, win-back campaigns and new membership drives.
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Advancing Meetings + Events: In The Details
5 Reasons Why Most Events Don’t Grow and What to Do About It Don Neal, 360 Live Media
The following five factors stifle the growth of events, conferences, annual meetings, and trade shows. Most events and trade shows don’t grow at more than a few percentage points year-overyear, and they certainly don’t grow exponentially. Why? 1. Lack of ambition. People and organizations change for one of two reasons: inspiration or desperation. The desire for growth is often not compelling enough to overcome the gravitational pull of the status quo. The current level of acceptable event results can lead to a mindset of “don’t fix what’s not broken.” 2. Limitations presented by a finite addressable population of potential attendees. This can be a real barrier to growth but is most often a self-imposed perceptual barrier. 3. Resource limitations, specifically lack of staff, budget, and often limitations in expertise and experience in the high-growth strategies required for the break-away growth objectives to be accomplished. 4. Competition that has captured market share by outpacing the events hosted by associations. Many non-profits suffer from what we call ‘better sameness’ in their event model, resulting in the lack of a reimagining of the event experience. The rapid rate of change and increased expectations of the new audiences that event organizers are seeking to attract is increasing faster than most events can keep up with. This growth limitation factor is exploited by competition who DO innovate and thus reap the rewards
by addressing the changing needs of the market. 5. Inability to scale. This is the most interesting growth limitation and has the greatest potential for organizations. Scale is simply how things change with size. Scale relates to the proportional efficiencies gained by leveraging the non-linear (superlinear) progression of applying technology, innovative thinking (such as new forms of curricular programming), and a host of other “super chargers” available to event designers in 2021. The first four growth limitations are relatively easy to fix: so much of what needs to change for organizations held prisoner by low ambition, lack of resources, lack of vision, the inability to identify new audiences, and the plight of better sameness can certainly be addressed with a good dose of leadership, some outside help, and enough pain to serve as the necessary catalyst to act. I see several major opportunities for associations to accelerate their event growth, reduce risk, and build a new event business model that sets their organization on a new trajectory. The factors listed below are the building blocks that allow your team to scale your event and, in so doing, create exponential growth, sustainability, and market share dominance. 1. Capture and apply the strategic use of audience data. Demographics is destiny, and every event has to understand, design for, and attract the
right composition of demographics to grow. Audience research, profiling and segmentation is the only way to build an event that is tailored to the audiences you have AND that you seek to attract. 2. Adopt a product development mentality. Scaling your event requires reducing friction, increasing the efficiency of your “event metabolism,” and eliminating the unnecessary waste and cost that is slowing down your growth. The best way to accomplish this is to have your event “secret-shopped” by a professional that knows what to look for and who can help you design your next event. 3. Align your team and appoint an event CEO with full accountability. Organizational inefficiencies are a form of entropy (wasted energy) that reduce decision-making time, add cost, and produce friction, which results in limited growth. 4. Adapt how you work with your board, volunteers, and committees to allow for input but not mandates or strategic and tactical direction. You don’t have to change your governance (just yet), but you must get agreement that to scale your event, all interested constituents must support your vision, ambition, and event CEO. 5. Expand your horizon and apply best practices that work in other sectors, industries, and domains. There is no reward for starting from scratch. You do NOT have to reinvent the wheel, just study how others have used the wheel and apply it to your unique situation.
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Advancing Diversity & Inclusion: Journey Forward
Accessible Events Sarah Korbel, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas
According to the CDC, 61 million adults in the U.S. live with a disability. That’s 1 in 4, or 26%. This also increases with older demographics and people of color. Odds are, you’re serving many members in this community. This article focuses on experiences around mobility, but it’s important to note it’s not the only lens to consider. Even before arriving at an event, travel to in-person events can be stressful and costly beyond typical event costs. The US Department of Transportation Monthly Air Travel Consumer Report shows 601 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled by airlines in May 2021 alone. To move beyond numbers, I asked three individuals about their pain points around in-person events, here’s what they shared: Christine Selinger, Director of Education and Events with Abilities Expo, explained she needs her wheelchair to move independently, and fears airlines destroying it and costing her $10,000 and three months to replace. Past experiences wheeling long distance on carpet took her out of commission a full week post-conference. She said, “The biggest barrier for me is the combination of everything that can (or has) gone wrong in the past and the anxiety that all causes: How much am I willing to risk or sacrifice in order to attend this event or conference? If accessibility is lacking, it impacts me physically, psychologically, emotionally, and financially. Taking into account the possible pain, delays, and confinement of less-than-stellar access, how badly do I want to be there?” Nikki Duffney, Director of Membership for Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health, said it helps to know size and accessibility of the space. “I need to make personal mobility decisions like: “Can walk this with my cane, do I need
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to bring my wheelchair, or will I need to rent a scooter?” She added, “If a company or association wants me to be excited and full of participatory anticipation, this research and labor will be done in advance for me. Otherwise, I am spending my excitement energy on learning logistics for my abilities and stressing out about attending. … It is very obvious to me when an event has been planned through the lens of accessibility vs. generalized ability, which can make me feel like an afterthought or a burden upon attending.” I asked Katherine Nelson, Sr Data Analyst at Target about her experience with digital events and she said, “As a person with a physical disability, I have greatly benefited from the increase in digital event availability. I have attended more digital events in the past year than in-person events from the past decade. Digital events mean I do not need to worry about the accessibility of a physical location, how I would get there, or the cost associated with bringing an aide. I also appreciate more and more the ways people are creating digital events that are accessible to all, although that does not mean there is no room for improvement.” We witnessed how digital events reached wider audiences when the pandemic forced everyone to switch to virtual. We’ve learned digital options can be just that, options. Online events remove mobility hurdles. Neurodivergent learners can play content at their own pace with less distractions. Individuals with less income can participate without travel costs. People with social anxiety can participate from home. It’s true digital participants connect differently than inperson, and different isn’t always bad. This offers choice. If you’re looking to learn, RespectAbility offers a Toolkit in both PDF and accessible Word document and has webinars on Disability Inclusion. Let Associations North know what you’re trying for your next event!
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SPONSORED CONTENT
Community Insights
Minneapolis Northwest Welcomes Back Memorable Meetings
With new hotels, restaurants, and activities to show, Minneapolis Northwest is eager to give meeting and event attendees a welcome befitting a hometown hero. After spending far too long cooped up in our homes working on a computer screen, Minneapolis Northwest is rolling out the red carpet for meetings and events. Whether you are planning for a large association, an intimate corporate team, a faith-based group, or a youth sports organization, we have everything you will need. What’s New Our community took some of last year’s unwanted downtime and turned it into a productive moment for your return. • All 27 meeting spaces have been upgraded at Minneapolis Marriott Northwest. Located right off Interstate 94, this modern 230-suite hotel is just minutes from downtown Minneapolis and numerous sports arenas, cultural attractions and shopping destinations, including the Mall of America. The tech support team, high-speed internet and top-rated audiovisual equipment ensure that the Marriott is ready for any hybrid events. • The newly remodeled Hilton Garden Inn Minneapolis/ Maple Grove sums up convenience. Accessible from the highway, the hotel places you next to attractions like The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes, many local businesses, Rush Creek Golf Club, and the National Sports Center/Schwan’s Super Rink. • We are proud to say that the Fairfield Inn & Suites Minneapolis North is one of the rare properties to open during the pandemic. As a result, staff are experts at health and safety guidelines so your attendees will know they are in good hands. 13
These are part of our region’s impressive roster of 24 hotels and 3,000 room nights. It’s little wonder why corporations like Target, Boston Scientific, Caribou Coffee, CLAM Outdoors and more call our area home. We make sure business gets done. Cost and Convenience As part of the first-ring suburbs of Minneapolis, we’re conveniently located 30 minutes from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, which serves 163 nonstop markets and 34 million passengers each year. It is a base for Sun Country Airlines and is Delta Air Lines’ second-largest hub. We are situated off major highways that lead to the airport, as well as the downtown areas or north to the National Sports Center and beyond. Tight budgets and costly events may have you doing a balancing act as you look for a meeting or event space and adding in hybrid components can make things even more challenging. When planning an event in Minneapolis Northwest, make sure to take advantage of our unique and easy-to-use Event Assistance Fund that helps offset meeting costs. Use dollars to pay for lodging, transportation, food and drink—and remember, hotel parking is always free in Minneapolis Northwest! Visit MinneapolisNorthwest.com/meetings-groups.
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Advancing Communications: Stay Connected
Three Content Development Models to Drive Awareness, Engagement and Revenue Kathie Pugaczewski, CAE, CMP, QAS, Ewald Consulting
The pressure for associations to create unique and trusted content has never been greater. Some associations have gained tremendous importance by convening decisionmakers and providing access to critical information. Others have struggled — victims of letting content quality or potency languish. Strategic content marketing can make the difference between weak associations with dwindling membership and powerful associations that build professions and serve the dynamic needs of an everchanging workforce. A strategic content marketing plan can extend your reach to new audiences, grow and retain members, and position your organization as the thought leader and resource for quality, relevant content. The Content Marketing Institute defines content marketing as “the strategic marketing approach of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience — with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” Over the last year, our team has experimented to create and deliver content for associations in myriad ways. Here are three examples where I’ve seen the greatest impact to drive awareness, engagement and revenue. Podcast Masterclass Series In June 2021, the Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) launched its Human Resource Development Masterclass podcast series to explore the fundamentals of Human Resource Development and the impact on the future workforce, training and organization development. The first series of ten 60-minute episodes was released weekly, each focusing on an aspect of Human Resource Development. Bonus materials are available exclusively to members, enhancing member value. Each podcast consists of a 20-minute version of the guest interview, while members gain access (via the AHRD website) to an unedited version of each podcast with 40-55 minutes of conversation.
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The final podcast episode release date coincides with a new association brand launch and membership campaign. The podcast series and member-only exclusive content builds substantial value for seasoned professionals and those looking to AHRD as a source for relevant content. Blogs QRCA created the Qual Power blog to raise awareness of the value of qualitative research and the professionals who provide expertise in multiple methodologies. Every year the Qual Power Blog directs a high percentage of traffic to the QRCA website. Some of the blog posts that perform best have been on the website for years and were developed around top keyword trending topics. For example, a blog post from early in 2019 is the 11th most visited page of the website and 90% of traffic to the post is from Google alone with an average time on page of 3:54. QRCA developed editorial guidelines that include the association’s goals, word count, paragraph length and formatting. Staff work with authors to find appropriate royalty-free images. Each post includes a short author bio and headshot. Authors are encouraged to share links on social media to expand reach to their networks, as well. Competency Model Workshops In the spring of 2021, the Organization Development Network (OD Network) launched its Global OD Competency Framework Online Learning Series featuring seven, 3-hour interactive virtual sessions. A participant is expected to read 1-3 Organization Development Review articles to prepare for the sessions that will cover all 15 competency areas outlined in the Global ODCF™. The learning objectives and expectations were clearly delineated. By focusing on the fundamentals of the competency model, breaking up the sessions over time with work between to engage participants and having clearly defined learning outcomes, the goals set have been surpassed. Consider trying one of these methods in your association to drive awareness, engagement and revenue.
Advancing The Essentials: Invaluable Insights
Associations and Business Leagues Focus on Unrelated Business Income Laura Kenney, CLA
Associations and business leagues are resource centers, advocates, and thought leaders of their respective industry membership groups.
branch of the IRS. The TIGTA issued a report recommending the IRS improve its examination procedures regarding UBI.
However, tax-exempt associations and business leagues often have a surprisingly disproportionate number of complex tax issues to manage.
In its February 24, 2021, report, titled “Emphasis on Unrelated Business Income Tax Enforcement Should Be Enhanced,” the TIGTA determined that there are six types of organizations with a higher likelihood of producing UBI to include in this review project.
In addition to tax considerations regarding lobbying, compensation, and transactions from their multi-entity structures, many associations also have various types of activities that generate unrelated business income (UBI). UBI tax issues for associations and business leagues often include: • Memberships; • Royalties with services; • Advertising; • Sponsorship arrangements; • Management fees; • Conference rental activities; • Virtual trade shows A key function of the IRS’s exempt organization examination program is to identify any large, unusual, or questionable (LUQ) items — including revenue, expenses, and tax liabilities generated from unrelated business activities. TIGTA’s Report The Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration (TIGTA) recently criticized the IRS Exempt Organization Division for not effectively identifying and auditing key tax areas such as UBI. The TIGTA is the internal audit oversight
Based on its analysis, Associations or Business Leagues, exempt under section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), was one of the six types of exempt organizations the TIGTA chose to review. TIGTA made various recommendations to the IRS to: • Include UBI tax issues in (the IRS’s) future compliance projects to identify issues preventing taxpayers from being compliant with their UBI reporting requirements; and • Require experienced senior EO classifiers to review claims involving a net operating loss (NOL) prior to accepting the claim as filed and document the review in the case file. The IRS will challenge tax-exempt organizations when the tax losses reported as UBI either lack the requisite profit motive or have expense allocations that are not deemed to be reasonable. Expense Allocations – IRS Guidance Expected The preamble in these final UBI silo
“UBI is expected to get more attention in IRS examinations. So associations should review their current year UBI tax positions.” regulations also confirmed that the Treasury Department and the IRS continue to consider and expect to publish additional proposed regulations for UBI regarding reasonable methods of expense allocations. The new UBI silo rules don’t allow exempt organizations with more than one unrelated business activity to offset the net income from a profitable activity with a loss activity for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. However, the tax rules do allow organizations to use pre-existing NOL that were generated before 2018 against positive current year UBI. Nevertheless, there is potential tax risk that the IRS will challenge the validity of those pre2018 NOL if the activity generating those losses is not deemed to have a profit motive or had unreasonable expense allocations. What does it all mean? UBI is expected to get more attention in IRS examinations. So, associations, business leagues, and other exempt organizations should review their current year UBI tax positions as well as any existing NOL carryovers before the IRS does.
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Meetup Group Day
Associations North Virtual Meetup Group Day is back by popular demand September 10 + November 12. All members are invited to participate in complimentary discussions in the areas of: Advocacy, CEO, Communications, Diversity + Inclusion, Meetings & Membership. Details + Register: associationsnorth.com/calendar
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Conversations: In Focus | Different viewpoints. Different solutions.
How is your organization supporting mental health and encouraging wellness within your organization?
Cody Nuernberg President Northwestern Lumber Association
On top of the resources that our health care provider offers, we encourage our employees to “give back” by volunteering in our community each quarter, giving time off to serve others. Pre-COVID we did a few events where the entire organization would go and serve together. This can be so rewarding and just feels good. We also coordinate yoga (now over Zoom) that our employees can opt to participate in. Since needs vary, keeping open communication and routinely checking in has been critical in our work from home environment.
Currently, NLA does not have an official program offered; however, we have changed our business and operating model to allow for a hybrid working model and enhanced flexibility to take time off, address family needs, etc. This has not been our mantra in the past so we are making progress. I am a firm believer that happy and focused employees make for good business and greater productivity.
Tanya Guy Vice President NACM North Central
Care Providers of Minnesota supports mental health and encourages wellness with the following approaches:
Doug Beardsley Vice President of Member Services Care Providers of Minnesota
• Flexible work schedules + WFH as desired • Summer Friday office hours • Employee Assistance Program • Wellness series of webinars available • Full COVID-19 safety protocols in the office • Supportive managers and Board of Directors We celebrate as often as possible! During COVID, we have had daily all-staff check-ins.
FREE RESOURCE! 20+ Ways to Support Mental Health in the Workplace https://bit.ly/3spHMe9
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Calendar Of Events: Mark It + Make It For more details and to register, visit: www.associationsnorth.com/calendar
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WEDNESDAY AUGUST
Webinar: Adding Value with Valuable Learning - Leveraging Adult Learning Theory At Your Desk 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
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Associations are known for their ability to provide best-in-class training opportunities for members. In fact, professional development is often cited as one of the reasons members join associations in the first place. Explore how to engage learners in a virtual or hybrid environment leveraging adult learning theory. Members boost their career prospects through learning and certification, so ensuring relevant, engaging education that improves the learner’s experience is critical.
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER
Webinar: Creative Improv for Member Retention and Board Development At Your Desk 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Non-Profit Board of Directors should rethink how they come up with new ideas for their organizations. During brainstorming sessions, we criticize while we are trying to create, which is the wrong approach. Phrases like “we can’t do that,” “we have tried that before, and it didn’t work,” or “we don’t have the resources to pull that off” kill the creative process. The cure is to break the brainstorming process into two parts: divergent thinking and convergent thinking.
Education when you need it.
Associations North e-Learning
View over 135 on-demand educational sessions from your desk, remote office or on the go. Search by CAE credit, subject area, or speaker. Education when you need it. associationsnorth.com/e-learning
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NEW! Education Added
BRAIN POWER
Guidance for Businesses Claiming Employee Retention Tax Credit Paychex.com Under the American Rescue Plan Act and previously under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, the employee retention credit, a provision of the CARES Act, was extended and expanded. It can be claimed through Dec. 31, 2021 by eligible employers who retained employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. What is the Employee Retention Credit? The ERTC is a refundable credit that businesses can claim on qualified wages, including certain health insurance costs, paid to employees. The credit remains at 70% of qualified wages up to a $10,000 limit per quarter so a maximum of $7,000 per employee per quarter for all of 2021. So, an employee could claim $7,000 per quarter per employee or up to $28,000 for 2021. What Employers Qualify for the Employee Retention Credit? Most employers, including 501(c) organizations following the enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act, can qualify for the credit.
Qualification is determined by one of two factors for eligible employers — and one of these factors must apply in the calendar quarter the employer wishes to utilize the credit: • A trade or business that was fully or partially suspended or had to reduce business hours due to a government order. The credit applies only for the portion of the quarter the business is suspended, not the entire quarter. • An employer that has a significant decline in gross receipts. On Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, the IRS released Revenue Procedure 2021-33 that provides a safe harbor under which an employer may exclude the amount of the forgiveness of a PPP loan from the definition of gross receipts solely for the purpose of determining eligibility to claim the ERTC. Employers must apply the safe harbor consistently across all entities. If you have questions or need more information, it is recommended to work with your accountant and payroll specialist.
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Associations North + CultureBrokers® LLC are proud to announce...
Creating and Advancing Equity, Diversity + Inclusion Creating and Advancing Equity, Diversity + Inclusion (EDI), is a pilot program for members seeking to further diversity and inclusion for and within their organizations. This cohort leadership opportunity is open to all members committed to improving and fostering EDI change. Get measurable results, improve your processes and foster EDI change through: • Designing manageable processes for measurable results • Exploring the myths that can undermine outcomes • Identifying success techniques while building your EDI toolbox • Expanding your network and EDI support system • Engagement between program days We believe in the value of EDI and are making this program possible for ALL members! Apply online by Thursday, September 2.
Application + Details associationsnorth.com/AdvanceDEI Brought to you by:
REASONS WHY MINNEAPOLIS SHOULD BE YOUR NEXT MEETING DESTINATION #
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A COMMUNITY LEADING THE PATH FORWARD
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DELTA HUB, COMPACT CITY TRAVEL WITH EASE
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LEARN MORE AT minneapolis.org
Et Cetera: Association Extras
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS! Bala Guntipalli
Affnetz
Jacob Hoogenakker
Affnetz
Tim McVean
AVEX
Kevin Wheeler
AVEX
Becky Loop
Canal Park Lodge
Lisa Tabor
CultureBrokers® LLC
Briana McDonald
DoubleTree by Hilton Rochester
Ania Dimants
Electrical Association
Travis Lennox
Electrical Association
Brooklyn Wolfgram
Event Lab
Makela Liggins
Global Management Partners, LLC
Lori LeMay
Global Management Partners, LLC
Alexandria Carruth
Global Management Partners, LLC
Beau Haugen
Global Management Partners, LLC
Michael Wicinski
Graduate Minneapolis
Mayra Ruiz
Management HQ
Ashlee Hartwig
Minnesota Builders Exchange
Jaclyn Roland
Minnesota Hospital Association
Callie Gudmonson
Minnesota Society of CPAs
Louise Nemmers
MN Nursery & Landscape Assn
Jennifer Christenson
Mystic Lake Center
Maddie McGinty
Nat’l Assn of the Remodeling Industry MN
Maria Olaez
Sapphyre Group
Michelle Vander Vegte
St. James Hotel
2021-2022 Year Kicks Off
Congrats, New CAE’s
Associations North looks forward to exploring ways to elevate your member experience, better serve the association community, and continue to find ways to connect, educate and develop association professionals. 2021-22 renewals have been emailed and mailed, feel free to process online or mail payment.
Join Associations North in congratulating the following new CAE’s:
If you have any questions or would like to know more about your membership, contact Associations North at membership@associationsnorth.com or call 651-647-6388.
• Arzo Alimohd, CAE, Ewald Consulting • Amber Allardyce, CAE, AIA Minnesota • Shelby Couch, CAE, The Harrington Company • Maranda DeSanto, CAE, Lake Superior Area Realtors • Mary Rehm, CAE, PRMIA • Michelle Uher, CAE, American Academy of Neurology • Katie Wallstein, CAE, Ewald Consulting We are proud of your accomplishment and dedication to the association management profession. To learn more about the CAE, visit: associationsnorth.com/cae. 24
SPOTLIGHT: MEMBER IN MOTION Get to know industry movers and shakers.
Steffanie Berg Project Coordinator Associations North
Early bird or night owl?
One thing about me you might not know…
Night owl, for sure.
I’ve hiked Mt. Olympus. The gods were quite hospitable.
My favorite trade show trinket... Canvas bags. Give me all your canvas bags.
Favorite tradition I have… Making krumkake during the winter holidays
Song or artist that pumps me up... All Star by Smashmouth. It’s an absolute classic and impossible to not be in a good mood when it’s on.
Something I would rate 10 out of 10... My favorite place...
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
One thing on my bucket list...
The island of Santorini. It is truly paradise on Earth.
My favorite meal to cook or eat… BBQ Pulled Pork has been my latest craving.
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Words to live by… “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’” – Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Travel to Norway and visit the town where my family is from originally.
Associations North Summer Social
REVEAL Rooftop provided the perfect setting for members to enjoy a beautiful summer day and the company of fellow colleagues. Thank you to Mercury Creative Group for providing cold refreshments and to all who re-connected with warm conversations.
Beverage Sponsor
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Thank you! YOU, our members are the heart of our organization and the reason why we do what we do. Thank you for inspiring us and continuing to ignite our passion to serve you. Without you, we would not be.
