ASAE Technology Conference Emphasized Innovation, Challenges and Opportunities for Association Industry

December 21, 2017

More than 1,000 association and industry professionals converged at ASAE’s 2017 Technology Conference & Expo, held Dec 11-13 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

Designed to meet the needs of an increasingly technology-driven community, the event hosted 1,060 CIOs, CEOs and technology and association professionals, who participated in 25 high-level education sessions and walked a sold-out expo hall featuring 132 exhibiting companies.

“The conference content strategy was focused on key elements of effective tech initiatives,” explained said John H. Graham IV, president and CEO of ASAE.

He continued, “Our pathways (dream, conceive, test, launch and measure) highlighted the importance of these areas and provided attendees with insights on the latest trends and how they will impact our community. Technology is driving change and influencing how our members interact with associations, industry partners and globally.”

NASA rocket scientist and author Adam Steltzner kicked off the conference by discussing how participants could harness their curiosity and spur innovation in their associations. According to Steltzner, the keys to accomplishing this are separating the ideas from people, creating a culture of innovation and collaboration, holding onto doubt, staying agile and maintaining curiosity.

On the second day of the event, ASAE hosted two general sessions, including the Community Town Hall. During this session, attendees openly confronted the issues and opportunities of mergers and consolidations, including the infusion of venture capital, with leaders from Community Brands, Higher Logic and DelCor.

To close out the conference, ASAE hosted the Fail Fest, an interactive session that explored the critical role mistakes can play and included stories highlighting how failures led to improved systems and changes within organizations.

Prior to the Technology Conference, ASAE hosted three preconference events:

  • Digital Convergence summit – Hosted by Community Brands and Visit San Jose, this full-day program focused on data analytics, data privacy and data strategy, as well as how associations are dealing with any related data challenges and opportunities.
  • Women Executives Forum – Unleash Human Potential: The Impact and Opportunity of Artificial Intelligence was hosted by Choose Chicago and focused on the challenges and opportunities facing women leaders, and how AI has influenced the future of families, work and society.
  • Keep it Clean: Harness the Power of Gold Standard Data Hygiene – This session delved into the term “Data Governance” and enabled participants to develop a strategic framework for data management and Key Performance Indicators that they could take back to their office.

The ASAE 2018 Technology Conference will return to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor Dec. 4-5.

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