We are people people.

As part of its ongoing strategy to further grow services for partner clients, AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Manogue as its marketing manager. Manogue brings a wealth of strategic and data-driven marketing experience to AMPED, having spent nearly five years as a marketing manager and SEO specialist at Omnipress in Madison, Wisconsin.

Manogue will drive results through inbound, digital and content marketing, as well as tracking and analysis to help AMPED’s association clients achieve their strategic goals.

“I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to join the AMPED team,” says Manogue. “Helping associations maximize their marketing efforts is a true passion of mine and the relationships that AMPED has with its clients make the possibilities endless.”

AMPED Association Management, an accredited full-service association management company with offices in Madison, Wisconsin and Metro Washington, DC, has been selected to manage NIBA - The Belting Association.

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

Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, owner and president of AMPED, will serve initially as NIBA’s executive director. Michael Battaglia will be NIBA’s associate executive director, based in Washington, D.C.

“The process of interviewing and searching for strong, talented and dynamic management for NIBA was no easy task. Among the many companies we interviewed, AMPED was the clear standout,” said John Green, chair of the management search task force and vice president of Green Rubber-Kennedy Ag. “With strong leadership and enthusiasm from the top down, we knew immediately that Lynda Patterson and her staff were exactly what NIBA needed to lead us into the future. With AMPED, we will have the strength in technology, creativity, and focused management that will ensure NIBA’s value and relevance for years to come. I’m honored to have been part of the search, and very excited to now see some very positive changes that will greatly benefit our entire membership.”

In a prepared statement, the NIBA Executive Team said, “We are grateful to the Search Task Force for bringing several excellent association management companies to the table for consideration and making the final decision difficult. In the end, we unanimously selected AMPED because of the progressive style, fresh ideas and well-rounded and talented staff. Our selection was fully supported by the Board, and together, we are very excited to partner with Lynda and her team to take NIBA to new heights and build on the great foundation that has been established in the past.”

NIBA—The Belting Association is focused on promoting the common business interests of all distributor/fabricators and manufacturers of conveyor and flat power transmission belting and materials. Founded in 1927, NIBA is a trade association representing 145 distributor/fabricator companies and over 125 additional manufacturing-based companies, that produce belting and components and supply the conveyor belting industry.

Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE was honored this week by DCA Live as one of a list of "Trending 40" Association Innovators. The recognition is presented to association and non-profit professionals who are driving growth and change in the Washington, DC area.

Patterson is the president and owner of AMPED Association Management which opened a second office in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia earlier this year. The Metro DC office is an extension of AMPED’s headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin and benefits AMPED association clients with staff support, meetings, and advocacy interests in and around the DC area.

The DCA Live award was presented on March 22 at the 1776-Crystal City. For more information, see DCA Live.

AMPED Association Management is pleased to announce the official opening of its metro Washington, DC office in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

The DC office is an extension of AMPED’s headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin and will serve to benefit AMPED association clients with staff support, meetings, and advocacy interests in and around the DC area. Much of the planning for a 2020 DC city-wide convention will also take place from the new office.

Like AMPED’s downtown Madison, Wisconsin office, the remodeled DC office is located in a charming, historic building close to water and surrounded by unique and vibrant businesses, bars and restaurants – the perfect environment for walking meetings, client meetings and thinking “outside the office.”

“Our strength is in our culture and we have been very deliberate in extending that culture to our DC office, fully integrating our staff in both locations into all of our systems and providing the same amenities such as standing desks” said Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE owner and president. “Everyone is totally plugged in. All of our systems are already cloud-based and work very well with several of our staff members who work remotely across the country.”

Watch this 8-minute video to learn more about AMPED’s culture.

Patterson and her team see great value in growing a presence in the Nation’s Capital and the opportunities that that presents within the association profession. “Through the process of establishing the DC office, it has been fun to immerse ourselves even more in the association community there,” she says.

“Washington DC is the home of thousands of national and global trade and professional associations, so it’s only natural that we expand there. We’re excited to be able to tap into all our DC connections, identifying staff who fit our culture and who can serve our current and future client needs. Our growth in the region will be talent-driven, not client-specific.”

Kim Thompson, the AMPED DC office managing director, has over 20 years’ experience in event planning and corporate employee engagement. She was instrumental in identifying office options in the metro DC area and has worked enthusiastically to develop the space to fit the AMPED culture. She will continue to manage operations, network locally, and assist with new staff recruitment.

Watch a brief video showcasing the AMPED DC location.

Michelle Czosek, CAE, an account executive at AMPED Association Management, has been appointed secretary on the Executive Committee of the Association Societies Alliance (ASA), a national federation of societies of association executives. Czosek serves as President/CEO of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE).

As secretary of ASA, Czosek will represent the Alliance on issues of common interest to associations and guide the organization’s strategic initiatives.

“I’m pleased to be able serve in this position and give back to an organization that provides me with an opportunity to network with and learn from my peers. My participation enhances my ability to lead and grow WSAE,” says Czosek.

ASA provides opportunities for liaison and cooperation between association society executives for the purpose of sharing information, learning from the experience of others and improving the management quality provided to association executive organizations.

AMPED provides full-service association management services to a variety of national and international trade and professional associations from its offices in Washington, DC and Madison, Wis. More information is available on the AMPED website.

In a recent interview for the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA), AMPED President and Owner Lynda Patterson explained her role as president of CSIA and AMPED's involvement behind the scenes.

"My role as president of CSIA, is to head the staff team behind it all. Everything from membership, marketing, public relations, financial management, meetings management, working with the board of directors — everything it takes to run a successful association.

AMPED is the management arm and face of the operation. We work at a very high level to help articulate the strategic plan of the organization. We work closely with the board of directors and all the committees and volunteers from a governance and leadership perspective. We also work on more tactical things like financial statements and budgeting, webinars, answering the phones, helping people register for the conference, and working with our sponsors.

At AMPED, we help communicate the value of CSIA and why members should be a part of it!"

The Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) is pleased to announce that Michelle Czosek, CAE has been appointed as its new managing director.

Czosek, who has been an associate director of SWS since 2013, succeeds Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, president and owner of AMPED-Association Management Partners & Executive Directors, a full-service association management company that manages SWS. Patterson will continue supporting SWS in an advisory role.

“I’m excited for this opportunity to take on a leadership role and further my involvement with SWS,” said Czosek. “Being entrusted to work at a high level to advance an organization of this stature is a true honor.”

Czosek has nearly 25 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations, including the North American Building Material Distribution Association, International Association for Human Resource Information Management, Information User Association, International Women in Boating, and The Harmonie Group.

She earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE®) credential from the American Society of Association Executives CAE Commission in spring, 2015. Czosek holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Illinois.

In addition to her role with SWS, Czosek is the president/CEO of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives, a regional association with over 500 members dedicated to the profession of association management. Czosek also represents the National Air Filtration Association as its executive director.

###

About SWS: The Society of Wetland Scientists is an international organization of nearly 3,300 members dedicated to fostering sound wetland science, education and management. From its inception in 1980, the society has provided a forum for academic scientists, government employees and private consultants to meet and work together.

As technology rapidly changes and makes working from anywhere easier, more people work remotely than ever before. Working remotely can be a challenge. Trust me, I know this from experience, having worked almost 13 years from home in a previous association management life.

When AMPED recently transitioned in a new client, the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA), we were fortunate to add NAFA's long-time staff person, Terry, to our team. Terry happens to live in another state, over 1,000 miles away. In addition to everything associated with bringing on NAFA, we wanted to be sure that Terry felt like a part of the AMPED team right from the start, regardless of the fact that we didn't share office space.

How can you make a new, remote employee feel welcome? Here are a few tips:

Convo
Terry was included on our staff instant messaging system, Convo, right away. This allows us to quickly and easily communicate. It’s faster than email and means we don’t have to pick up the phone every time we need to share a bit of information.

Skype
No one looks good on the web cam, which is why I was hesitant when it came to making the leap from phone to Skype. But once we started holding our weekly check-in meetings via camera, I quickly realized the value of seeing the person on the other end. That one once-a-week, “in person” catch-up helps us feel more connected and strengthens our relationship.

The Cloud
Our cloud-based server through Egnyte allows Terry to access all of the NAFA files the same way we do in the office. We’ve moved to the cloud and already see the benefits. There’s no need to email files back and forth.

Meet the Team
It was important for Terry to see the new NAFA headquarters and meet her co-workers, so we invited her to Madison for an onboarding visit. We took advantage of the few days she was here by holding our annual AMPED photo shoot and rescheduling our weekly staff meeting so Terry could hear about all of the things the staff was working on. We also spent meal time with her, included her in our "$2 Latte Tuesday" tradition and got to know each other on a personal level – a big part of the AMPED culture.

In the end, the benefits of having a remote worker who is passionate about the organization far outweigh the challenges. Technology allows us to communicate just as effectively as if we were in the same office. As long as we remember the importance of incorporating the relationship building and the human touch into our daily routine, we can make the most distant worker feel like a part of the team.

Do you allow employees to work remotely? I’d love to hear how you’ve made them feel like a part of the team.

AMPED - Association Management Partners and Executive Directors an accredited full-service association management company (AMC) based in Madison, Wisconsin, has been selected to manage the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA).

AMPED's mission is to perfect operations and accelerate growth for the associations they manage, by creating a true partnership with them.

NAFA is a dynamic, non-profit trade association comprised of individuals and companies engaged in the sale, service and manufacture of the air filtration products. NAFA’s 900 members include air filter and component manufacturers, sales and service companies, and HVAC and indoor air quality professionals across the United States and in several foreign countries.

“What made AMPED different was the people,” said Jeron Downing, president of NAFA and member of the search committee that unanimously approved the hiring of AMPED. “AMPED President Lynda Patterson has assembled an all-star team to meet the needs of our growing association, including new NAFA Executive Director Michelle Czosek. Their energetic attitude is inspiring and contagious! There are three aspects that drive business: product, process and people. You can fix products and process, but without people you have nothing.”

Michelle Czosek, CAE, NAFA’s new executive director, has nearly 25 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations. She is currently the president/CEO of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives and associate director for the Society of Wetland Scientists.

Earlier this year, she earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE®) credential from the American Society of Association Executives CAE Commission. Czosek holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Illinois.

“One of the goals of NAFA is to continue to be the source for expertise, education and standards in air filtration” said Downing. “We believe AMPED will take us to the next level with their experience in online marketing and internal processes to engage our existing members. We look forward to building a long lasting relationship with AMPED.”

In addition to NAFA, AMPED’s client community also includes the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Control System Integrators Association, Environmental Design Research Association, National Association of Professional Allstate Agents, Society of Wetland Scientists, and Wisconsin Society of Association Executives.

Volunteer leaders can focus on advancing their association and its mission with confidence, knowing that management and operations are in experienced hands. AMPED’s services include membership management, governance, financial management, website development and maintenance, conference planning and management, communications and strategic planning.

For more information about NAFA, visit www.nafahq.org.

The Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE) and AMPED - Association Management Partners & Executive Directors are pleased to announce Michelle Czosek, CAE as the new president/CEO of WSAE.

Czosek, who has been an associate director of WSAE since 2013, succeeds Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, president and owner of AMPED-Association Management Partners & Executive Directors, a full-service association management company that manages WSAE. Patterson will continue supporting WSAE in an advisory role. 

“I’m excited for this opportunity to take on a leadership role and further my involvement with WSAE,” said Czosek. “Being entrusted to work at a high level to advance an organization of my peers is a true honor.”

Czosek has nearly 25 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations, including the North American Building Material Distribution Association, International Association for Human Resource Information Management, Information User Association, International Women in Boating, and The Harmonie Group.

She earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE®) credential from the American Society of Association Executives CAE Commission in spring, 2015. Czosek holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Illinois.

In addition to her role with WSAE, Czosek is the associate director for the Society of Wetland Scientists, an international organization of more than 3,100 members dedicated to fostering sound wetland science, education and management. Czosek will also be representing the National Air Filtration Association as its executive director beginning in September 2015.

About WSAE: The Wisconsin Society of Association Executives has over 500 members dedicated to the profession of association management. Its mission is to serve as a forum where the association community thrives and grows. To learn more, visit www.wsae.org. 

AMPED - Association Management Partners & Executive Directors announces that Michelle Czosek has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE^®) credential from the American Society of Association Executives CAE Commission.

Czosek has nearly 25 years of experience managing a variety of professional and trade associations. She enjoys collaborating with clients to find innovative ways to assist them in reaching their organizational goals in regard to education, events management, membership and governance. Czosek holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Illinois.

“Michelle is a consummate professional with many years of experience. She provides strategic advice and sits ‘at the table’ with our client boards who respect her and admire her warm approach with members and leaders,” said Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, owner of AMPED. “In my mind she has always been a ‘CAE’ – This confirms what I already knew!”

The CAE program serves to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate those who demonstrate knowledge essential to the practice of association management.

To earn the CAE credential, candidates must first submit an application satisfying professional experience and education requirements. Successful applicants must then pass a challenging examination on all aspects of association management. Candidates undertake rigorous study sessions in preparation for the exam, and only those who are able to achieve the passing score earn the CAE credential. Once earned, the certification must be renewed every three years through additional studies and leadership activities.

Association Management Partners & Executive Directors (AMPED) is very proud to announce that team member Marechiel Santos-Lang has been selected to be a member of the 2015-2017 class of Diversity Executive Leadership Program (DELP) scholars for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). DELP is a prestigious two-year program that recognizes individuals from under-represented identity groups who demonstrate exemplary leadership skills and a commitment to advancing the association community. The twelve scholars selected for this class will participate in an accelerated leadership program of education, mentoring and volunteer service in the association community.

“I am impressed by ASAE’s commitment to support diversity and to provide opportunities to under-represented groups so that we may access professional education and a deep network of strong leaders,” said Santos-Lang. “Having over a decade of association management experience, but not much exposure to continuing education, I know I will benefit greatly from DELP’s benefits.”

The DELP Program recognizes exemplary leaders
from under-represented groups in association management

During the two-year program, DELP scholars will experience membership and volunteer service in ASAE; registration to ASAE’s Annual Meeting & Exposition and two other ASAE education programs selected by the DELP scholar, including travel and lodging; waiver of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) examination fee; and access to industry leaders who could serve as career coaches or mentors.

In her role at AMPED, Santos-Lang serves as associate director of the Americas Committee for Treatment & Research in Multiple Sclerosis and executive director of the Environmental Design Research Association.

Association Management Partners & Executive Directors (AMPED) has been designated and certified as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise. The certificate was bestowed by the State of Wisconsin and the Department of Administration Division of Enterprise Operations in April 2015. 

Association Management Partners & Executive Directors (AMPED) is pleased to be named a winner of a 2015 Dane County Small Business Award (DCSBA). The award celebrates small businesses and the contributions they make to the Dane County community and economy.

"I am personally honored to be recognized with this award," says Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, AMPED owner and CEO. "It reflects our commitment, not only to the community, but also to our employees. AMPED provides a responsible, fun and rewarding workplace environment. But it is the teamwork of all our employees that make our company and the services we provide a success."

AMPED will be honored at a breakfast program on June 4 at the Sheraton Madison Hotel along with nine other DCSABA winners.

Association Management Partners and Executive Directors (AMPED), an accredited full-service association management company (AMC) based in Madison, Wisconsin, has been selected to manage the Environmental Design Research Association Inc. (EDRA). 

AMPED's mission is to perfect operations and accelerate growth for the associations they manage, by creating a true partnership with them.

The purpose of EDRA is to advance the field of environmental design research in both its scientific and applied forms. EDRA encourages the highest quality of research related to improving environmental design methods and techniques, as well as increasing understanding of the social and behavioral aspects of relationships between people and environments. EDRA has over 500 members.

“EDRA’s AMC Search Committee was impressed by AMPED’s strong team that not only provides good support to their clients, but good support to each other. As a medium-sized firm, AMPED is able to provide all the benefits and services of a fully-accredited AMC, as well as provide personalized service to all of their clients” said Shauna Mallory-Hill, EDRA Board of Directors chair. “AMPED came to us with enthusiasm and clear ideas of how to make our organization and membership experience even better, and we cannot wait to get started,” she added.

AMPED’s Marechiel Santos-Lang has been named executive director of EDRA. Santos-Lang has experience providing leadership and program management for national and international medical, trade and scientific associations. “I am really looking forward to having Marechiel Santos-Lang as the new Executive Director of EDRA. In addition to being an experienced association management executive, she exudes a high level of professionalism, persistence and positive energy. I have no doubt that she will get the job done, no matter how difficult the task,” Mallory-Hill commented.

For more than a decade, Santos-Lang has helped organizations grow membership, raise revenue through dues and meetings, and train and manage volunteers. She has helped leaders achieve personal and group excellence. In addition to EDRA, Santos-Lang is also the associate director of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS).

“EDRA is an international, interdisciplinary organization founded by architects, landscape architects, interior designers, engineers, technologists, social scientists and facility managers committed to facilitating the creation and stewardship of environments that are responsive to human needs and that improve overall quality of life and place,” Marechiel Santos-Lang, EDRA’s new executive director, said. “What I love about association management and EDRA is that I am able align my personal values and make use of my professional experience to help advance a mission centered on people. Nothing is more rewarding than doing a job that won’t feel like one because your personal convictions meld with it. This new partnership is exciting for us. We get to work together with the EDRA leadership, volunteers and members to provide a strong association management structure, deepen member engagement and nurture organizational growth,” she added.

In addition to EDRA, AMPED’s client community also includes the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, Control System Integrators Association, National Association of Professional Allstate Agents, Society of Wetland Scientists, and Wisconsin Society of Association Executives. Volunteer leaders can focus on advancing their association and its mission with confidence, knowing that management and operations are in experienced hands. AMPED’s services include membership management, governance, financial management, website development and maintenance, conference planning and management, communications and strategic planning.

AMPED President and Owner Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE has been invited to serve on Visit Indy’s Customer Advisory Board. Among her directives as a member of the Indianapolis-focused group will be reviewing the city’s regional tourism plan which includes such topics as convention center expansion, future hotel and attraction needs, and other topics of interest to Indianapolis convention customers.

President's message from WSAE VantagePoint magazine, Winter 2015 — As we jump into 2015 with exciting new initiatives and a “changing of the guard,” I want to briefly highlight the Best of 2014 from my point of view.

Membership growth – WSAE hit 500 members! Yes, that is a great accomplishment and not only represents well the association workforce in our state, but also interest in WSAE from members outside of Wisconsin, ultimately strengthening our position for all members to engage, innovate and network among their peers. WSAE is a unique society with a unique value proposition. Our continued growth reflects our excellence in leadership and innovation, coupled with year-round opportunities for face-to-face interaction at a reasonable price – often, free!

Innovation Summit – We made people uncomfortable. Check! That was our intention with the new, interactive format and casual setting, requesting all attendees to come in their jeans – and they did! The two-day event mixed education with innovation and opportunity thinking using hands-on, team building workshops. Next year we will take those experiences into the field. More to come!

Engagement – A buzz word for all associations now in a changing world. WSAE did away with traditional committees and hierarchical volunteer options several years ago. Today members can engage online, in person, individually, in groups, for a short time or up to a three-year term. WSAE offers a very dynamic association, welcoming to all!

Up next – 2015…..
New tiers in our organizational membership – As part of our overall plan for growth, we want to make WSAE accessible and relevant for all organization staff – not just “association professionals.” Our multi-tier organizational membership encourages experts from throughout your association (marketing, sales, fund raising, finance, IT, and so on) to get involved, acquire new skills and share some of their own. This is a great benefit for organizations of all sizes, whether you have a staff of 5 or 500.

An enhanced mentoring program – This peer-to-peer initiative is an opportunity for all members to learn from and share with each other, in a variety of subject areas important to associations and our industry partners (think marketing, social media, member engagement, international growth, whatever you’d like to discuss). Unlike a traditional mentoring program, this one goes in all directions and across all levels of experience.

Attracting talent – This is a challenge we’ll all face as the workforce tightens and generations exit and enter the workforce. The “War for Talent” white paper, developed in cooperation with Executive Director, Inc., and the subsequent webinar offered in January are a catalyst toward developing resources and ideas to help you prepare for this workforce shift. Watch for more on this in 2015.

During his farewell address, Eric Lanke, CAE, CEO of the National Fluid Power Association and 2013-2014 chair of the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE) thanked Lynda Patterson and AMPED for their leadership and forward thinking.

"I want to thank Lynda Patterson and her team at AMPED. Lynda very much shares the vision our Board has for this organization. Indeed, she has led the charge in many ways we could not, acting with energy and passion in everything she does. I remember my first volunteer experience in WSAE—leading the task force that developed the evidence-based white paper on innovation for associations. We broke a lot of rules on that project. I came in wanting to do something different, something that I hadn’t had the opportunity to do before. I already knew the topic I wanted to learn more about, but I didn’t want to wait around for an old-fashioned association to figure that out and then try to develop the content I needed. Instead, I wanted leverage that association’s network and its resources to develop my own content, targeted on my own self-assessed educational needs, and then freely share what I learned with the rest of the membership. And that’s exactly what I did. It was an exciting and, in some ways, a career-changing experience, and it would not have been possible without Lynda’s forward-thinking and experimental vision for how associations can and should work. So, Lynda, thank you."

We Resolve . . .

• To deliver the highest level of professionalism and responsibility
• To operate with open communication, trust and respect
• To work as a team to provide innovative solutions and meet strategic objectives
• To constantly focus on ways to improve operations, communications, meetings, programs and governance
• To maintain the highest standards in the association management industry
• To consistently meet or exceed expectations for all client members and leaders

Boston, Massachusetts – Nearly 9,000 participants from leading organizations in Europe, North America and other regions of the world convened to share, discuss and advance research in multiple sclerosis (MS) at a meeting managed by Association Management Partners & Executive Directors (AMPED) in September.

AMPED is the association management company for America’s Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS). ACTRIMS hosted the triennial joint meeting with Europe’s Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Boston, Massachusetts. The joint meeting, MSBoston2014, was the largest gathering of its kind for multiple sclerosis researchers and clinicians.

“Our team, led by Marechiel Santos-Lang, did a tremendous job of choreographing the many facets of a meeting of this size,” said Lynda J. Patterson, FASAE, CAE, owner and president of AMPED. “Every step – from choosing the venue to the final accounting – takes careful planning and attention to detail. The ACTRIMS board of directors was very pleased with the success of MSBoston.”

The meeting was a financial success, as well. Sponsorship sales were double the goal set. Net revenue for the event was $4 million.

The next triennial meeting will be hosted by ECTRIMS in Paris, France in 2017.

MSBoston by the numbers

Meeting

• 8,806 participants from 92 countries
• 59 sessions
• 206 speakers and chairs
• 50 exhibitors
• $10 million revenue

Posters

• 981 posters
• 22 late breaking e-posters

Media

• 146 reporters from 22 countries
• 60 original articles
• 85 video and TV interviews
• 1,000+ Tweets reaching 1 million timelines