The Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE) announced the installation of its 2019-20 Board of Directors at FSAE’s Annual Conference in Jacksonville, FL. The FSAE Board is comprised of some of Florida’s best leaders in the association industry.

FSAE Board Officers:
Chair: Jim Ayotte, MBA, CAE; Executive Director, FL Manufactured Housing Assn, Tallahassee, FL
Chair-Elect: Lonny Powell; CEO & EVP, FL Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Assn, Ocala, FL
Treasurer: Fran Gilbert, CAE; President & CEO, Starfish Management Solutions, Tallahassee, FL
Secretary: Jaime Caldwell, President, SFL Hospital & Healthcare Assn, Dania Beach, FL
Immediate Past-Chair: Rachel Luoma, CAE; Chief Staff Executive/Vice-President, Partners in Assn Management, Inc., Tallahassee, FL

FSAE is excited to announce our new Membership & Events Coordinator, Lana Steele!

Lana joined the FSAE team in June 2019 as our Membership & Events Coordinator. Her experience in event planning and marketing began with an internship for FL Hospice & Palliative Care Association. Most recently she served as a Private Event Coordinator for the University Center Club.

Thank you for participating in our 2019 FSAE Board Elections. We are pleased to announce our 2019-20 Board of Directors:

Officers:

Chair: Jim Ayotte, MBA, CAE; Executive Director, FL Manufactured Housing Assn 
Chair-Elect: Lonny Powell; CEO & EVP, FL Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Assn
Treasurer: Fran Gilbert, CAE; President & CEO, Starfish Management Solutions
Secretary: Jaime Caldwell, President, SFL Hospital & Healthcare Assn
Immediate Past-Chair: Rachel Luoma, CAE; Chief Staff Executive/Vice-President, Partners in Assn Management, Inc.

FSAE Foundation Online Auction
Open May 31 - June 7

The FSAE Foundation’s Auction has become one of the places to shop. Where else can you find such incredible items and fantastic trips?!? And now, you can browse and buy those items from the comfort of your living room with the Online Auction!

The Online Auction opens Friday, May 31 and closes Friday, June 7 at 2 pm EST. And it’s open to FSAE Members and Non-Members so tell your coworkers, friends & family about the fantastic deals available while supporting professional development and education in the association industry.

www.fsae.org/silentAuction

The FSAE Foundation is proud to announce its 2019 Grant Recipients. Thanks to our generous corporate partners and member contributions, we’ve awarded 29 grants totaling $17,605 for professional development funding. Thank you to all our contributors that make this possible!

Hilton Diversity & Inclusion Grant
Heather Armstrong, Executive Director, Recycle Florida Today, Inc.
Mia Thomas, Director of Learning - Curriculum Development, Florida Institute of CPAs

To hire and retain top-talent for your organization you need to know your salaries and benefits packages are competitive for an association of your size and location.

The FSAE Foundation is here to help ensure you and your employees are taken care of with the 2019 Compensation & Benefits Survey.

Order Your Copy Today!

The Michigan SAE (MSAE) is offering two in-person Complete Review And Mentoring (CRAM) Sessions in April to help anyone taking the CAE exam this May. Sessions include a 200-question practice exam and test-taking approaches to help you succeed. The 20 hour program is ideal for anyone that is self-studying, anyone that is seeing the test again, or someone that needs 20 hours toward a future CAE application. Printed and digital flash cards are also for sale.

Sessions are April 11-13 in Baltimore and April 14-16 in Chicago.

Help Direct the Future of FSAE as a Board Member 

The FSAE Nominating Committee is seeking nominations (self nominations only) for individuals with leadership and management experience to serve as At-Large Members of the Board of Directors. 

FSAE is seeking two (2) At-Large Directors (3-year term) and one (1) Associate At-Large Director (2-year term).

The Certified Association Executive: 2019 and Beyond

By Lowell Aplebaum, CAE, CPF
CAE Commission Chair, 2018-19
Published in January/February 2019 FSAE Source Magazine

As we enter 2019, we find the Certified Association Executive (CAE) continues to serve as our industry’s seminal credential. As of the end of 2018 there were over 4,300 Certified Association Executives. If you have kept an eye on association job boards over the past few years, you probably have noticed the trend of more employers seeking candidates that have their CAE.

Congratulations the six FSAE members who recently earned their Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential:

Amanda Bowen, CAE; Vice President, Nancy D. Stephens & Associates, LLC, Tallahassee, FL
Jennifer Brown, CAE; Director, Membership & Communications, American Academy of Optometry, Orlando, FL
John Piland, CAE; CEO, Shriners International Headquarters, Tampa, FL
Gary Scarboro, CAE; Executive Director, American Institute of Architects Orlando, Orlando, FL
Alexis Simoneau, CAE; Novi Evangelist, Novi AMS, Orlando, FL
Kristi Spargo, CAE; Chief Staff Executive, Partners in Association Management, Tallahassee, FL

These members are part of a group 160 professionals to pass the CAE exam administered in December 2018. We are happy to report that all new CAEs in Florida are already FSAE members! We currently have 127 CAEs in the FSAE membership and there are more than 4,300 worldwide. 

2019 Grant Applications Now Open!

FSAE Foundation Grants Extend Your Budget for Professional Development!
Get the professional development skills and hours you need - with a little help from your friends at FSAE. This year we're pleased to announce over $17,600 - potentially as many as 31 grants are available! New this year: A Year of FSAE to attend Education Expo, Power Luncheons, Think Tank and take the Qualified Association Specialist online program. Learn More

Grants include funding to attend Annual Conference, earn CAE/CMP certifications, and special grants for communication staffers, Young Professionals, Small Staff, Under-Represented Diverse Groups and one specifically for a non-member (tell your friends!). 

The 2018 Foundation Annual Report is now available online - and soon to be delivered with your January/February Source Magazine! See how the Foundation contributions are spent to improve FSAE programs and your professional development.

Thank you Rapid Press for sponsoring the Report!

FSAE19 Hotel Reservations Now Open

Make your plans now to attend FSAE19: Ignite Your Inspiration July 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront! Hotel reservations are open now. Registration opens March 1. 

We have exciting events planned for 2019 - including the bi-annual Think Tank, Annual Conference and luncheons around the state. Our 2019 FSAE at a Glance calendar is here to help you plan and make the most of your membership!

Our online calendar will have details as events get closer next year.

In 2018, FSAE reached 1,188 members - with approximately 600 Association Executives - and we're continuing to grow. In addition, we've offered 45 in-person events and 26 webinars totaling 98 CAE credit hours and 20 CMP hours.

We have even more planned for 2019! Don't miss out on your opportunities for professional development, peer-to-peer networking and support for reaching your career goals.

Help Direct the Future of FSAE as a Board Officer - The FSAE Nominating Committee is seeking nominations (self nominations only) for individuals with leadership and management experience to serve as Officers on the 2019-20 Board of Directors. 

Available Officer Seats: Chair-Elect (3-year commitment), Treasurer (1 year term) and Secretary (1 year term)

The FSAE December Power Luncheon featured a toy drive for families most affected by Hurricane Michael. The drive was part of a city-wide effort through the REBUILD 850 initiative. FSAE members donated an overwhelming 117 toys for our neighbors in need! Thank you all for your participation and generosity!

FSAE staff delivered the five huge bags of toys to the collection site, where all 850 partners and Tallahassee residents were invited to fill the AMWAT truck for delivery. The truck was “at maximum capacity” with donations for families in counties most affected by the hurricane.

FSAE Joins REBUILD 850 to Help Panhandle Recovery Effort 
and Keep Region’s Needs “Front and Center”

In November, the FSAE Board of Directors approved the association to join REBUILD 850, an initiative to help areas of the Florida panhandle affected by Hurricane Michael. REBUILD 850 was recently launched by former Florida House Speakers Allan Bense and Will Weatherford to keep the continuing needs of communities in Florida’s Panhandle “front and center” and coordinate efforts for donations, volunteering and investing in the region.

FSAE is seeking locations for our 2019 events - including our Central and South Florida Power Luncheons, Roundtables, CEO Retreat and Think Tank. This is a great opportunity to bring association executives to your property/location to experience it first hand, especially if you've undergone a recent renovation, are a new property or have something new to show off. Please download our 2019 RFP (Word Doc) to see if we're a good fit to assist you in your goals for booking association business.

We are working with Site Search, Inc. to find locations for our events, which are only possible with the support of our generous Associate Members, like you. As a hosting event sponsor, FSAE features your property/location in all event-related marketing and communications promotions and event attendees gain firsthand exposure to your property/location - which can result in additional business opportunities for you!

Educate Association Executives for the Next Era in Association Management

FSAE wants to ensure association executives are prepared to bring organizations into the next era through education that stimulates interactive discussions and audience engagement. We want attendees at all FSAE 2019 events to return to their associations with a fresh perspective, the ability to implement cultural change and the strategic capacity to deliver and act on new knowledge, no matter their level of association management experience.