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Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE) Becomes Independent Chapter of Association Forum

By Adam Natali posted 11-20-2020
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CHICAGO (November 19, 2020)— Association Forum and the Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE) have worked together for several years and announced a strategic partnership earlier this year. Through a new agreement, ISAE will become an independent chapter of Association Forum. “These are unprecedented times. We’re experiencing three pandemics at once: social, health and economic. This has created financial hardship within our community, requiring deeper partnerships and collaborations to navigate toward a new reality,” says Michelle Mason, president and CEO, Association Forum. She adds, “this agreement with ISAE will provide new benefits to their ...
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Build a Successful Sponsorship Program by Talking with Your Sponsors by Dan Kowitz and Bruce Rosenthal

By Adam Natali posted 11-19-2020
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Association executives grapple with many questions about their corporate sponsorship programs: from what benefits to offer to what fees to charge; from how to determine sponsor renewal anniversary dates to how to structure prospectuses and fulfillment reports. In addition, association executives are wondering about the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on their corporate sponsors and partners. We’ve uncovered a reliable way to find answer these and other questions about your association’s corporate sponsorship program: Ask your corporate sponsors! Here are five things we’ve heard when we’ve interviewed corporate sponsors on behalf of our clients: 1. “The ...
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ASSOCIATIONS CAN REAP THE BENEFITS OF NEW SPONSORSHIPS AT VIRTUAL EVENTS – BY BRUCE ROSENTHAL AND CHRIS GLOEDE

By Adam Natali posted 10-15-2020
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As Chicagoland associations face the challenges of revenue declines from member dues, conference registrations, and expo fees .... one unexpected solution is revenue growth from sponsors at virtual events, according to a recently-released white paper . The New Sponsorship Model for Virtual Events provides a playbook for generating sponsor value through virtual conferences. We combined our expertise in sponsorship development and digital transformation to develop a new event sponsorship approach for this pandemic-changed business environment. Virtual Events are Different Than In-Person Events – in a Good Way For decades, conference sponsorships have featured ...
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Election Security Study: More Than Half of Tech Pros Are Less Confident Now Than Before the Pandemic (Article by ISACA)

By Adam Natali posted 09-16-2020
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ISACA research points to the need for more training and education In the lead-up to the 2020 US elections, the nonpartisan global technology association ISACA surveyed more than 3,000 IT governance, risk, security and audit professionals in the US in January and again in July. Results show that confidence levels in securing the election are low—and declining. While federal, state and local governments continue to harden election infrastructure technical controls and security procedures, 56 percent of respondents are less confident in election security since the pandemic started—signaling the need for greater education of the electorate and training of election ...
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Press Release: Association Forum Announces Holiday Showcase Pivots to Virtual in 2020, Taps Northstar Meetings Group as Strategic Production and Marketing Partner

By Adam Natali posted 09-10-2020
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Association Forum Announces Holiday Showcase Pivots to Virtual in 2020, Taps Northstar Meetings Group as Strategic Production and Marketing Partner Annual Conference, Now in Its 32 nd Year, to Welcome Professionals Virtually from All Areas of Association Management, Dec. 15-16, 2020 SECAUCUS, N.J. and CHICAGO (Sept. 9, 2020) – Association Forum announced today that Holiday Showcase® 2020 , a leading industry event for association professionals, will be produced virtually this year. Scheduled for Dec. 15-16, 2020, and fully committed to its theme – “Connecting the Association Community” – Holiday Showcase® 2020 ...
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Press Release: Goodwill TalentBridge partners with Association Forum to provide access to employment resources for Chicagoland business professionals

By Adam Natali posted 08-05-2020
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Goodwill TalentBridge, a full-service staffing and recruitment firm part of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago and Association Forum, a member-based organization serving the Chicagoland association industry have come together to help thousands of workers currently facing unemployment. For the past ten years, TalentBridge has been working to find hiring and job placement solutions for companies and individuals ranging from entry level to senior executive positions. Under the new partnership, over 4,000 Forum members will have access to: Targeted job leads in a variety of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, ...
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The First Step to A New Beginning- by Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE

By Adam Natali posted 06-18-2020
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Juneteenth is short for “June Nineteenth” which marks the end of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865 when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas to take control of the state and to ensure that all enslaved people be freed. This was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 stating that all enslaved people be freed in the confederate states. The 155-year-old celebration of Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee day, and Emancipation Day. It grew with more participation from slave descendants as they acknowledged this as their Independence Day and spread to other states. ...
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Association Forum partners with ISSA and Global Biorisk Advisory Council to offer online course in combating coronavirus and other biohazards in the workplace

By Adam Natali posted 06-11-2020
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CHICAGO (June 9, 2020)— Association Forum and ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, have formed a strategic partnership to help Forum members prepare for, respond to and recover from the novel coronavirus and other infectious agents. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ISSA and its Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) division released two new programs to train individuals and accredit facilities, respectively. As part of the partnership, Association Forum will leverage its voice in the Chicagoland area and beyond to promote: The GBAC Fundamentals Online Course, an e-learning course that trains cleaning professionals on infection and ...
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Let's All Breathe- by Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE

By Adam Natali posted 06-04-2020
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"I Can't Breathe" are three words that changed the world. These are the final words spoken by George Floyd, an unarmed black man who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. These are the final words heard from Eric Garner, an unarmed black man who died in New York City from excessive force used by law enforcement. These despicable crimes are happening far too often. The black and brown communities cannot breathe until there is a greater level of accountability in addressing the systemic racism in America, and all communities unite for a cure. As a black female, I grieve because these words could have been spoken by my brothers, uncles, cousins and friends. ...
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Press Release: Association Forum conducts historic diversity, equity & inclusion research in its Welcoming Environment® study

By Adam Natali posted 06-03-2020
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CHICAGO (June 1, 2020)— Association Forum has embarked on the next phase of its Welcoming Environment initiative through completion of a national research study to validate practices and assumptions on diversity, equity and inclusion. A Welcoming Environment is part of Association Forum’s core values and defined as the creation of a sense of belonging and connectedness that engages individuals in an authentic manner in which uniqueness is valued, respected and supported through opportunities and interaction. “A Welcoming Environment drives deeper engagement and increased participation within the association community and will ultimately increase revenue and ...
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A Message to Our Members

By Adam Natali posted 06-01-2020
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Dear Association Forum Members, Let's remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., "Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." This weekend, we were shaken by the destruction our beautiful City of Chicago experienced. We strongly support freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. We advocate for human rights and equal opportunities for all. We know that positive and collective voices impact change. We ask for hearing, healing and strength to unite our Chicagoland community and other cities across the nation to emerge above this moment in our history. We know that hearing requires ...
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Press Release: Association Forum to focus on digital event training as part of a partnership with PCMA

By Adam Natali posted 05-28-2020
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CHICAGO (May 28, 2020)— Association Forum and PCMA are pleased to announce an education partnership. With over 7,500 members and a global audience of over 50,000, PCMA is the world’s largest network of business events strategists. Association Forum will leverage its voice in the Chicagoland area and beyond to promote PCMA’s Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification and Digital Events Fast Track course to its members. A unique code will allow Association Forum’s members to purchase the products at the PCMA member rate. “Training in digital events is more relevant now than ever before,” said Michelle Mason, president and CEO of Association Forum. “Our ...
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A Sobering, Honest Look at the Virtual Meetings’ Future- By Paul Bergeron

By Adam Natali posted 04-30-2020
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By Paul Bergeron Here’s a checklist of a few dozen questions and critical things meeting planners and their CEOs might not have considered when looking to plan their first virtual meetings, based on comments from a veteran Assn meeting planner. Caution: There’s not a lot of uplifting points made on this list. Rather, it’s a sober dose of reality. ZOOM FATIGUE Right now, it’s all-aboard for most associations when it comes to holding a virtual meeting now, but what tolerance will your members have for laptop-based communications such as Zoom a month from now, much less in the fall or by year’s end? When does Zoom fatigue set in? It’s only mid-April ...
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Three Reasons Why Every Association Must Develop COVID-19 Scenarios of the Future- By Jeff De Cagna

By Adam Natali posted 04-28-2020
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By Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE, Executive Advisor, Foresight First LLC Join Jeff for his webinar, "Developing Your Association's COVID-19 Scenarios of the Future," on Wednesday, May 6 from 2-3:30 p.m. CDT. Please use this link to learn more and to register. The webinar is free for Association Forum members and $39 for non-members. As association decision-makers strive to navigate the most serious disruption of our lifetimes, there is a crucial question they must ask: how can we better understand, anticipate, and prepare for a full range of plausible futures created by the COVID-19 pandemic? The most generative answer is the development of provocative ...
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We cannot accept a “New Normal”- By Douglas J. Dvorak

By Adam Natali posted 04-22-2020
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The COVID-19 crisis is unusual. It is extraordinary, heartbreaking, unsettling and worrisome. It is also an opportunity for the meetings and travel industry to show the world why we are duty-bound to our core mission. During this time we have attended more virtual meetings than ever before. I have been so impressed with organizations like Association Forum, PCMA, MPI and more who have swiftly adapted to correspond, present vital information and continue to do what is most important -- bring us together. We are very fortunate as a community to have virtual meetings. They allow us to extend what is necessary while reinforcing why we need to get together once ...
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Association Forum introduces partnership with the Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE)

By Adam Natali posted 04-22-2020
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CHICAGO (April 17, 2020) — Association Forum and the Illinois Society of Association Executives (ISAE) are pleased to announce their strategic partnership. Through a new agreement, ISAE’s more than 400 members will now receive Forum Plus membership. “This partnership brings together the two pre-eminent organizations representing association professionals across the State of Illinois and Chicagoland,” said Sara Decatoire, executive director of ISAE. “It also provides access to diversified thought leadership, allowing for greater innovation and education for all of our members. State and federal advocacy efforts will be enhanced by the increased number of ...
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Work From Home Tips From our Staff

By Adam Natali posted 04-14-2020
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Working from home this past month has given our team the opportunity to fine tune our techniques and workspaces, so we wanted to take a second to share some things we’ve discovered. We also encourage you to share your own tips in the comments section below. Sabrina Adams Membership Coordinator Have a designated workspace. I found that separating my workspace from my living space allows me to turn off my working brain when the day is over. Caryn Adolph Manager to the Executive Office Spending long periods looking at computer, phone, or tablet screens can strain the eyes. Using the 20-20-20 rule can help to prevent this problem. The rule says that ...
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Why Are Associations Important Right Now?- By Amy Thomasson

By Adam Natali posted 04-08-2020
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Why Are Associations Important Right Now? By Amy Thomasson, Marketing Director, Congress of Neurological Surgeons Currently, association management professionals are reinventing, repurposing, and redefining our products, services, roles, and organizations in the midst of uncertainty. Changing times are trying times, and it can be difficult to find positivity in a pandemic. Personally, when facing chaos and confusion, I find that leaning into my ‘why’ or purpose provides me with clarity. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you ...
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ILLINOIS HOSPITALS ISSUE PLEA FOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES

By Matthew Baldwin posted 03-26-2020
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March 19, 2020 Contact: Danny Chun 847-736-0108,  dchun@team-iha.org ILLINOIS HOSPITALS ISSUE PLEA FOR MEDICAL SUPPLIES N95 Masks Critically Needed to Protect Healthcare Workers As They Care for COVID-19 Patients Naperville and Springfield – The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA) today issued a plea to the leaders of associations for the construction industry, dentists, veterinarians, and other groups that may be able to help the state’s more than 200 hospitals protect their healthcare workers as they care for COVID-19 patients. IHA is asking the organizations to donate face masks or N95s to their local hospitals. “Hospitals ...
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Insights on how we spun up our virtual conference in a week's time- By Bob Moore

By Adam Natali posted 03-23-2020
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By Bob Moore, CAE, Executive Director, American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians Hi all, I've replied to some posts and have received a few questions so I pieced together how we at the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians launched our virtual conference this week. It was to start 3/18 in New Orleans with record registration just over 2,000. We held out until 3/11, but had no choice but to cancel given the escalation of COVID-19. Seeing that COVID-19 was going to affect our on-site attendance we started talking about ways to have a hybrid event a week or so before we canceled. This helped give us a running start when we canceled the in-person ...
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