During its celebration of 25 years years of Conference Center Excellence, the Edith Macy Conference Center, a Benchmark managed facility, honored three staff veterans who worked behind the scenes to make meetings and events at the facility a success. (From Left to Right), Peter Stafford, director of operations; William Kowack, director of national properties; William Perez, housekeeping supervisor. The three men were recognized for both the quality of their professionalism as well as their longevity—all three have been on staff since the venue’s dedication in 1982.

 

 

 

One of the nation’s most unique smaller meeting venues—the Edith Macy Conference Center, in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., marked a quarter century of hosting meetings and events with an anniversary celebration that also recognized the service of veteran staff members.

 

Approximately 100 people attended the July commemoration, and three employees of the conference center, who have served the entire 25 year-period, were acknowledged for their quarter century of service— Peter Stafford, director of operations; William Kowack, director of national properties; William Perez, housekeeping supervisor.

 

Since its dedication in 1982, Edith Macy Conference Center has provided corporate and association executives with a year-round hilltop venue where high-quality training, meetings and educational programs can take place. The property, which is owned by Girl Scouts USA, was named for Edith Carpenter Macy, who was the chairwoman of the Girl Scout National Board of Directors from 1919 to 1925. Mrs. Macy's husband, Everit Macy, donated land for the conference center as a living memorial to his wife. Girl Scouts USA, now in its 94th year, is the preeminent organization for and leading authority on girls with 3.7 million girl and adult members .

 

Located in Briarcliff Manor, New York, just 45 minutes from Manhattan, Edith Macy Conference Center is situated among 405 wooded acres on a mountainside overlooking the heart of Westchester County. This secluded setting boasts 14,000 square feet of flexible business meeting space in four separate conference facilities and meeting rooms, including the Edith Macy Conference Center and the John J. Creedon Education Center. Benchmark Hospitality International operates the Edith Macy Conference Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently, the ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership released a “fact sheet,” outlining the organization’s mission, activities & resources. This dynamic and comprehensive organization is a key reason as to why the meeting and events industry has grown in its role as a vibrant component of the nation’s economy. Founded in 1920, ASAE now has more than 22,000 association CEOs, staff professionals, and industry partner members and is the voice of the association profession. The Center for Association Leadership, founded in 2001, is the premier provider of learning and knowledge for the association community. ASAE & The Center serve approximately 10,000 associations that represent more than 287 million people and organizations worldwide. As one of our Industry Partners, Facilitiesonline decided to print some excerpts from the “fact sheet” in our FacBlog.

 

 

 

 

FACT SHEET

 

About ASAE & The Center for

Association Leadership

 

ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership are two organizations linked together by a common belief and passion. We believe that associations have the power to transform society for the better. Our passion is to help associations and association professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance and reach even higher goals. We accomplish this by fostering a learning community of association professionals, industry partners, outside thought leaders, and other stakeholders who embrace this vision.

 

The American Society of Association Executives is an individual membership organization of more than 22,000 association executives and industry partners representing nearly 11,000 organizations.

 

Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies, and voluntary organizations across the United States and in 50 countries around the globe, as well as provide products and services to the association community. We are also a leading voice for the nonprofit sector, advocating for voluntary organizations so that they may continue to improve the quality of life in the United States.

 

The Center for Association Leadership is the premier provider of learning, knowledge, and future-oriented research for the association profession. The Center delivers innovative learning experiences, performance-enhancing resources, new thinking and models for the profession, opportunities for peer-to-peer collaboration, and strategic tools and data designed to advance the association profession. Offerings include nearly 100 professional development programs through Center University, environmental scanning and other future focused research, a peer–reviewed journal, and more than 5,000 online articles, models, and case studies. Together, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership provide resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association community.

 

OUR CAUSE (why we exist)

ASAE & The Center help associations and association professionals transform society through the power of collaboration.

 

OUR VALUE PROPOSITION (what we do)

ASAE & The Center connect great ideas and great people to inspire leadership and achievement within the association community.

 

OUR PROMISE (how we serve our stakeholders)

We promise to provide exceptional experiences, a vibrant community, and essential tools that make you and your organization more successful.

 

OUR GUARANTEE

Our goal is to provide truly exceptional offerings and service, and we won’t be happy until you are. If any programs, products, or services of ASAE & The Center do not fulfill our promise, we will make the situation right or refund your money.

 

 

 

Credentialing

ASAE’s Certified Association Executive (CAE) Program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate those who demonstrate knowledge essential to the practice of association management.

 

Professional Development

 

ASAE & The Center offer professional development programs to strengthen skills, improve core competencies, explore new ideas and raise the level of group dialogue among participants. Programs include dozens of seminars, symposia and

conferences focusing on leadership, association management and other topics for CEOs, senior staff professionals, emerging leaders, and industry partners. Online and virtual programs are also available.

 

CareerHQ.org  is a one-stop shop for job openings in the association profession and resumes of those looking for new opportunities. Career services are also available.

 

Industry-wide Events

 

ASAE & The Center’s Annual Meeting and Exposition ( is the largest education opportunity and networking event in the

world for association professionals and industry partners. The next Annual meeting will be August 19-22, 2006, in Boston, MA.

 

Springtime™  is the nation’s largest one-day trade show in the association and meetings industry. Look for the next Springtime™ at the

Washington Convention Center, June 14, 2007.

 

The NEW Great Ideas Conferences are multi-day learning experiences focusing on ideas and innovations you can use today to move your association (and your career) forward.

 

The American Society of Association Executives

Pamela Hemann, CAE, Chairman

John H. Graham IV, CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer

1575 I Street, NW

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 371-0940; (888) 950-2723

Fax: (202) 371-8315

www.asaecenter.org

 

The Center for Association Leadership

Peter Moran, Chairman

Susan Sarfati, CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

(202) 326-9500; Fax: 202-326-0999

www.asaecenter.org