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AMPED Association Management is proud to announce that Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, President and Owner of AMPED will serve as Secretary-Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) beginning Sept. 1, 2021.

Recognized as an industry leader nationally, Lynda has served as a Director At Large for ASAE, the ASAE Foundation and the ASAE Business Services Board. She has also served on both the ASAE Strategic Planning Task Force and CEO Search Committee. In 2010 Patterson was selected to receive the ASAE Fellow designation. These roles, coupled with her influence in the industry, prepare her to help lead changes and transitions with ASAE while strengthening key strategies in public policy, education, and networking.

Patterson started AMPED Association Management in 2008 and has guided it to its standing as an AMC Institute Accredited company and a certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise. With nearly 30 years’ experience in association management and consulting, Lynda brings knowledge of a variety of organizational models and cultures, having served organizations in the CEO capacity as well as business development, marketing, and communications roles. Her visible presence in the association and hospitality community creates opportunities for her to continually learn from and share with other CEOs.

“As ASAE inspires change through DEI, CEO engagement and leadership development in our community, I am honored to bring the AMC perspective to the ASAE officer ranks for only the third time in its 100-year history. I am also proud to represent the Midwest association community that is so strong and vibrant,” said Patterson. “I am excited to get to know the other Board members and to work closely with Michelle Mason as she transitions into her new role as ASAE President and CEO. The timing for me is perfect as my newly appointed executive team at AMPED carries forth our mission and team development internally, allowing me to direct more focus toward ASAE.”

Also nominated to the ASAE officer roles are:

• Chair of the ASAE Board - Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, IOM, CAE, President and CEO, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Arlington, VA
• Chair-Elect and Chair of the ASAE Research Foundation Board - Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, President and CEO, National Institute of Building Sciences, Washington, DC
• Past Chair of the ASAE Board – Steve Caldeira, President & CEO, Household & Commercial Products Association

Patterson and the new officer and directors at large will be officially installed and join the remaining board members at the 2021 ASAE Annual Meeting, August 16–18.

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 48,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit asaecenter.org.

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has announced that Jen Brydges, CAE, an Account Executive at AMPED Association Management, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

Brydges has seven years’ experience as an association executive and leads several AMPED association clients. She is the Managing Director of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Executive Director of the Society for Research on Adolescence, and the Executive Director of Leadership California.

“Receiving the CAE credential is a huge milestone in both my personal and professional growth,” said Brydges. “As a life-long learner, the credential will hold me to a higher standard to continue seeking out information and remaining on top of best practices. The CAE truly solidifies my commitment to the association industry and is an indicator to my clients that I will work diligently to further their successes and growth.”

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of five years’ experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,700 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 48,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit asaecenter.org.

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has announced that Emily Viles-Monari, CAE, an Association Manager at AMPED Association Management, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

Viles-Monari started her career in association management when she joined the AMPED team in 2014. Since then, she has gained expertise in meetings technology, program development and governance to advance the growth and mission of several AMPED client associations. Currently, Viles-Monari works with the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, the North American Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative, the International Multiple Sclerosis Visual System Consortium, International Women in Multiple Sclerosis and the Society for Research on Adolescence.

“It has been a goal of mine for several years now to receive the CAE credential,” said Viles-Monari. “Achieving the CAE gave me the opportunity to build on my experiences and learn more about being a great association leader, which allows me to better serve and grow my clients at AMPED.”

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of five years’ experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,700 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 48,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Research Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit asaecenter.org.

The Events Industry Council has announced that Amanda Safa, a meeting planner with AMPED Association Management, has earned the Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP) designation.

The CMP program is recognized around the world as a badge of excellence in the events industry.

Safa has 11 years’ experience in association and nonprofit meeting planning and has a passion for perfecting meeting and event logistics while strategically identifying areas to bring in new technology and innovation.

Her current AMPED clients are the Society for Research on Adolescence (SRA) and the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) for whom she recently managed the overall strategy and planning of their joint international medical meeting with over 8,200 participants. Her leadership helped transition the citywide meeting to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully guided the cancellation process of in-person components while exceeding the virtual meeting budget.

At AMPED, Safa has also led meetings for the Society of Wetland Scientists, the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives, the National Air Filtration Association, and the Fantasy Sports Gaming Association. Prior to joining AMPED, Safa planned meetings and events for the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation, the American Cancer Society and the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

“Earning the CMP designation has been an important professional goal of mine for quite some time, and, in this challenging and ever-changing time of meetings, it felt appropriate to achieve now,” said Safa. “Being part of a body of knowledge in the meeting management profession will only add to AMPED’s commitment to grow and perfect meeting operations, and I am honored to hold this badge of excellence in the events industry.”

More than 11,000 meeting professionals from 40 nations hold the CMP or CMP-HC designation.

“Attaining your CMP in one of the most turbulent, ever-changing and dynamic times in our industry is an exceptional achievement. Finding the time to dedicate to apply for the exam, and to dedicate to the preparation, is no easy task in this kind of once-in-a-lifetime environment,” said Events Industry Council CMP Governance Commission Chair Alisa Peters, CMP, CMM. “We send a special thanks and congratulations to the individuals who prioritized achieving this designation for their ongoing professional development, during a moment in time when they were being pulled in so many different directions at once. You are among some of our best and brightest and we welcome your dedication and tenacity into our CMP community.”

The qualifications for certification are based on professional experience, education and a rigorous exam.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce that Christina McCoy is taking on a new role as Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). AAWC transitioned to AMPED management on May 1, 2021.

McCoy will oversee operations of the organization, bringing essential tools to foster strategic governance and ensure association best practices to re-energize and perfect operations of the association. She will be supported by a team of six at AMPED who will focus on AAWC’s operations, finances, meetings, trade shows, communications, and overall growth.

McCoy has been a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) since 2012, and served as the Chair for ASAE’s Young Professionals Committee in 2017/18 term. Christina earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 2017 and later that year was a recipient of the Forty Under 40® Award from Association Forum and USAE. An ASAE (American Society of Association Executives) NextGen Scholar, she was featured in Meetings and Conventions Magazine as one of 15 young professionals to watch. She has worked with associations, putting the LEAD in servant LEADership since 2008. McCoy is the proud mom of 3 kids under the age 6.

In addition to her role with the AAWC, McCoy will continue to serve as Executive Director of APTA Geriatrics and the Fantasy Sports and Gaming Association, both association clients of AMPED.

AAWC is the largest multidisciplinary wound care organization in the United States with over 1,100 members dedicated to providing its members with the best resources, ongoing education, and support network needed to assist them in delivering best practices to the diverse and growing numbers of patients with a wound.

AMPED Association Management has been selected by Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) to manage their operations.

AAWC is the largest multidisciplinary wound care organization in the United States with over 1,100 members dedicated to providing its members with the best resources, ongoing education, and support network needed to assist them in delivering best practices to the diverse and growing numbers of patients with a wound.

AMPED’s Christina McCoy, CAE will serve as Executive Director for AAWC, supported by Kris Ackley, who will serve as Associate Director. The team looks forward to working with the leadership in bringing essential tools to foster strategic governance and ensure association best practices to re-energize and perfect operations of the association.

“I’m thrilled to serve and lead our team in supporting our members to advance the care of patients with and at risk for wounds,” said McCoy. “We’re honored and eager to work with and earn the trust of the dedicated, passionate volunteer leaders of AAWC.”

AAWC President Ruth Bryant, PhD, MS, RN, CWOCN, FAAWC said she is excited to be working with AMPED. “AMPED brings a diverse, energetic, and experienced staff devoted to association management. Their expertise will help AAWC improve its efficiencies and its reach. We are looking forward to this change, our growth and a rewarding member experience.”

AMPED will assume full-service association management on May 1, 2021.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce that Laura Ransone, MBA has taken on a new role as Executive Director of the Women In Trucking Foundation. The Women In Trucking Foundation provides scholarships to ensure that women in the trucking industry have the support they need to grow their skills and themselves. Ransone oversees operations of the organization and works directly with the Board of Directors and sponsors working to grow the organization’s reach.

Ransone’s professional background includes expertise in project management, relationship building, program development, communications, event planning, and strategic planning. She was named a top Rising Star in the meetings industry by Meetings and Conventions; was honored as a 2019 Emerging Leader Awardee for In House Communications from Washington Women in PR; and selected to join American University’s leadership development program, WeLead. Ransone received a bachelor’s degree in Business with a concentration in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Virginia Tech, and an MBA from George Mason University.

In addition to her role with the Women In Trucking Foundation, Ransone will continue to serve as Associate Director of Women in Government Relations (WGR), a professional association client of AMPED.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce that Michelle Czosek, CAE will take on a new role as Executive Director of the Tavern League of Wisconsin (TLW). The TLW is transitioning to AMPED management starting May 1, 2021.

Czosek will oversee operations of the organization and work directly with the Board of Directors on strategy and budget. She will be supported by a team of seven at AMPED who will focus on the TLW’s operations, finances, meetings, trade shows, communications, and overall growth.

Czosek has over 30 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations with expertise in education, event planning, membership and governance.

In addition to her role with the TLW, Czosek will continue to serve as Executive Director of the National Air Filtration Association and Executive Director of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives, both association clients of AMPED.

AMPED Association Management, an accredited full-service association management company (AMC) with offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Metro Washington, DC, has been selected to manage the Tavern League of Wisconsin (TLW).

As a partner with the TLW, AMPED will bring a wealth of trade association experience and provide full management services, including leadership, strategic planning, governance, policy, membership development, meeting planning, industry relations, financial management, and communications.

Michelle Czosek, CAE will serve as Executive Director of the TLW, overseeing all operations of the organization and working directly with the Board of Directors on strategy and budget. Michelle has over 30 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations with expertise in education, event planning, membership and governance.

Tony Veroeven will serve as the Vice President of External Relations, focusing on partnerships and membership growth. Tony’s expertise in marketing, sales, and member relations will help guide the growth of the TLW and its Foundation.

“AMPED is very excited to be working with the TLW,” said Czosek. “We look forward to communicating the value of the TLW and working in partnership with the volunteer leaders so that they can focus on advancing the TLW and its mission with confidence, knowing that management and operations are in experienced hands.”

According to Chris Marsicano, TLW President, “AMPED provides a more cost-effective structure for the TLW and will deliver the highest quality services and benefits to all our members, while achieving our long-term goals. With AMPED, we will have the strength in technology, creativity, and focused management that will ensure the TLW’s value and relevance for years to come.”

The Tavern League of Wisconsin is a non-profit trade association dedicated to serving the needs of the retail beverage alcohol segment of the hospitality industry in the State of Wisconsin. The League provides their 5,000 members with legislative and government relations, legal information, and educational programs. The TLW Foundation contributes over $12 million to over 15,000 Wisconsin charities annually. The TLW SafeRide Program provides an average of 90,000 free rides home for patrons every year, contributing to a decline in alcohol-related fatalities.

The TLW is the latest of several stand-alone associations that AMPED has helped transition into the AMC model in the last few years. Especially during times of uncertainty, AMCs have the experience and resources to showcase the value of membership and take associations to the next level in their growth and initiatives.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce that Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE will take on a new role as President and CEO of the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA). WMIA is transitioning to AMPED management starting April 1, 2021. Shannon will oversee operations of the organization and work directly with the Board of Directors, members, and sponsors. He will be supported by a team of four at AMPED who will focus on WMIA’s operations, finance, partnerships, meetings, trade shows, industry relations, and overall growth.

Shannon has more than 14 years of association management experience, working with both trade and professional associations, including foundations. A recognized leader in the field, some of his key career accomplishments include being named an American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Fellow, former CAE Commission Chair, and a Diversity Education Leadership Program (DELP) Scholar.

In addition to his role with WMIA, Shannon will continue to serve as CEO of the Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP), a trade association client of AMPED.

AMPED Association Management, an accredited full-service association management company with offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Metro Washington, DC, has been selected to manage the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA).

As a partner with WMIA, AMPED will bring a wealth of trade association experience and provide full management services, including leadership, strategic planning, governance, policy, membership development, meeting planning, industry relations, financial management, and communications.
WMIA is one of many stand-alone associations that AMPED has helped transition into the AMC model. In fact, two-thirds of their 18 clients were stand-alone organizations before joining AMPED.

“For the past few years, and especially during the pandemic, we’ve seen a trend of more stand-alone associations looking to AMCs to manage their operations,” said AMPED President and Owner Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE CAE. “AMCs have the experience and resources to not only take their organizations to the next level in terms of growth and initiatives, but also to showcase the value of association membership during times of uncertainty.”

Donté P. Shannon, FASAE, CAE will serve as President and CEO of WMIA, overseeing operations of the organization and working directly with the Board of Directors, members, and sponsors. He will be supported by a team of four at AMPED who will focus on WMIA’s operations, finance, partnerships, meetings, trade shows, industry relations, and growth.
“AMPED is very excited to be working with WMIA,” said Shannon. “We look forward to communicating the value of WMIA and working in partnership with the volunteer leaders so that they can focus on advancing WMIA and its mission with confidence, knowing that management and operations are in experienced hands.”

According to Jim Besonen, WMIA Chairman of the Board, “AMPED provides a more cost-effective structure for WMIA and will deliver the highest quality services and benefits to all our members, while achieving our long-term goal of being the premier trade association for woodworking machinery and supplies providers in North America. With AMPED, we will have the strength in technology, creativity, and focused management that will ensure WMIA’s value and relevance for years to come.”

Since 1978, the Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) has represented importers and distributors of woodworking machinery and ancillary equipment in North America. WMIA is the recognized voice of importers and distributors and serves as a vital communications link between suppliers and manufacturers of wood products in North America.

AMPED is proud to once again be certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce that Account Executive Michael Battaglia, CAE has earned the credential, CNAP.

Battaglia recently completed the Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP) program, designed to recognize excellence in the not-for-profit industry through comprehensive qualification, training, and examination. 

AMPED stresses the importance of fiscal responsibility and sound accounting principles as part of its commitment to transparency. The CNAP designation ensures that Battaglia delivers on this commitment while applying strategic management and expert decision making for AMPED clients.  

AMPED President and Owner Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE was featured in Madison's Brava Magazine for a piece on how local small businesses are faring during COVID-19. She shared that shifting to online meetings and emphasizing strategic planning have helped AMPED's clients maintain value for their members.
Read the full article, here.

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has announced that Michael Battaglia, an executive director at AMPED Association Management, has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE^®) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

As the Executive Director of NIBA-The Belting Association (NIBA) and the American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA), Battaglia has over 12 years’ experience in non-profit management, leading associations in strategic planning, governance, marketing and communications, membership development, financial management and more.

“I’m very pleased to join the CAE community and advance my knowledge of association management,” said Battaglia. “This credential will help me deliver high-quality experiences for our boards and volunteer leaders and I appreciate the support of AMPED in seeking professional development opportunities.”

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of three years’ experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,500 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 35,000 association executives and industry partners representing 7,400 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit asaecenter.org.

AMPED has distinguished itself as a leader in hosting and executing strategic planning sessions for associations and nonprofits. Depending on the needs of the client, a typical session may last two days, back-to-back and require that leaders and staff travel to meet face-to-face.

So what happens when conditions are such that you can’t do back-to-back and face-to-face? The results can be surprisingly awesome!

With the help of AMPED, the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) held its strategic planning session in June 2020, amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel was impossible, so it was quickly determined that a video conference was the way to go.

Using Zoom, UMA leaders and AMPED met for two days, one week apart – a structure that proved to benefit the session as a whole.

Thanks to some extensive pre-meeting preparation by AMPED, the participants kept to the agenda and knocked out the whole of the strategic session in less time than expected. “After day one in UMA’s virtual session, we got as much accomplished as we normally do in-person,” said Emily Petersen, AMPED Chief of Staff and a contributor to the UMA strategic planning process. For instance, she pointed to 15-minute breaks that can easily grow to 30 minutes when in-person. In this virtual setting, the video was turned off and then back on after the break, indicating the session was ready to continue.

With the 2-day agenda nearly accomplished on the first day, there was ample time for discussion on day two. Plus, where participants in a typical strategic session would only have overnight to reflect on the results of the day, holding the two sessions a week apart provided more time to digest ideas, concluding in clearer strategy development on day two.

As noted, preparation was key. In order to build an agenda with a clear focus for the strategic session, AMPED collected data using a variety of methods:

• Interviewed UMA staff to learn what’s working well and what isn’t
• Gathered financial data to better understand operating ratios
• Developed a survey to members and nonmembers asking then to look beyond the pandemic to what they see as most impacting the industry
• Held live interviews with a dozen members to determine the strengths of the organization and areas for improvement
• Benchmarked UMA against other related organizations

Results from the interviews and survey pointed to common themes that helped steer the planning process. In a typical strategic planning session, that process would involve the utilization of flipcharts and Post-it notes - not something easily reproduced in a virtual meeting.

The advantage of virtual, however, is that multiple AMPED staff could attend without the extra travel costs.  More staff meant more expertise and more hands on-deck. When the association leaders separated into three Zoom breakout rooms, an AMPED staff member was there to facilitate and add notes in a prepared Google doc. Petersen monitored the doc and could see instantly the results of each group’s discussion and identify the most common themes. As soon as the breakouts ended, she was ready with organized notes to move the exercise forward — a task that would have taken far more time to complete in-person.

“We were so happy with the outcome of the strategic session for UMA,” said Petersen. “Given the circumstances, we pulled it off with creative solutions that we might not otherwise have tried. And many that we’ll continue to utilize in our strategic planning going forward.”

The end-result of the two-session virtual meeting was broad engagement, a clear strategy to move the association forward, and a happy client.

How can AMPED help your association discover new strategies for growth and success? Find us at www.manageassociations.com.

Published in AMC Institute's Member Matters newsletter.

Make-A-Wish (MAW) Wisconsin has moved its Madison Regional Office to Middleton, occupying in-kind space at the offices of AMPED Association Management, an accredited full-service association management company headquartered in downtown Middleton, Wisconsin.

In addition to providing office space, AMPED is looking forward to adopting MAW as its “built-in” charitable organization, volunteering at local events and offering its professional services such as meeting planning, graphic design, and strategic planning.

“The Make-A-Wish mission is compelling and something we can all get around and support,” said Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, President and Owner of AMPED. “AMPED has always supported a variety of charitable causes, mostly driven by the connections of our employees and families. MAW gives us another opportunity to build the culture and camaraderie of our team, while supporting an organization that’s close to home.”

Joining MAW in Middleton will be its Madison Regional Director Carol McChesney Johnson. This is a new role for Johnson who is the former President and CEO of Taliesin and former Executive Director of Mount Horeb Area Economic Development Corp. She will oversee services in Dane, Columbia, Sauk, Iowa, Lafayette, Green and Rock Counties.

“Wishes have been making a difference in the greater Madison area for more than 30 years, impacting hundreds of families and thousands of donors, volunteers and supporters,” said Patti Gorsky, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin President & CEO. “We are excited to move to Middleton and work with AMPED Association Management to continue and grow the impact of a wish in this region. We know that hope is essential, and wishes offer significant hope to kids battling critical illnesses, their families and our community.”

Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children between the ages of 21/2 and 18 who are battling critical illnesses. Since the Wisconsin chapter was founded in 1984, more than 7,100 Wisconsin families have experienced the power of a wish, resulting for many in a turning point in the fight against their illnesses. 

AMPED is proud to contribute to and share in the growth of our client partners. Here's a snapshot of growth one of our clients enjoyed over a 10-years with AMPED.

Using the resources of the AMC model, AMPED staff are able to pivot and learn quickly to support our client organizations in times of crisis and change. In the example below, the AMPED team paved the way and cleared many hurdles toward transitioning to a virtual meeting environment, sharing successes and challenges with other AMPED teammates along the way. 

American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) - Spring 2020

The original American Academy of Anesthesiologist Assistants (AAAA) Annual Meeting was originally planned for April 3-7, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Westin Charlotte. At the time the decision was made to fully cancel the in-person meeting, there were 542 registrations and $30,000 in sponsorships.

As part of the decision process, the AMPED team worked very closely with the AAAA Board and hotel to present with three different scenarios:

• Reschedule the meeting to the Fall of 2020 or Spring of 2021 at the Westin Charlotte
• A hybrid meeting approach – using a combination of Marriott brand hotels in centralized locations to deliver meeting content
• Complete meeting cancellation using the Impossibility/Force Majeure clause

It was vital that AMPED and AAAA move quickly with back-up plans as the meeting was CME-accredited and the attendees needed to submit their credits to renew their medical licenses by June.

On March 14, 2020, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed an Executive Order that outlined a ban on mass gatherings, allowing AAAA to claim force majeure and cancel the hotel contract without penalty. Our team worked closely with all stakeholders to determine the right timing to cancel the meeting and how to communicate that with members/attendees. Further, pressure was felt from the AAAA member community, continuing news coverage about the pandemic, and the significant financial impact we would face from cancellation fees with the hotel.

Meanwhile, the AMPED team was preparing to “go virtual” and weighing platform options by participating in demonstrations from virtual learning companies like Digitell, Matchbox and Zoom. It was important to AAAA that the chosen platform:

• Have an easy to use interface/platform
• Be able to facilitate the distribution of presentations in order to qualify for CME credits
• Include some interactivity for exhibitors, sponsors and attendees.

Our team recommended that the AAAA Board invest in Digitell: They hit all of our must-haves, their team of technicians would be able to supplement our staff team on delivery, they had great confidence in putting the virtual meeting together on a fast-tracked timeline and the total investment enabled us to break even at a minimum.

The Board quickly approved AMPED's recommendation and staff moved forward to develop the meeting with the Digitell team. In tandem, we worked very quickly with the AAAA Program Committee to prep the previously secured speakers to deliver their content virtually, as well as replace a handful that needed to cancel.

Behind the scenes, our team also refunded all of the original registration fees to the in-person meeting registrants. It was important to AAAA that the original fees be refunded and a lower fee be collected for the virtual meeting.

After canceling the original meeting on March 15, registration for the virtual meeting on the new platform went live on March 23. Fees were $175 (fellows) and $35 (students). We budgeted $15,000 in revenue for the virtual meeting. We surpassed that goal, taking in $60,000 by the start of the live meeting. Additional income was made from on-demand content offered through early June. 

A few results from the AAAA virtual meeting that kicked off on April 18:

• Over four days, we scheduled a combination of sessions, including live panels and recorded presentations with speakers (some that included live Q&A).
• Following the presentation, sessions were archived on the AAAA website for on-demand viewing through June 10.
• AAAA was approved for 24.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) — 4.5 more than what are typically offered at an in-person meeting
• The chat was active for all sessions and was been very lively with many questions and supportive/positive comments for speakers
• Additional functionality included an exhibitor/sponsor area, association information, technical support, and instructions on how to donate to AAAA's legislative fund.

The virtual meeting (non including on-demand content) brought in $47,250 in net income for AAAA — 28 times higher than the net income budgeted for the original in-person meeting! 

Additional statistics:

• Average number of attendees per session: 150
• Number of recorded sessions with a live speaker answering questions: 14 of 18
• All sessions were packaged as enduring content with a shelf life of 3 years
• $6,500 raised in donations during the event

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce a new partnership with Badgers United that includes Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, President and Owner of AMPED, serving as the Badgers United Executive Director.

Badgers United is a 501c3 organization founded by Wisconsin residents who recognize the University of Wisconsin - Madison as one of the largest economic engines in the state, providing over $15 billion in economic impact to all 72 counties. Badgers United is data-driven, focusing on key issues to ensure that Wisconsin’s flagship university remains healthy and continues to grow.

Prior to joining AMPED, Badgers United was supported by a single staff person and outside services. The transition to AMPED and the association management company model means that Badgers United will now have access to a full team of association experts, bringing additional value and support to the organization.

Patterson shares her excitement to work with the organization.

“As a graduate of UW-Madison and a parent of two “baby Badgers,” I take great pride in the University and have a strong personal connection to Badgers United’s mission of minding the future of our land-grant institution,” said Patterson. “I am thrilled to be helping Badgers United further that mission and educate Wisconsin citizens, legislators and other stakeholders on the incredible economic impact UW-Madison delivers to our state.”

AMPED’s Kim Striebel and Sarah Peterson, both UW-Madison alumnae, will manage the finances and day-to-day operations of the organization. The team will also manage Badger Advocates, the lobbying arm of Badgers United.