Dear member,
On Monday 14 April, the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) held its Annual General Meeting in Brisbane. For those members who were not able to attend the meeting, it is my pleasure to provide you with key highlights of the 2013 financial year.
60 Years Young
The operating landscape for associations and other not-for-profit organisations has changed dramatically since AuSAE first began in 1954. The AuSAE Board understands that the changing pace of technology, improved global communications and the differing needs of various member segments have combined to put an increased responsibility on associations to provide tangible value to members and other stakeholders.
As AuSAE enters its 60th year, we are pleased to announce that our ambitious plan to adapt to these changes to better serve the specific needs of our membership, has already achieved significant success during 2013. We are looking forward to building on that success during 2014 and beyond.
2013: A Year of Positive Transformations, Membership Growth and Community Engagement
There is no doubt that the 2013 financial year was one of significant transformation for AuSAE. During 2013 AuSAE has seen our community of not-for-profit leaders grow to over 10,000 individuals with our financial membership growing from 135 to 566 members (as at 31 December 2013). This represents a 319% growth in membership. With our membership numbers already at 596 as at March 31, 2014, we are within sight of achieving our target of 800 financial members by the end of 2014.
Over the course of 2013, we engaged strongly with our broader stakeholder community with some 3500 individuals attending over 60 events throughout Australia and New Zealand. This activity indicates a strong future for AuSAE that we are looking forward to continuing to build upon.
A new way forward
In January 2014 the AuSAE board, management and key stakeholders took part in a strategic planning session run by Steven Bowman from Conscious Governance. It produced our 2014-2016 strategic plan and united us all behind a single agreed vision:
To be the pre-eminent organisation equipping individual leaders to achieve the vision of their not-for-profit organisation.
To position AuSAE to achieve this vision now, and into the future, our strategic plan revolves around the following key strategies. We are currently in the process of operationalising these strategies and you will soon start to see these embedded into our programming.
1) Ensuring the member experience reflects the AuSAE vision.
2) Developing strong member communities (both online and offline).
3) Positioning AuSAE for strong future growth.
4) Enhancing the profile and credibility of AuSAE.
Board of Directors
To oversee the implementation of the new strategic plan, I am pleased to announce the 2014 AuSAE Board of Directors:
• Tony Steven, CEO, Australian Medical Association Tasmania (President)
• Nick Hill, CEO, Building Officials Institute of New Zealand (Vice President)
• Michelle Trute, CEO, Diabetes Australia Queensland
• Graham Catt, CEO, Australian Veterinary Association
• Jon Bisset, General Manager, Community Broadcasting Association
• Kirsty Kelly, CEO, Planning Institute of Australia
• Brett Jeffrey, Sales & Marketing Manager, Events and Venues Rotorua
• Rachel Drummond, Marketing Officer, Rural Health Workforce Australia
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our departing Board members who have completed their terms with AuSAE: Sarah Bachmann, National Precast Concrete Association of Australia; Julie O’Donovan, Diabetes Australia (Qld); Anne Thornton; and Randall Pearce, Think: Insight & Advice.
Successful Partnership with Strategic Membership Solutions
At the end of 2012 the board made the calculated risk to try a previously untested model of association management. They agreed to a proposal by Strategic Membership Solutions (SMS)headed up by Belinda and Julian Moore whereby, from 2013, SMS would take on the responsibility - and full financial risk - of turning AuSAE around and restoring AuSAE to its previous pre-eminent position within the sector.
As a result of SMS taking on full financial responsibility for AuSAE there was limited financial activity through the 2013 AuSAE reviewed accounts. As a result these accounts do not reflect the significant changes over the past year.
The underwriting of AuSAE was a short term solution designed to provide AuSAE with the substantial resources needed to quickly achieve a successful turnaround. This has been a hugely successful strategy that has already far exceeded the Board’s expectations and targets.
As a result, the board is pleased to announce, that from 1 January 2015, AuSAE will again resume full financial responsibility for the organisation with Belinda Moore continuing to personally drive the turnaround as AuSAE CEO (in addition to her work with SMS). Further information regarding the transition will be communicated as this date approaches.
Congratulations
Lastly, on behalf of the Board, I would like to congratulate Belinda Moore and her team on the extraordinary success they have achieved for AuSAE in 2013. We look forward to seeing our AuSAE community continue to flourish throughout 2014.
Warm Regards,
Tony
Tony Steven
President
Australasian Society of Association Executives
E: president@ausae.org.au P: 1300 764 576
