I must be getting old (no comments necessary) but I find myself getting a bit nostalgic. The holiday season has me reflecting on all that all that we have to be thankful for. Over the past 25 years, we’ve had the opportunity to work with an amazing team, incredible organizations, and tremendous partners.
I’m very thankful for the wonderful team we have at AT. One of my favorite events is our annual holiday party. Each year, we gather staff and significant others (there have been a few random dates as well) to celebrate the holidays. Many of our team members have been with AT for a long time and their families have become a part of our family as well. It is so much fun to reconnect with everyone and celebrate a year of hard work.
I’m thankful for our clients and their teams that have become part of the AT family. I’ve been working in the not-for-profit/association space for a very long time (notice I’m not mentioning the actual length) and it is truly a great community. I’m always impressed by how much our clients manage to accomplish, with limited resources, to further their very diverse missions and industries. We’ve been fortunate to work with some impressive individuals. In the upcoming months (including this month) we’ll be spotlighting one of our client organizations and some of their team in our newsletter.
I’m also thankful for the exceptional partnerships we have developed over the past 25 years. These organizations and individuals allow us to better serve our clients. It was great to see and reconnect with so many of them at this year’s ASAE Annual meeting (a long overdue in person event). I’m very thankful for this group of friends that are always willing to help out our clients and AT.
Since so many people haven’t gone back to the office, we decided not to send holiday cards or the dreaded holiday fruit cake. Instead, we will be making donations to the various foundations that our clients represent.
Thank you to all of you being a part of AT and happy holidays! |
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Transforming Your Association to Stay Competitive
At D2L we are your dedicated learning partner to make Learning and Continuing Professional Development opportunities your competitive advantage. We work with you to offer best in class learning experiences that motivate, engage, and inspire your members.
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Our services and expertise in digital learning make us an impactful partner in delivering your Association's continued professional development and education opportunities as a key member benefit. A few of the services we offer include:
- Learning Strategy Consulting: Helping to develop a learning and adoption strategy.
- Learning Creative Services: Helping to create compelling courses based on adult learning principles.
- Data Solutions Consulting: Helping to make sure the right tools to measure learning effectiveness are available.
Our dedicated teams of trusted learning experts are here to support and guide you every step of the way-no matter where you are in your journey.
Learn more about D2L and D2L Brightspace by contacting Channels@d2l.com or visiting us at Brightspace for Associations.
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| This month we are shifting the focus to a delightful client. HR Source, a Chicago-based trade association serving more than 1,200 companies and organizations, guides and supports employers with HR expertise and resources to enhance organizational performance and minimize risk. HR Source helps organizations make confident human resources decisions and apply effective workforce practices. They’ve been a happy client of Association Technologies for more than 20 years! |
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Mary Lynn Fayoumi, CAE, Julie Belloli, CAE, is the Kevin Menzer is the Chief
SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the President Director of Member Experience Operating Officer and Head
and CEO of HR Source. With more at HR Source. Julie lives and Curmudgeon at HR Source.
than three decades at the breathes all things membership He coordinates the member
association, countless when she's out and about services, business development
organizations have benefitted visiting members, recruiting and marketing functions of the
from Mary Lynn’s wisdom and new ones, or planning HR Association and oversees IT -
expertise Source's next big event. with the help of Association
Technologies. |
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Now for some questions to get to know a little more about our friends at HR Source...
Q. What do you enjoy most about working for HR Source?
Mary Lynn: The top three reasons I’ve stayed at HR Source for so long are the people (our team, members, and partners), the opportunity to be of service, and the chance to continuously learn and grow.
Julie: I love that every day is different! I’m never bored. I also enjoy working with such a dedicated team of colleagues who are all passionate about our mission to serve employers.
Kevin: The variety, the opportunity to help so many people and organizations every day, and working with people who can put up with me!
Q. What has been your career highlight so far?
Mary Lynn: Being named Association Forum’s Woman of Influence in 2021 was an incredible honor, especially during a global pandemic.
Julie: So far, it’s been earning my CAE (Certified Association Executive) designation in 2020 while working remotely with two young kids home 24/7.
Kevin: Being featured in AT’s client spotlight!
Q. Tell us three things most people do not know about you.
Mary Lynn: I’d love to be a DJ, because I’m a music lover, I speak German (fluent, but a little rusty), and I’m an avid researcher on everything from workplace trends to pop culture.
Julie: I love making homemade ice cream, I love rollerblading and picked it up again last summer after a 6-year hiatus, and I started my career in the restaurant industry.
Kevin: I’m really very sensitive (and sarcastic). I have trouble with 3-part answers.
Q. What is your favorite book/movie/tv show?
Mary Lynn: The Sound of Music was my mom’s favorite and is mine too. I’ve watched it many times and it never grows old. Right after high school graduation, my family toured the locations where it was filmed, and I was inspired to study abroad in Austria a few years later.
Julie: It’s hard to pick a favorite TV show, but Parks & Recreation is definitely one that I can watch over and over again. (Plus, Kevin Menzer is the epitome of Ron Swanson).
Kevin: The two best movies of all time are Nobody’s Fool from 1994 with Paul Newman & Jessica Tandy, because I’m hoping it’s never too late to change, and Open Range from 2003 with Robert Duvall & Kevin Kostner, ‘cause you know … cowboys.
Q. What is your favorite family tradition or activity?
Mary Lynn: Travel is both a tradition and activity in our family. Europe is our favorite destination, but we love cities, mountains, and beaches most anywhere. If we can meet up with extended family or old friends, it makes the trip even sweeter.
Julie: Now that my daughters are school-aged, we’re taking them to a different musical or performance around the holidays every year. Last year it was The Nutcracker and this year it’s The Sound of Music!
Kevin: Hosting Christmas Eve hors d'oeuvres & cocktails for our families. (Hors d'oeuvres for our families, and cocktails because of our families.)
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| PersoniTour 2022 |
By Tricia Marshall
Associations came together from across the country to participate in Personify’s, PersoniTour 2022. AT joined in on the fun van in Sacramento, CA. The educational sessions focused on two of their AMS platforms, MC Trade and MC Professional with highlights from their event management software option and the newest addition to the Personify mix of solutions, GTR. |
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As participants we experienced GTR firsthand as it was the registration platform, check-in and onsite badge printing solution for this event. It was a smooth and easy process from a participant’s perspective!
Outlined below is a little bit about three of the key products showcased at the PersoniTour. If you would like to learn more, get a demo, or just hear AT’s experience with the platform(s), please reach out to Jim Meyers.
- MC Trade-Configurable staff productivity software helping growing trade associations and chambers of commerce automate workflows, increase reporting power, and realize membership and revenue growth.
- MC Professional-Intuitive, all-in-one staff productivity software helping professional associations automate workflows, realize membership and revenue gains, and empower self-service members.
- GTR-Maximize your events and deliver exceptional experiences with the industry-leading event platform that has every tool needed to plan your event, conference, trade show or expo.
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It was exciting to see the interaction among participants, the sharing of information and the desire to jump in and create solutions together.
We had an engaging panel discussion led by:
- Megan Denhardt, President and Founder, Denhardt Productions
- Cathy Breden, EVP/COO, International Association of Exhibitions & Events
- Kathie Griley, Vice President of Membership, California Restaurant Association
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During this session we dove into the discussion on how the panelists have worked to create an experience for every persona, and how you can too. Great ideas were shared and we can share those with you to help craft a solution that fits your association needs. It was clear that the “one size fits all” approach is a thing of the past and it is now truly a “choose your own adventure” approach.
MC Trade Facts…
- Setting Key Billing Contacts - Can be identified granularly at the dues product level, which gives great flexibility for associations that have different contacts for different products. This allows the invoices to go to the right individual and have the correct contact identified on the invoices.
- Email metrics - These are available under the Administrative Analytics.
- Reoccurring Emails – MC Trade has an simple method for creating and scheduling reoccurring emails. These are a great way to communicate with your stakeholders without using much staff time. Ypu can take these emails to the next level by including the easy link option to enable them to pay their open invoices.
- Service Fees – built in option to add service charges for online payments.
- Card on File – make purchases faster for your constituency by turning on the built-functionality allowing your members to select their card of choice and pay without having to rekey the data.
- Automatic Recurring Billing (ARB) – provide members the option of having the billing item automatically renew.
And last, don’t forget that Form input data can update a user’s affiliation codes!
We are happy to share more information on the Personify platforms and solutions. Please reach out to Jim Meyers if you would like to learn more. |
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| What Associations Need to Know About Cybersecurity Risk |
Many security leaders are having trouble selling the need for cybersecurity measures—complicating the clear obligation to protect their organizations, a new survey finds.
Read More |
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| Developing Content that Addresses Your Audience’s Needs |
Doing your research, embracing SEO, and avoiding assumptions can make a big difference in creating top-notch content.
Read More |
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We have an archive of our newsletters and industry related
articles available on our website, click HERE to access them.
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| ASAE Technology Exploration Conference |
Location: Virtual and In Person in Washington, DC
The Technology Exploration Conference (TEC) is tailored to the needs of an increasingly technology-driven community. CIOs, CEOs, technology professionals, and other professionals with roles or interest in digital and mobile solutions can all find the education, solutions, and connections they’re looking for. Your colleagues at TEC may come with different experiences and expertise, but they also bring similar challenges and goals. Join us for an exchange of intelligent insights and bright ideas to take back and share with your organization. |
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| NiUG Webinar: Communicating with Your Staff |
Location: Online
Author Peter Drucker says, "The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer." Put yourself into your constituents' shoes and think about what they would want to see and what their needs are. We will discuss ways to communicate with your staff on how to reimagine your member journey. |
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| FEBRUARY |
| 16 |
| 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM CST |
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| Association Forum's Association 101 |
Location: Association Forum, 10 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606
An orientation for association professionals, Association 101 is designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the unique environment, culture and dynamics of associations. |
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