FOCUS
July/August 2018
NORTH
FIRING
Terrible Leaders do These 4 Terrible Things Really, Really Well
ON ALL SYNAPSES
pg 5
pg 11
New Revenue Recognition Accounting Pronouncement and Clarification for Contributions Received pg 12
Published by
www.associationsnorth.com
The American Academy of Neurology Promotes a Profession Dedicated to Patient Care
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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 July/August 2018
Amanda Aldrich Events Manager
FEATURES
Chris Villeneuve Membership & Office Manager
DEPARTMENTS
Leaders: 5 Keeping 7 Advancing Minnesota Healthy Fuel For Forward-
Mission
Thinking
Firing on All Synapses: The American Academy of Neurology Promotes a Profession Dedicated to Patient Care
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.
Doing the Hard Work
+ Events: 10 Meetings In The Details 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.
Moving Forward Together
4
The Association Life
14 Conversations 15 Calendar of Events 16 Brain Power
8 Advancing Engagement +
Diversity & Inclusion
3
5 Tips to Write Better Renewal Notices
4 Must-Have Tools for Successful Events
18 Signature Event 19 The North Experience 20 Et Cetera 21 Spotlight
Advancing 11 Advancing Communications: 12 The Essentials:
Board of Directors
Stay Connected
Invaluable Insights
Terrible Leaders do These 4 Terrible Things Really, Really Well
New Revenue Recognition Accounting Pronouncement and Clarification for Contributions Received
What would you rate 10 out of 10? My Grandson, Theo
Sarah Ruzek Associations North
Bailey’s and Coffee
Family Cassie Larson, CAE (Past - Chair) MN Nursery & Landscape Association Vacations
Angela Kisskeys Associations North
My Mom’s Cooking
Robbie Thompson (Chair-Elect) Professional Liability Underwriting Society
Justin Bieganek Mercury Creative Group
Clara DeRosier MN Electrical Association
Mark Salter, CAE, ABC (Chair) CFA Society Minnesota
My Wife
David Siegel, CAE, IOM (Secretary / Treasurer) Builders Association of the Twin Cities
Working in Association Management
Traveling Australia and New Zealand
Amazon Prime
Janel Fick Global Management Partners LLC Amanda Friedrich, CMP Visit Saint Paul
Deep Tissue Massage
Saint Paul
Cody Nuernberg Northwestern Lumber Association Dave Renner, CAE Minnesota Medical Association
Blantons Bourbon
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Moving Forward Together: Associations North Partners
Featured Sponsor:
Mercury Creative Group
Why we partner with Associations North… “For us, it’s all about relationships. Our team has committed countless volunteer hours to supporting Associations North and building relationships (and in many cases friendships). We enjoy being a brand and communications resource and helping others advance their organizations.”
Our partnership has provided us opportunities to help organizations leverage the power of their brand to propel their businesses and drive positive change. Being involved with Associations North offers us more chances to do what we love - and connect with people we really like.
Not Pictured: Tracy, David and Jake
PREMIER PARTNERS
ADVANCER SPONSOR
INNOVATOR SPONSORS
ENGAGER SPONSORS
CONNECTOR SPONSORS 3
Fargo-Moorhead CVB | Visit Duluth | Visit Saint Paul
The Association Life
Featured Industry: Veterinary Whoever you are, whatever you do, there is an association working on your behalf.
MN Veterinary Medical Association (MVMA) MVMA’s mission is to promote
Veterinary Hospitals Association (VHA) VHA is the result of veterinary clinic owners
professional excellence in veterinary medicine, advance animal well-being, and protect public health.
working together to improve the veterinary landscape. Over 400 clinic owners have invested in themselves by becoming a member of VHA. We offer clinics competitive prices on products, exclusive discounts on services from partners, affordable business services, low- to no-cost CE opportunities, and reliable and ethical cremation.
Laboratory Animal Management Association (LAMA) LAMA is an association dedicated to advancing the quality of management and care of laboratory animals throughout the world. Since its establishment in 1984, LAMA has grown to over 700 members residing in geographical locations as widespread as Asia, Australia, Europe and Canada.
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Firing on All Synapses The American Academy of Neurology Promotes a Profession Dedicated to Patient Care
In this world of increasing scrutiny of the medical profession, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has been working since 1948 to provide a reliable and respected voice on behalf of its members, both at home and abroad. On behalf of its 34,000 members, the AAN is committed to being a strong advocate for the highest-quality, patient-centered neurologic care and enhance its members’ careers and satisfaction in their field. 5
“We have a vital goal to demonstrate the importance of neurologists,” said Catherine Rydell, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of the AAN. “We help to ensure the health of this profession by advocating for our members and their patients.” Of the AAN’s large membership, around 15,000 are located in the United States, while the rest are located around the world. The association attracts members from all aspects of neurological care. While the vast majority of members are neurologists or neurologists in training, the AAN also welcomes non-neurologist professionals—such as primary care physicians, researchers, and advanced practice providers—into its ranks. Additionally, the AAN actively shapes health policy, working from both its Minneapolis headquarters and its Washington, D.C. office, which was established in 2005. “When I came to the organization as CEO almost 20 years ago, our main focus was education and science. While those are still our core and critically important to our members, our state and federal advocacy work continues to grow year after year,” Rydell explained. Because it does not have official state chapters, the AAN provides critical leadership and coordination to the many state neurological societies to help direct efforts to promote the profession. It also brings those groups together in an annual summit to discuss common issues and state-level legislation.
“In an effort to raise awareness about the prevention of brain injuries, we give away 2,000 bike helmets each year. It’s an important way to support our local community and encourage everyone to protect their brain. One example of the AAN’s passionate advocacy can be found in its attempts to address burnout of its members, both due to regulatory burdens and the pre-authorization demands of third-party payors, which require neurologists to spend so much time on administrative issues that the time they can devote to patient care is dwindling. To address this concern, the AAN advocates to lower the regulatory burden and to address health insurance company guidelines, while providing ways for neurologists to focus on their own well-being. In addition to its advocacy work, the AAN hosts the largest neurology conference in the world. The seven-day, interactive conference is driven by presentations of the
newest scientific research and educational opportunities for its members. The AAN publishes the most-cited journal, Neurology®, in the world and builds on that success with their patient magazine, Brain & LifeTM, which is currently distributed free of cost to over 1.5 million readers. Another way that the AAN provides enrichment for its members is by running nine separate leadership development programs. This allows participants to learn about their personal strengths and how to effectively advocate for the profession and their patients. The AAN has also established programs for Emerging and Transforming Leaders, Women Leading in Neurology, Advocacy Leadership, Live Well/Lead Well, and Diversity Leadership, each of which run from six months to one year. In addition, the AAN holds a series of leadership courses – Leadership University – at its annual conference. The AAN’s work also reaches beyond its members to build a presence in communities. “Interaction with the public is so important,” Rydell said. “We give away 2,000 bike helmets in Minneapolis every year, half in conjunction with a farmers’ market located across the street from our headquarters.” The communities that the AAN reach are not limited to the United States. While many people abroad attend the AAN’s conferences or read their journals, the association’s primary international reach is to underserved communities. The AAN provides an education journal on neurologic diseases which is often used as a textbook by professionals in areas like Ecuador, Haiti, sub-Saharan African, and Guatemala. “Neurology has no borders, no matter if you’re in Africa or the United States. The information we provide is transferrable around the world, and we feel very strongly about reaching out to underserved communities,” Rydell said. The AAN hosts the Neuro Film Festival where individuals submit a brief video about their or a loved one’s journey with a neurologic disease. The most poignant submissions can be found on YouTube. Learn more by visiting www.aan.com. 6
Advancing Leaders: Fuel for Forward-Thinking 3. Invest in innovative, in-depth, quality educational programming
Doing the Hard Work
• Re-imagine and create a strategic plan for the Annual Meeting & Expo to further develop as the premier conference for members.
Mark Salter, CAE, ABC 2018-2019 Associations North Board Chair
• Develop a three-year calendar to provide high-quality, relevant education.
I’m in heaven right now. Every four years, from mid-June to mid-July, is the biggest (and my favorite) sporting event on the planet – the World Cup. By the time you read this, the men will have finished their 2018 tournament, and the sporting world will be starting to focus on the women’s tournament in 2019.
continue to find ways to connect, educate, and develop association professionals.
• Establish new mechanisms to share member and industry best practices and knowledge.
One thing I especially love about the World Cup is its essential simplicity. Each team has the same ultimate mission and overarching strategy – win the tournament by advancing from the group round and winning four straight knockout games.
1. Create new revenue streams and enhance existing ones
So, if every team is trying to do the same thing, what makes the difference? How do they achieve success? Execution and hard work.
• Connect with the association industry to build relationships and create new partnerships for enhanced member value.
Every player at the World Cup knows her/his role in executing the team’s strategy. Every shot, every pass, every touch of the ball, every movement away from the ball – all of these actions blend together and create the momentum needed to achieve success and accomplish the team’s mission.
2. Grow membership and member engagement
There’s an interesting parallel here to Associations North. We know our ultimate mission and overarching strategy – Moving Professionals Forward. Associations North looks forward to exploring new initiatives to elevate the member experience, better serve 7 the association community, and
As a result of the strategic planning process with feedback from members, staff and leadership, the 2018-2021 plan recommends focusing on these strategic areas of opportunity:
• Identify member pain points and challenges for potential new business solution offerings to help solve member challenges.
• Research and implement enhanced membership structure for value and relevancy. • Create new opportunities to engage members through membership offerings, resources, networking, volunteering, member visits, meet and greet, Associations North Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Program and education/social events. • Create prospect plan and dedicate time and resources to expand membership.
Associations North looks forward to exploring new initiatives to elevate the member experience, better serve the association community, and continue to find ways to connect, educate and develop association professionals. Further, our actions within each of these areas intertwine and support each other, blending together to create the momentum we need to achieve success and continue moving professionals forward. Management consultant and author Peter Drucker once said, “Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.” We’ve got a solid plan. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work. How will you help? Email info@associationsnorth.com to let us if you are interested in volunteer opportunities.
Advancing Engagement + Recruitment: Moving Membership
5 Tips to Write Better Renewal Notices Cathi Hight, Hight Performance Group
In the June issue of Focus North, my article, “Past Due on Invoices,” I shared the challenges and common perceptions of association pros on sending invoices and letters to members who have not renewed. It’s important we recognize that renewals are optional and members don’t legally owe us anything. I’m often asked for advice on how to write more compelling letters that influence members to renew. If you’ve been sending out letters with a threatening tone to make members feel bad for not renewing, then stop doing so. They either backfire on you because those members take offense to your threats and call your bluff, or they renew reluctantly out of guilt or to get you off their case. Neither of those reasons help to build quality experiences or loyal members. Consider how you can implement these 5 tips to create renewal letters or emails that resonate positively with members and generate more of the outcomes intended: 1. Use a Personal Touch Everyone wants to be recognized as an individual, so abandon greetings like “Dear Valued Member,” which does the opposite. Use a merge field that inserts first names in your letters and emails. This should feel like a one-on-one conversation with one member, not all. 2. Know Your Audience Rather than use a “one size fits all” message, consider different member segments that have specific things in common (e.g., membership levels, length of time as a member, size of company) so you can customize two or three distinctive renewal messages. Perhaps it’s appropriate to have a “We couldn’t do it without you” message for longer term members, a “Welcome Back!” message for first-year members that includes tips for the next year, or a “We Miss You” message for those who have not been engaged in a while. 3. Remarket the Value of Membership Renewals are “rejoins” and it’s important to reiterate benefits based on what matters to members (hence
the importance of tip #2). Although some join and rejoin because of your mission and impact on the industry/ community, most members belong to help them achieve their objectives or to solve their challenges. Provide a brief overview of your recent accomplishments and highlight specific benefits that align with their interests.
“If you’ve been sending letters with a threatening tone to make members feel bad for not renewing, stop. They either backfire because those members take offense to your threats and call your bluff, or they renew reluctantly out of guilt.” 4. Make Members Feel Appreciated and Excited About the Coming Year Knowing that renewals are optional, provide a genuine note of thanks and let members know you appreciate their support. Consider offering a discount if membership is renewed within 30 days. Mention a few upcoming programs or activities that are on the horizon because of their support. Include at least one thing that doesn’t require them to “show up” (e.g., improvements to the directory, new online resource, partnership, initiative that supports the industry/community). 5. Provide Renewal Options Now that you have highlighted the importance of belonging to your organization and asked for their renewals, offer members convenient and multiple ways to renew. State the different ways such as Online (with a link to their member account and include log-in credentials, if possible), Mail (provide the address) and Phone (give them the number). Offer the option to make multiple payments. And attach the invoice for their review and record. So, are you ready to use a new approach to influence members to renew? Me, too.
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Advancing Meetings + Events: In The Details
4 Must-Have Tools for Successful Events It’s the season of summer and with it, comes golf tournaments, summer events, member appreciations and happy hours. Are you ready? Event management and logistics can be a lot to navigate—whether you’re hosting a small gathering or large conference for your members. A lot of what makes an event successful is the organization behind it. Fortunately for those of us who might also be working with limited resources and budgets (in addition to time) this doesn’t always mean utilizing fancy tools. The following four tools can be just as great for executing a successful event. 1. Spreadsheets are your friend Creating separate spreadsheets for sponsors, one for speakers and one for your general event timeline is a great way to manage the major components of your event. Each spreadsheet should have pertinent information tracked per the component—room numbers, session titles, speaker names, times, bios, etc. for speakers, for instance. Sponsor names, booth numbers, logo receipt, company descriptions received, etc. for sponsors. And an overall timeline with key deliverables leading up to the event (ie: online registration goes live, early bird ends, email blast out to attendees, etc.) Spreadsheets are easy to sort and search as well when you or other members of your team are looking for information specific to that portion of your event. 2. Exceptional user experience is key Sponsors and attendees alike need all of the important information
about your event at the ready. This means utilizing a variety of ways, whenever possible, to communicate key messages. Creating an event app if there is room in the budget is a great way to update any last-minute changes (we’ve all dealt with print deadlines and on-the-fly changes that we couldn’t get in time for signage or program materials). Online registration via your association’s website is also a big part of what can make or break your audience’s experience. Before pushing registration live, have someone who is not as close to your event test everything and see if they run into errors or have questions during the process. View your online systems on mobile devices to ensure the site is responsive and what your end users are truly seeing. 3. Onsite customer service sets you apart Utilize your staff (and volunteers) to make sure your attendees are happy and well taken care of during the event. A few on-site tips to give and/or help your internal team: • An FAQs one-sheet that sits at the registration area (or other key information areas) with a list of questions your attendees may have (where is the bathroom, how to get their CEUs, parking validation, what time is lunch, WiFi password, etc.) • A designated digital team (or person) to monitor all social media posts, channels and hashtags during the event. Attendees may also use this as a way to communicate what they love (great speakers) or don’t love (rooms are too cold) about your event. Be sure
to monitor all your communication channels while on site. • An oversized copy of the schedule-ata-glance with room numbers, volunteer names, speaker names, etc. that can be housed in a non-public facing area (such as an area behind registration, in your “office” for the day, etc.) • A small notepad to take notes for spur-of-the-moment ideas and feedback from sponsors, attendees, etc. This will also be helpful to refer back to during your recap meeting (see idea #4). 4. Recap meetings prepare for continued success Don’t forget to download with your team (and committee members) after your event. Schedule those recap meetings before the event even takes place so that you can be sure you have them on everyone’s calendars ahead of time. Use the on-site notes that you took to make a pros, cons, key learnings and ideas for next year list as you debrief with your team. Every event should also have a survey component—whether that is something you do onsite in paper form, via an app or other online option, or whether you send it in an email post event. Always ask your attendees (and sponsors) what they thought of their experience and what they would love to see in the future. Take this information to heart and make notes for implementation the following year. In our rush to make sure everything is “just so” for the events, we need to remember to stop and make sure that we aren’t putting the cart before the horse. Planning and organizing well ahead of your events and putting these key tools in place, will help as you continue to grow your events in the long run. Melissa Harrison is CEO at Allee Creative, a marketing consulting and events management company based in Maple Grove, MN. She works with associations and nonprofits in areas of membership marketing, fundraising and digital content strategies. Connect with her online: Twitter/Facebook: @alleecreative or email melissa@alleecreative.com.
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Advancing Communications: Stay Connected
Terrible Leaders Do These 4 Things Really, Really Well Jeff Havens, Jeffhavens.com Leadership is an art. And, as with any art form, some people are better at it than others. In painting, for example, some people create breathtaking masterpieces, scenes of sweeping beauty and poignant emotion capable of evoking rapture in the viewer. Others paint reasonably well, good enough to admire but not quite deserving of the museum. Still others paint poorly, but their dedication to the craft and determination to practice make it easy to believe that time will make them respectable artists. And then there’s people who paint like I do, flinging colors at a canvas with absolutely no idea how to make anything worth looking at. The only thing I have ever successfully painted is a wall, provided you don’t expect me to do the edges. When it comes to painting, I have the artistic ability of a pickle. Similarly, some people are natural leaders. Others have learned to become admirable. Others are in the process of becoming well-thought-of. And still others are so bad at it that you almost think they have to be doing it intentionally. Here are four things those people do. Don’t do them, unless you’re excited about the prospect of your employees actively plotting an insurrection. Focus Entirely on Short-Term Goals This is easy to do since short-term goals are much easier to focus on than long-term ones. It’s also a terrible strategy. For example, I have to bathe my dog today, and I don’t want to because it’s messy and he’ll fling soapy water everywhere. It doesn’t fit into my short-term goal of enjoying myself. But if I act on that impulse for long enough, I’ll end up with a house that smells the way nature intended things to smell, which is precisely why people decided to become civilized. In the same way, your shareholders don’t always care about the long-term. They want their annual returns or their quarterly dividends, and often that’s as far as they’re thinking. But if you do everything to gratify that insatiable desire on their part, you’ll make decisions that negatively impact your business. Flaunt Your Authority There are a billion ways to do this, and all of them reek
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of insecurity. Some people like to yell a lot, as though saying things loudly enough will somehow make their ideas better. Others prefer the flashy car or IM RICH vanity plate, which only makes everyone wonder about your physical endowments. In almost every case, these people have confused being successful in business with being a successful leader. You can do all of these things if you want, and people will still work for you if you pay them well enough. But they’ll also be far more likely to jump ship when a better offer comes along, or sell your company secrets if they think they can get away with it. Think You Know Everything Because you don’t. Socrates knew that he didn’t know everything, and he obviously didn’t know hemlock was poisonous or he wouldn’t have drunk it. Did you know large stars have shorter lifespans than smaller ones? Did you know Kansas used to be a rabidly liberal state? Did you know German was almost made the national language of the United States? All those things are true, and I’ll bet you didn’t know at least one of them. So it’s not entirely inconceivable that your employees might have a few good ideas of their own. Treat People Like Resources I know how annoying it is to have labor costs. I, too, yearn for the heady days of the early Industrial Revolution, when you could shove workers into tenement housing and force them to bathe in mercury because class-action lawsuits hadn’t yet taken off. Today’s worst leaders do this in subtler ways, mostly by looking at labor cost as a dollar amount and completely ignoring the unquantifiable intellectual capital that comes with a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. If you need to cut costs and your first instinct is to reduce your headcount, then you shouldn’t bother reading any books about improving your corporate culture – because you don’t really have one to begin with. As you can see, being a terrible leader takes a decent amount of work. Curiously enough, it also takes a decent amount of work to be a good leader. I dare say it requires an equal amount of work to do both. So, all things being equal, why not choose the good path?
Advancing The Essentials: Invaluable Insights
New Revenue Recognition Accounting Pronouncement and Clarification for Contributions Received In 2014 the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) which will be effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2018. This ASU address contracts with customers. The new standards are not expected to change the accounting for pledges receivable, most contributions, split interest agreements, financial instruments, etc. This new set of standards will primarily apply to exchange transactions for not-forprofit organizations. In June 2018 FASB issued an updated standard, Clarifying the Scope and the Accounting Guidance for Contributions Received and Contributions Made (Topic 958), that clarifies when a transaction is an exchange transaction opposed to a contribution. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that revenue should be recognized for the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Currently most association revenues are recorded as exchange transactions. There is a five-step process to recognize revenue under exchange transactions: 1. Identify the contract with the customer 2. Identify the separate performance obligations 3. Determine the transaction price 4. Allocate the transaction price to performance obligations
5. Recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied The effective date of this guidance for not-for-profit entities is for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted and the guidance is required to be applied retrospectively. How will this standard effect notfor-profit organizations, including associations? Many not-for-profits don’t think of themselves as earning revenue from contracts with customers. But an association has members, correct? Are members considered to be customers? And associations certainly have educational offerings and conferences that their members may purchase or attend. There are many facets to adopting this new accounting standard. The majority of a typical associations’ revenue structure are membership dues, educational products, convention and conference receipts, royalties, sales, and publications. A majority of these types of revenue streams are considered exchange transactions and will be subject to the requirements of the new standard. For each of your significant revenue streams, the 5-step process listed above will need to be employed to determine when revenue should be recorded. For educational offerings and convention or conference receipts, the accounting for these transactions is likely to be treated the same as current practice, which is point in
time. For instance, once the webinar has been held or the conference completed, the Association will recognize earned revenue. Assessing the 5-step process for membership dues may be more difficult. Does the member receive commensurate value for the resources provided by them to the Association? If there is a large gap between the value of resources or services the association provides to its member compared to the resources the member pays the association for membership, it may be possible that a portion of those membership dues would be excluded from exchange transaction treatment and be required to be recognized as a contribution. Another potential consideration should be the value of a publication provided to a member as part of their membership dues. Should a portion of the transaction price of the membership dues be allocated to publications as that is a distinct performance obligation? This standard certainly has many complexities associated with it. It will be of utmost importance for the association to begin reviewing and documenting how it earns revenue. We recommend you work with your CPA to help get through this transition and how it will impact your 2019 financial reporting and recognition of revenue. By: Mark Bergquist & Daniel Owens, Olsen Thielen CPAs. Contact Mark or Daniel via email at mbergquist@otcpas.com or dowens@otcpas.com for any questions you may have.
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Conversations: In Focus
Different view points. Different solutions.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to association operations?
One of our biggest challenges is finding software that encompasses all parts of our unique educational processes at a reasonable price point. We are grateful to be utilizing a database that is very customizable but paying for this along with integration isn’t always reasonable. The right tools help us fulfill our mission and meet our members needs, therefore; it’s a challenge finding the tools but important.
Clara DeRosier Executive Director MN Electrical Association
In my opinion, the biggest challenge in association operations is answering this question every day: Are we doing the right things at the right time for the right reasons for the right people? It seems like a simple question but the answer has many layers and goes to the heart of everything the association does. Ted Smith, CAE VP of Operations ACA International
Our mission is to Help Members Succeed. The challenge is finding new ways to effectively accomplish that mission. The answer is to listen, adapt, be creative, take risks and not be afraid to fail. Paul Kaspszak Executive Director MN Municipal Beverage Association
Next issue: What is your best tip for welcoming a new member to your association? Submit your answer & headshot to: angela@associationsnorth.com. 14
For more details and to register, visit: www.associationsnorth.com/calendar
Calendar Of Events: Mark It + Make It
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TUESDAY AUGUST
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SEPTEMBER
Diversity & Inclusion Creating a Welcoming Environment Location: Best Western Plus Capitol Ridge 8:00 am - 12:15 pm
Webinar: Webinar: Building a Member-Centric Culture At Your Desk 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm At the heart of every association is its members, but are you considering them when making decisions across your business? Your members should drive the organization’s mission, programs, and day-to-day activities.
TUESDAY
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When an association values differences and creates a welcoming environment – one that is comfortable, inclusive, and empowering – it opens the door for innovation, increased participation and an elevated sense of community.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER
Webinar: 15 Things to Consider Before Starting an Association Podcast At Your Desk 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Since an association’s podcast is a communication, marketing, and membership development activity, paying special attention to these items will set up your podcast for success. This webinar will help association executives consider 15 attributes of planning and launching a podcast.
Upcoming Events August 8
Member Meet & Greet
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Diversity & Inclusion - Creating a Welcoming Environment
9
Member Visits
13
CEO Meetup Group
10
Headshots Day
13
Webinar: 15 Things to Consider Before Starting an
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Membership Meetup Group
Association Podcast
21
Webinar: Building a Member-Centric Culture
October
15
September
November
7-9
Leadership Conference, Grand View Lodge
7
Meeting Planners Symposium
17
Meetings Meetup Group
9
CEO Meetup Group
25
Communications Meetup Group
13
Membership Meetup Group
15
Brain Power
Cyber Safety for Associations By: Bryce Austin As professional Associations, we need to be noticed to be successful. This puts us in an interesting position: how do we promote our Associations online and still stay safe? 1) Multi-Factor Authentication, or MFA. If a criminal must steal your password AND your smartphone to hack you, you’re much safer than a password alone. Google “multifactor authentication Facebook”, and go through the steps to turn on MFA. Do the same thing for all of your Association’s social media accounts. Next, turn on MFA for your email. This is a bit more involved because you may need “app passwords” for your smartphone, but it’s a one-time issue. Finally, do the same thing for your bank sites and credit cards. If your bank doesn’t offer MFA, find a new bank. 2) Get a password keeper. Imagine you had one key to get into your car, house, your friend’s house, your safety deposit box, and so on. If the key is stolen, you have a very serious problem, and so does your friend who gave you their housekey. Many people use the same password for everything, from Instagram to Vanguard. If any of those
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sites are hacked, your whole life is hacked. There are programs that make it easy to use different passwords. Search Google for “password keeper” and pick one. Dashlane, Lastpass, 1password, and Keypass are examples. 3) Setup a recurring Google search on your own name and on the titles of any books you have written. You’ll be amazed at how many sites will pop up illegally selling your intellectual property. 4) If you have any suspicions of identity theft, setup a permanent credit freeze. It’s a hassle, but it makes it much harder for a criminal to pretend to be you. Go to: equifaxfraudprevention.com/ for quick links. 5) A bit of cyber-hygiene goes a long way. Use a real password on your laptop and a real PIN on your smartphone (NOT 1234, not 121212, not 777777. C’mon people). Encrypt your laptop with bitlocker (Windows 10 Professional or above) or FileVault (Mac). Both are built-in and free. Encrypt your smartphone. All newer iPhones and Android devices support it for free. Backup your social media accounts to a local computer. Search Google to learn how. You can perform all of the above steps in a few hours, and it could save a lifetime of difficulty. Stay safe!
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Associations North & Grand View Lodge Welcome You and Your Team October 7-9, 2018!
Register & Details associationsnorth.com/leadership 19
Et Cetera: Association Extras
WELCOME, NEW MEMBERS! Brandon Brever
MN Asphalt Pavement Association
Abbey Bryduck
MN Asphalt Pavement Association
Kristin Deur
InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront
Genevieve Frazier
Maguire Agency
Kristen Gloege
Minnesota Medical Association
Kelsey Johnson
Iron Mining Association of Minnesota
Patrick Jones
Minnesota Medical Association
Katy Loftquist
Iron Mining Association of Minnesota
Al Lund
Allied Charities of Minnesota (ACM)
Matthew Madeira
MN Youth Soccer Association
Chad Pedersen
Better Business Bureau MN/ND
Terri Phillips
International Association of Exhibitions and Events
Liz Rammer
Hospitality Minnesota
Kathy Vogeler
MN Asphalt Pavement Association
IN MEMORIAM Associations North recently lost long-time member and friend, Carrie Donovan Ford (Rosville Visitors Association]. Throughout Carrie’s career in the convention and tourism industry, she created circles of friends and surrounded herself with vibrant people who could keep pace with her energy and enthusiasm for life. Carrie loved to travel, attend concerts, run marathons, and throw parties. She placed family above all else and her children were the light of her life. Our thoughts go out to Carrie’s family and all who were touched by Carrie’s smile and warm heart. You will be missed Carrie!
ASSOCIATIONS NORTH KICKS OFF 2018-2019 YEAR! Associations North looks forward to exploring new initiatives to elevate the member experience, better serve the association community, and continue to find ways to connect, educate and develop association professionals. 2018-19 renewals have been emailed and mailed, feel free to process online or mail payment. If you have any questions or would like to know how to get your entire staff involved, contact Associations North at Chris@associationsnorth.com or call 651-647-6388.
LOOKING TO GIVE BACK? Volunteering is a great way to give back, make a difference and connect with your peers. Associations North has many ways to volunteer including (but not limited to) event committees, task forces, hosting a meeting, photography, writing, etc. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, please fill out your interest at: associationsnorth.com/volunteer.
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Spotlight: Member In Motion
Janet Silversmith
Get to know industry movers and shakers.
Executive Director Minnesota Medical Association
Favorite cuisine... Chocolate’s a cuisine, right?
My personality in one word: Reliable.
My dream car... I’m not really a car person, but the Batmobile or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would be fun.
Words to live by... Do your best, treat people well, and don’t take yourself too seriously.
First live concert The Who at the St. Paul Civic Center in October 1982.
What keeps me awake at night... The store I would like to max out my credit card:
Usually it’s a cat walking down my legs.
Kindle store.
One short-term goal of mine Windows or Mac?
To help the MMA reboot its strategic plan.
Windows – mostly out of habit.
Live by the ocean, in the mountains or in the woods?
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Ocean – it’s a common vacation spot for my family, is a vivid reminder of the beauty and complexity of our planet, and there are no wood ticks!
If you really knew me, you’d know... I am loyal, kind, stubborn, and a big Gophers fan.
One workplace amenity I would add... Personal chef.
Welcome to your prime destination for meetings and group events. We have the venues, dining and activities to make your stay incredible.
MEET. PLAY. STAY. 320.251.4170 800.264.2940 VISITSTCLOUD.COM
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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