Deliver the Goods

If an abrupt pivot wasn’t part of your previous business experience, it’s on your radar now. One of my personal pandemic resets taught me that sometimes a sudden challenge is also an “aha moment”. Of the many shifts in strategy .orgCompanies made over the last year, .orgCommunity’s approach to sponsorship held one of those epiphanies.

When the pandemic drove our signature events to a virtual platform, like everyone else, we had to rethink how we could offer value to the partners who help make our conferences possible. We found success in a new sponsorship equation. Instead of looking at how sponsors could contribute to .orgCommunity, we began considering what our partners could offer our members and how we could use digital strategies to deliver that value.

Shift Perspective

Even before the online migration, it was clear that sponsors were searching for new kinds of relationships with associations. Logo placements and exhibit booths are one-and-done events. The for-profit world understands that technology puts a continuous stream of communication and value within reach.

Although visibility will always be important, thought leadership and education take brands to a new level of recognition. Companies realize that by creating their own expert content, they can bypass the gatekeeper and step into a new and more influential role.

In the past, it was not uncommon to view the associations/sponsor relationship as a minefield of potential conflict of interest. Interaction was primarily transactional and, at times, adversarial. There were more barriers than enhancements to communication.

This shift in perspective may seem like a threat. But when associations take the initiative to utilize their partner’s expertise, it becomes an opportunity. .orgCommunity’s Solutions Center is an example of how we’re delivering on the new sponsorship equation.

The Solutions Center is a hub on our website where our preferred partners post up-to-the-minute information about their products and services. Video case studies, testimonials, and a host of other materials allow the viewer to self-educate.  Members have a 360-degree view of multiple providers that is searchable in a variety of ways. The information is available 24/7, maintained by the sponsors themselves, and offered in a variety of formats.

Video is prominent on the Solutions Center platform. We give the medium pride of place because it is a gateway to deeper engagement and a preferred communications vehicle for younger generations.

Dan Stevens, and his company WorkerBee.TV, helped .orgCommunity maximize our video capacity. WorkerBee.TV specializes in making video accessible for associations. Their Virtual Videographer technology and service lets any group create professional productions. Dan is an authority on all things small screen, an expert at multimedia marketing, and is always at the head of the pack on technology strategy.

During a recent webinar, Dan and Doug Coombs, WorkerBee.TV’s Director of Client Solutions, shared five of their most innovative ideas. These are strategies that offer value for both members and sponsors. This post recaps highlights of our conversation.

Serve What Your Members Want

When you serve the menu members are looking for everyone wins.

When we offer the menu members are looking for, everyone wins.

“Members want three things,” Dan advises. “They look to the association to be informed, educated,  and inspired. Sponsors are seeking to position themselves as thought-leaders and share expertise. Integrating sponsorship goals with your content model is a good strategy to ensure that these interests intersect.”

Each of the five strategies Dan presented fulfill these criteria:

• Benefit both members and sponsors
• Generate non-dues revenue
• Are a proven success
• Offer a lifetime of at least one year, and often longer

These are powerful ideas because, although they begin with video, there is the potential to repurpose and restructure in a variety of mediums at a wide range of price points. This flexibility aligns well with what I call Association 4.0™ leadership and the digital marketplace.

1. Reimagine the Magazine

When was the last time you purchased a magazine? These days, it can even be hard to find one in an airport. A video-zine gives the old-school format a truly contemporary makeover.

“The idea,” Dan advises, “Is to produce lively or thought-provoking content on a consistent theme over a determined time period. The topic might be best business practices, member profiles, or an exploration of a professional innovation or challenge.”

A video-zine gives the old school format a contemporary makeover

This format provides opportunities for multiple partners to contribute content and sponsorship at varying levels. You can structure your video-zine to deliver premium, midrange, and lower-priced solutions. Just like a print publication, you can offer a full-page ad, a front or back cover, or a range of alternatives. The options are only limited by creativity.

2. Make Your Best Content Better

Whether the event is in-person, virtual, or hybrid, associations invest precious resources in producing conferences. That content is too valuable to sit on the shelf.

“We tend to firehose our members with content. That’s not a good digital strategy,” Dan cautioned. “Facebook and the other big online platforms release content at a continuous slow drip so users keep coming back. You can do the same thing.”

Members don’t want to consume all their content in one bite. An ongoing stream of quality information gives your brand and your sponsors continuous visibility. Review your best offerings and consider how you can repackage them to meet users where they are at a given moment.

For example, you might consider turning a full-length presentation into a two-to-three-minute microlearning video or even a social media post. Or create a multipart podcast series or a Video-Zine based on your annual meeting.

3. Promote the Pundits

Your members aren’t the only experts out there. Sponsors have access to cutting-edge information and research. Find out who the pundits are in your corporate community and give them the thought leadership they are seeking. They can help you create an entire portfolio of learning materials with minimal effort and resources. Just be sure that the topics are timely and of interest to your constituents.

When your sponsor posts the video on their website, everyone gets double points. The association maximizes its brand reach, and your partner gains the credibility that only a professional organization can offer.  

4. Provide Solutions

“Exhibitor portals at virtual events typically had a poor result,” Stevens observes. “That’s because they were a temporary solution. After the event, finding your way back to that information is a challenge. Also, gatekeeping sponsor exposure based on a company’s level of support isn’t helpful to members who want to educate themselves and shop online. Members are looking for more than a logo.

A Solutions Center, similar to the site that .orgCommunity created, is a strategy that exemplifies both the new sponsorship equation and a digital perspective. Members can filter, find, and search vendor offerings on their own time. And sponsors receive continuous exposure to the largest possible audience.

5. Distribute Broadly

 Omnichannel distribution is an idea that WorkerBee.TV is piloting with a new docuseries on the future of work, called “Jobs of Tomorrow.” Dan believes the rate of change in the workplace, compounded by a talent shortage, will be a hot-button issue for associations and their members.

“Each episode is designed to tell the story of a member’s changing career,” Dan explains. “We’ll explore how their profession is being transformed by technology, industry, and culture. There’s the opportunity to feature a member or a student in every segment, and highlight experts and sponsors who are helping make these jobs better, faster, safer, and perhaps, greener.”

The series will be promoted in a multimedia campaign. But WorkerBee is also taking distribution a step further by planning to launch the documentary on OTT (over-the-top, or streaming across different devices) distribution, such as Amazon Prime.

“This more public-facing exposure builds awareness about the profession and is a pipeline into organizational pride for today’s members and perhaps for tomorrows too,” Dan observes. “We sold out season one in the first 10 days.”

Use Data

Successful sponsor relationships depend on proving that you can deliver a return on investment. A significant benefit of being digital is the ability to provide those results. When I interviewed Dan for our book Association 4.0: An Entrepreneurial Approach to Risk, Courage, and Transformation, he made this observation.

 “Today, you can measure engagement, satisfaction, and revenue. But many associations are still asking sponsors to support activities where success can’t be evaluated. It’s impossible to count the sales leads you received from having your logo on a lanyard or a sign on the door. When the 60-year-old chief marketing officer retires, the new 35-year-old executive is going to say, ‘I can’t buy it, if I can’t measure it.’ Associations that are empowered to change are seeing incredible gains.”

Whether you try one or all of these ideas, it’s important to remember that in the new member/sponsor equation, digital strategies deliver the value.

Originally posted here

I’LL START WITH the obvious: 2020 and 2021 have brought a new operational mode for associations and for the members you serve. Everyone is operating in crises – and staying relevant is not only a challenge … it is a make-or-break proposition for all associations, industries, organisations and workers.

As we have been isolated from one another, and largely unable to meet in physical spaces in our normal ways, we also find ourselves “out of sight, out of mind” such that communication isn’t another thing. It is the only thing. Communicating with our members and employees effectively impacts everything from membership and retention to worker attrition, productivity, success at the legislature and the success of our programs. And all of that adds up to your members’ sense of value from the dues they pay your association.

The thing about a crisis is that, while disruptive, it can show what your association is made of to your membership, partners and employees. How you behave in those trying times is a glimpse into your worth, your expertise, your temperament and how you serve. Right now is when you can really show why your association is invaluable – and your members won’t understand that unless you are in touch.

As COVID-19 response, social justice and other #TXlege issues continue to eclipse business as usual, you need to know how to get your message through with confidence … even when you don’t know what’s around the corner. Here are some of the best practices we learned and helped support with associations and other sectors throughout the past year and a half:

In a crisis, it comes down to if your people care about you.

This year, we all saw a lot of industries and associations in crisis.

Some failed and some floundered. But the ones that survived and even thrived did so in large part because they had done the work beforehand of learning about their workforce and customers – establishing trust and a sense of mutual respect. This was the glue that kept people loyal and as companies had to pivot. Where people cared about the brand, they were willing to follow.

But of course, just having the appreciation for your membership doesn’t cut it. You need to say it and you need to show it. Reliable communication on platforms your members frequent – with compelling and concise storytelling – is key. You may think your newsletter is great, but if your open and click-through rates aren’t strong, you may need to rethink your efforts. Thought leadership in trade publications, video, podcasts and live streams may be worth exploring IF your stakeholders use those platforms.

Communication is essential.

“Marketing is the first thing to go” people like to quip. But as it turns out, when push comes to shove, communication is a discipline that stands firmly in the middle. In a time when we’re separated physically amid great uncertainty, it is communication that keeps people informed and confident and productive. Think of the industries, colleagues and other brands in your life that took the time to tell you what they knew, what they didn’t and their plan to keep you safe and comfortable throughout the pandemic. That created loyalty and value whether or not you realized it along the way.

When delivering unquestionable value to your members via communication, you must be timely, respective of their time and attention, attuned to their needs and make each transmission a must-view for them. The best messages are always concise, compelling, authentic and thought provoking. Every time you connect with your audience, you want them to remember why they belong to your association – and how they belong within it.

MacGyver had the right idea.

The 1985 series starring Richard Dean Anderson as the guy who could get out of any tricky situation with his ingenuity was fun to watch because it seemed just within the bounds of reason. In 2020, we’ve been reminded of just how cunning people can be. Watching our respective industries and colleagues piece together platforms and new best practices from other fields with their innovative mindset has taught us that the settings and tools are unimportant.

It is not uncommon to have your association’s communication efforts revolve around what you have always done or what leadership likes to see (or even what other associations do). But if you are tired of putting them together, there’s a good chance the recipients are tired of reading them. What matters in terms of getting things done is keeping your members’ interests at heart and to feel empowered to turn over every stone (and, if you have to, blow them up with a battery, some chewing gum and a paperclip).

Most importantly, communication is a two way street.

The turmoil of the ongoing public health crisis, social justice conversations, political unrest, disrupted supply chains and the “great resignation” has unquestionably changed your association and your relationship with your members, who are operating in a whole new world. If you expect to remain among their priorities and to serve them in a robust way, then you need to be asking them regularly what they need, how they want to hear from you, what keeps them up at night and how you can be of service to them.

And then you need to keep that conversation going.

David Wyatt is Senior Vice President at Elizabeth Christian Public Relations (ECPR), a public relations firm specializing in projects involving media relations, video production, legislative and grassroots efforts, social media planning and execution, business development, event planning and crisis communications. He can be reached at dwyatt@echristianpr.com.

Originally posted here

AuSAE Premium Alliance Partner, Advanced Solutions International (ASI), a leading global provider of software and services for associations and non-profits, is hosting two live webinars to help Association Executives improve their member journey and set their associations up for a successful 2022.

Is Your Membership Renewal Journey Magical or Miserable?

Date: Tuesday, 16 November 2021
Time: 2pm to 3pm AEDT / 4pm to 5 pm NZDT
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/8616363644824/WN_gwbw76HKTeapg_uP6jyXdg

During what has been some of the most challenging times for associations, it’s become increasingly important for Association leaders to step into their member’s shoes and see things from their perspective. When you do -- you might just be horrified by your membership renewal process!

In this webcast, learn how to draw insights from your data, use personalisation and automation to create a compelling, cohesive and frictionless member experience through the renewal process -- and unlock a deeper understanding of the journey members go through to engage with your association and renew.

The following steps in the member renewal journey will be reviewed:

• Confidence in your data to inform decisions
• Driving personalisation
• Using automation to direct the next steps
• Tracking and measuring the execution

Your members’ journey through membership renewal may just horrify you!

Ensuring Your Member Onboarding Journey Gets Results

Date: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Time: 2pm to 3pm AEDT / 4pm to 5 pm NZDT
Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/4416363652356/WN_pvJeCNXATaC_lZoNgTlaAg

A clear and engaging member onboarding strategy is your best member retention tool and fundamental to your association’s continued success. In this webcast find out how to ensure your member onboarding journey gets results for your association.

You’ll learn how you can support a defined onboarding journey, align it to your strategy, and deliver a personalised, frictionless experience for the new member.

The webinar will cover:

• Aligning your member onboarding journey goals with your strategy
• Driving personalisation
• Actively adjust journey execution to meet expected outcomes

View full schedule at: www.advsol.com/webcasts

About ASI

Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is a leading global provider of products, programs, and services that help associations and non-profits improve operational and financial performance. Since 1991 we've helped thousands of clients grow revenue and reduce expenses by providing industry expertise, best practice advice, and proven solutions. 

ASI is the developer of iMIS EMS, the world’s #1 association and non-profit software solution, and the only Engagement Management System (EMS)™ – fusing database management and web publishing into a single system – leading to operational efficiencies, revenue growth, and continuous performance improvement. Harnessing the power of Microsoft Azure’s cloud platform, iMIS EMS is purpose-built to meet the most important challenge facing associations and non-profits – Engagement. We have a global network of nearly 100 partners to provide you with a full range of services to implement and support your iMIS EMS platform.

 ASI is proud to be an AuSAE Premium Alliance Partner.  Learn more at www.advsol.com/ausae.

With a very successful 2021, training over 180 associations, we are pleased to announce the return of the Digital Academy in 2022! Due to the positive feedback we received from Associations all over the globe, we’re coming back even stronger. The Digital Academy in 2022 will see double the number of courses and double the value! Register now to secure your spots.

• Double the number of courses in 2022!
• 20 courses to choose from, covering Association Strategy & Engage iMIS.
• Brand new passport registration options are available.
• 2-3 Association Strategy favourites coming back new & improved.
• iMIS training courses condensed into 2-hour sessions every fortnight.
• Applications are open for the Digital Scholarship program valued at $15,000.

Enrol Now for 2022

Digital Academy Scholarship Program

In 2022, we would also like to give back. We’re offering eligible organisations in the association community within Australia and New Zealand with 10 x Academy Experience Company passports as part of our Digital Scholarship Program valued at $1,500 each. See the eligibility criteria and apply.

Apply for a Scholarship

For more information, visit www.causeis.com.au 

We know a common conversation you may have as an Association leader is centred on how to refine and articulate your organisation’s ‘value proposition’ and how to understand your member’s perception of the ‘value’ you give. It is an ever-evolving and important piece of work for all leaders, especially after the tumultuous environment of the past two years.

If you want to rethink or validate your Association’s value, look no further – there’s help at hand.

Our colleagues over at Zadro, a communications agency who work extensively with Association leaders, have launched a White Paper for Associations: Communicating Your Value to Members Year-On-Year.

Get the insights and support you need to understand and communicate your value, to spearhead your membership retention, engagement and growth strategies for 2022 and beyond.

Click here to access Zadro’s White Paper for Associations.

Read the white paper, talk about it with Felicity Zadro at our upcoming AuSAE webinar: How to communicate your Association's value in 2022 and beyond

New Zealand has built upon its earth science strengths to win the 22nd International Sedimentological Congress (ISC) in 2026.

The ISC is one of the largest international conferences dedicated to the study of sedimentary rocks and the processes by which they are formed. The ISC is rarely held in the Southern Hemisphere but in 2026 it will be hosted by Geoscience Society of New Zealand’s Sedimentology Special Interest Group (SSIG).

The congress is expected to attract up to 1,000 participants to Tākina, Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre and deliver an estimated $3.4m to the economy.

Lead organiser and Senior Geologist at GNS Science, Dr Mark Lawrence, says: “This congress will be an excellent opportunity to showcase New Zealand sedimentology and for networking with international sedimentologists.”

Tourism New Zealand works with experts across the country and the business events industry to support New Zealand to bid for and win international conferences.

Tourism New Zealand General Manager Domestic & Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer says:“Conferences like this showcase our expertise to the world and help grow our knowledge at home. They also deliver significant economic gains that benefit the New Zealand economy.”

The conference win is testament to both New Zealand’s strengths in earth science and its ability to provide fascinating first-hand experiences in the field, Dr Lawrence adds.

“Geologically New Zealand is very interesting. It has a whole range of geological attributes concentrated in a relatively small geographic area. Then you have the impact of tectonics, and climate change. It’s essentially a neat, small-scale laboratory,” he says.

The theme for the congress will be ‘Sedimentation on active plate margins through time and space’ and will include field trips across the country covering as broad a range of sedimentary systems in Zealandia as possible. Topics relating to Māori and Pacifica views of the sedimentary process will also be included.

Dr Lawrence says the congress is an excellent opportunity to engage the next generation of sedimentologists, who will be able to attend with fewer costs since the event is close to home.

“It will be particularly good for students who may otherwise be unlikely to attend such a prestigious event overseas. For those starting out in the field it’s a great opportunity to make these international contacts.”

Plans are also underway to ensure the conference has wider outreach to New Zealanders, through public lectures or learning experiences for school age children.

Wellington will be the host city, providing both a core of knowledge in earth science via Victoria University and geological affiliated research institutes GNS Science and NIWA, and a brand-new conference venue.

WellingtonNZ General Manager David Perks says the capital’s central location makes it the perfect location for this congress.

“Being so central to the rest of New Zealand means all the site visits to be undertaken by delegates are very accessible. And while here they’ll be able to enjoy our great eateries and bars and all Wellington has to offer, learning more about the history of New Zealand right across the road at Te Papa – New Zealand’s national museum, and getting closer to nature at Zealandia.

“While the congress doesn’t happen until 2026, it’s great to see that Tākina is already front of mind for international organisations. It was specifically designed to host international conferences of this size.”

Professional development could be just the thing to help revive members’ sense of joy around their careers—but only if it’s presented and marketed correctly, says learning strategist Tracy King.

With a full 20 months of the pandemic shifting livelihoods and approaches to working, it’s perhaps inevitable that burnout was going to affect how members approach their careers.

Burnout isn’t just about long hours and piles of work, though. It’s also about joy—or rather, lack of it. So how can you help your members rediscover the delight they once took in their fields? Tracy King, CAE, CEO and chief learning strategist of InspirEd, suggests that a fresh approach to professional development might be the path forward—especially given that the conversation has moved past talking through our feelings about the pandemic.

“The question really has shifted to what creates energy for learners and constituents,” she said.

King points to two particular things that can help turn professional development into a redemptive moment: content outcomes, or the benefits that they see from the lessons they’ve learned; and an energizing experience, often built from a strong community element.

Naturally, learners can still feel stress piling on from external sources, including losing the time and energy being diverted to education. But King explained that if the session is worthwhile, it can be a big boost of energy to the overall psyche.

“If I leave that space with human connection and an immediate action I can take, suddenly my attitude shifts completely and I recognize, ‘That was an amazing, well-spent piece of time there,’” she said.

SELL SOLUTIONS, NOT STRESS

Of course, the idea of bringing people into a professional development environment doesn’t work if the people you’re trying to reach are turned off by it. If the idea of even taking part in an educational session stresses them out, you might need to rethink your marketing strategy.

“What is really driving people to professional development, especially now, is solving problems. So they see themselves and their challenge in that program description and marketing copy, you’re gonna pique their interest,” King said. “Because right now it feels like there are so many problems, so if we can solve this little situation over here, our load will feel so much lighter.”

King explained that it’s the content’s job to ease this load, but that the presentation can help as well. She pointed to the original use case for webinars—educational formats, designed for universities, that allowed for interactive learning, rather than as a mere one-to-many presentation format.

“So we’ve got to take it back to its roots and think about how this virtual technology can be used as a forum for utilizing all these interactive capabilities,” she said.

EMPHASIZE COMMUNITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Of course, not everyone needs the same type of education at the same time—and not everyone has the time to attend in-person or online.

So it remains important to offer options in more passive forms, such as podcasts and web content, or formats designed for asynchronous learning. But King said that ultimately, it should build to an interactive setting in the long run.

“You get to a point in that learning journey where you realize, well, there’s a bigger next step I need to take,” she said. “And that’s where that live program comes to play.”

By teaming the more passive and interactive settings together, it creates an opportunity for what King called a “connected constellation” of options that come together to offer a deeper learning experience.

“If we can, at least with some of our high-priority content, create a more networked experience, we’ll develop a relationship with our learner constituents through our content,” she said.

LISTEN CLOSELY TO MEMBER NEEDS

King suggests that associations shouldn’t ask what their members want—as they might suggest more tactical solutions that don’t get at the underlying problems—but that they should listen intently to conversations in the community, in a way that goes beyond surveys.

“Often our constituents don’t know what’s going to relieve this heaviness,” she said.

But by listening in on conversations happening on community engagement platforms and social media, you may be able to uncover threads that can be turned into opportunities for education.

“Really be listening for where the friction is in their work-life balance and in their career,” King added.

Originally posted here

On the Take 5 with Associations show presented by AuSAE and ASI, we chat with Lyndal Macpherson, Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM), to see how they are keeping their members engaged and how they are embracing technology.

Our host Paul Ramsbottom, Managing Director of ASI, talks with Lyndal about the recent launch of the ASUM Connect online community platform and a successful awareness campaign.

Lyndal says, “Our online community provides 2-way communication which has helped improve member engagement and our work with members.”

“One of the great things with the online community is the single sign-on with our database. Everything is linked together and makes the experience much easier for members,” added Lyndal.

ASUM are also looking at webinars and different educational tools for members. Lyndal says, “But, it’s how we integrate the technology and get the benefits. The technology is almost impossible to keep up with, as things change so much. It’s a never-ending battle to try and understand it and see what is fit for purpose.”

From innovation, collaboration, and learnings, Lyndal’s shares a success story from their Medical Ultrasound Awareness Month to get people to understand what a sonographer is and help raise awareness in the community.

Last month, ASUM received a member request via their online community platform to provide posters for their members to use, put in department or private practice. This resource was a way to help their members spark a conversation or educate the public as they come through the practice.

This initiative enabled ASUM to collaborate with members, test ideas and poster concepts and ensure all specialities were included.

Lyndal says, “It was a fantastic success. We were able to measure downloads and engagement on social – it was a really successful and campaign.”

By embracing digital technology, ASUM can create meaningful connections for members and continuously improve their member experience. 

Click the link to give it a watch.

Would you like to participate in the Take 5 with Associations web show? Contact the team at AuSAE via info@ausae.org.au or 1300 764 576.

About The Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine

The Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) is the Peak Body for Medical Ultrasound in Australia and New Zealand. ASUM is promoting ultrasound excellence and ensuring quality health outcomes when using ultrasound.

About ASI

Advanced Solutions International (ASI) is a leading global provider of products, programs, and services that help associations and non-profits improve operational and financial performance. Since 1991 we've helped thousands of clients grow revenue and reduce expenses by providing industry expertise, best practice advice, and proven solutions. 

ASI is the developer of iMIS EMS, the world’s #1 association and non-profit software solution, and the only Engagement Management System (EMS)™ – fusing database management and web publishing into a single system – leading to operational efficiencies, revenue growth, and continuous performance improvement. Harnessing the power of Microsoft Azure’s cloud platform, iMIS EMS is purpose-built to meet the most important challenge facing associations and non-profits – Engagement. We have a global network of nearly 100 partners to provide you with a full range of services to implement and support your iMIS EMS platform.

ASI is an AuSAE Premium Alliance Partner - www.advsol.com/ausae

After almost two years that have been like no other, it is now more important than ever to recognise individuals making extraordinary contributions to their Associations and the sector more broadly across Australia and New Zealand.

Nominations for the 2022 Association Influencers Awards are now open and will close at midnight on Sunday, 5 December 2021.

Associations are well known for bringing together people and making a positive impact through their value across society, the economy, and the environment. In it’s second year, the Australasian Society of Association Executive’s (AuSAE) Association Influencers Awards provide an excellent opportunity to recognise people who make significant contributions to the lives of the people they represent and serve.

The awards were established in 2020 to recognise association leaders for their outstanding contribution of the sector in Australia and New Zealand. In the inaugural year, AuSAE recognised 13 Association Influencers.

Toni Brearley, Chief Executive Office of AuSAE says, "It’s our privilege to recognise outstanding individuals making a significant and lasting impact within our tribe and setting the benchmark for association professionals into the future".

Countless people play a vital role in creating a stronger association sector and making their community a better place to live, work and play.

A panel judges the awards, including representatives from a group of prominent leaders in Australia and New Zealand with knowledge, experience, and passion for the association sector.

Associations have gone above and beyond to help their members and community during the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, bushfires, and floods. Now, it's time to recognise individuals for their outstanding contributions to the association sector.

Nominating is simple and can be done online. More details on how to nominate and eligibility information can be found here.

Take the first step and register your interest to nominate here. 

Over the last year we’ve seen the insidious rise of ransomware and other common attack vectors attacks across the globe and even here in Aotearoa New Zealand - with one of the most recent high profile ones taking down the networks at the Waikato District Health Board.

In a time where we are constantly being disrupted, this upswing in attacks reminds us that we need to be ever vigilant of this type of activity. In this session we’ll be looking back over 2021 at all the highlights of the year, the learnings we’re gathering and also share latest news on how we can be prepared for any attack.

 Our speakers will be:

Peter Bailey, the Executive General Manager at Aura.

Hilary Walton, CISO Kordia Group

This is a free online event thanks to the support of Kordia.  The second event in this series is planned to be in person in February 2022.

Register here