Supplier News:
Smith Bucklin is the new AMC for the Research Chefs Association and will provide complete association management services from its headquarters in Chicago. The RCA serves approximately 2,000 food industry professionals involved in culinary research and development.
Professional associations are missing opportunities to increase member recruitment, retention and participation, according to a recent study by Abila, a provider of software and services to approximately 8,000 associations and nonprofit organizations. The study highlighted the fact that organizations often aren’t on the same page with their members in terms of what their constituents want from the association or society. Findings of the study suggest recruiting members early in their career to increase engagement; creating membership segments by professionals’ demographics; boosting career/job search/networking offerings; and reducing over-emphasis of meetings and advocacy.
Bostrom, a professional services firm offering management, consulting and outsourcing to nonprofit, recently achieved re-accreditation by the American Management Consulting Institute. AMCI accreditation, based on American National Standards Institute’s Standard of Good Practice, is recognized by organizations such as ASAE and The Center for Association Leadership. Fewer than 20 percent of association management companies have obtained this certification.
“We applaud Bostrom on this significant achievement,” said AMCI Chair Greg Schultz. “AMCI re-accreditation requires that AMCs demonstrate adherence to operational and ethical best practices, as outlined in the AMCI ANSI standard.”
ASAE, American Medical Association, Democratic National Committee’s, Fantasy Sports Trade Association, SnowSports Industries America, Research Chefs Association, plus supplier news.
Association News:
ASAE has announced its 2016 Power of A Award winners, posting the complete list of Gold and Silver winners here. According to the award website, “ASAE created the Power of A Awards to showcase how associations leverage their unique resources to solve problems, advance industry/professional performance, kick start innovation and improve world conditions. Associations are involved in activities every day that make a substantial, positive impact on our lives.”
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has released a discussion draft of a bipartisan bill on postal reform, aimed at making the USPS more financially viable. Key highlights include enhancing revenue and improving efficiency; keeping mail costs affordable; encouraging innovation; requiring Postal Service retirees to enroll in Medicare to remain eligible for government benefits; restructuring and streamlining the Board of Governors, increasing accountability; and consolidating the Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission Offices of Inspector General into one entity. Despite calling the House measure a “marked improvement” over the Senate measure, The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association will not support it. The public may comment on the draft of the bill until June 29.
In the wake of the Orlando terrorist shootings, the American Medical Association voted on Tuesday to lobby the U.S. Congress to fund more research on ownership. The association also took the step to classify gun violence as a public health issue. “With approximately 30,000 men, women and children dying each year at the barrel of a gun in elementary schools, movie theaters, workplaces, houses of worship and on live television, the United States faces a public health crisis of gun violence," said AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. "Even as America faces a crisis unrivaled in any other developed country, the Congress prohibits the CDC from conducting the very research that would help us understand the problems associated with gun violence and determine how to reduce the high rate of firearm-related deaths and injuries. An epidemiological analysis of gun violence is vital so physicians and other health providers, law enforcement, and society at large may be able to prevent injury, death and other harms to society resulting from firearms."
Computer hackers believed to be working for the Russian government broke into the Democratic National Committee’s computer network, spying on the organization’s internal communications and specifically gathering the DNC’s opposition research on Republican Party presumptive nominee Donald Trump. The hackers also breached computer systems for Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s organizations, and multiple political action committees, according to the Washington Post. The Clinton campaigned said it had no evidence its security was breached, while the Kremlin denied any involvement in the hacks.
The Fantasy Sports Trade Association is watching legislation currently working its way through the New York State Legislature that would make fantasy sports betting legal again in the state. Speaking at the association’s annual meeting (held in New York, where the fantasy betting is illegal), FSTA chairman Peter Schoenke said he is “cautiously optimistic” that daily betting sites like FanDuel and Draft Kings will begin operating in New York once again.
SnowSports Industries America announced a move to Park City, Utah from Virginia for the headquarters office. The move received a unanimous vote of approval from the board of directors and approval from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) for a post-performance Industrial Assistance Fund (IAF) grant. The move is slated for August.