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:

Premium Education + Learning – Committed to delivering opportunities to engage and learn, here’s a sampling of what you can expect:

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.

Looking ahead, the Re-Imagined Conference will be back, along with additional membership, meeting, leadership, innovation and other programs to move your organization forward.

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.

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!

Making lemonade and enjoying Associations North Summer Social. See more photos on page 26.