2024 CSAE Town Hall – Updates on CSAE’s Activities and the Year Ahead
The 2024 Town Hall was hosted by CSAE Board chair Shannon Bott, CAE, and Tracy Folkes Hanson, CAE, CSAE’s president and CEO.
Key highlights from the Town Hall are below, and you can watch the full recording here.
Tracy, CSAE’s CEO, shared her experiences of interacting with members through various platforms. She discussed the current trends in the association sector and mentioned a report commissioned by CSAE to capture a snapshot of membership trends. The report emphasized the importance of developing and regularly assessing member value propositions for growth.
Shannon, CSAE’s board chair, discussed the board’s review of the Membership Trends report and the redevelopment of CSAE’s member value proposition with the help of Erin Roberts of Zzeem. A mini focus group was conducted asking why members joined and remained with CSAE, with responses highlighting professional development, networking, and sector-specific knowledge.
Tracy discussed the refinement of the member value proposition statement and the importance of understanding why members join. She also outlined CSAE’s strategic plan, emphasizing its role as a roadmap for the organization. She highlighted the importance of reviewing and monitoring the strategic plan to make necessary adjustments.
Tracy reported on several successful initiatives in the past year and discussed the financial challenges faced by associations due to the pandemic. She highlighted the success of CSAE’s signature events and the introduction of CSAE’s Marketplace, a platform for business members to showcase their products and services.
Shannon discussed the benefits of virtual offerings and announced a new Western Summit coming to Western Canada in April 2025. Tracy discussed the restructuring of the CAE program, which is based on the Competencies for Association Executives and results in a micro-credential for each course completed.
Shannon thanked everyone for attending the Town Hall and encouraged further questions and engagement.
