Association management
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
There are more than 25,000 national associations and 65,000 local, state or regional associations in the United States. These organizations employ more than 500,000 professionals. They are engaged in the profession of association management.
Association management is a distinct field of management because of the unique environment of associations. Associations are unique in that the "owners" are dues-paying members. Members also govern their association through an elected board or other governing body, along with association committees, commissions, task forces, councils and other units. Typically, the Board selects, retains and evaluates a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or an Executive Director (ED). They in turn, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the association. The employees of the association are hired, evaluated and directed by the CEO/ED (or those who report to the CEO in the staff structure). The CEO/ED and other paid staff members are engaged in the practice of association management.
Managers within the association environment are responsible for many of the same tasks that are found in other organizational contexts. These include human resource management, financial management, meeting management, IT management, and project management. Other aspects of management are unique for association managers. These include: membership recruitment and retention; tax-exempt accounting and financial management; development of non-dues revenue and fundraising. Association managers must also be familiar with laws and regulations that pertain only to associations. To attain the knowledge needed to effectively operate in association management, its practitioners may choose to pursue the Certified Association Executive designation.
But the most unique aspect of association management is the involvement of members. Association members are the "customers" of the organization and receive the organization's products, services and benefits. Members are also often involved in creating and even in producing many association products, services and benefits. And, members are intimately involved in setting organizational policy, strategy and values. Members also often serve on committees and eventually become elected to the Board or other governing body. Professional association managers must work within this unique environment to develop the society within its goals stated in their Constitution and Bylaws.
