Annual Meeting and Expo Answer: Unity
The streets of Cleveland were bustling with 5,069 attendees from August 11-13 for the 2024 ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo. Hotels were full, local volunteers in pink shirts cheered attendees and welcomed them to the city, and the iconic Terminal Tower was illuminated by projector lights each night during the event, displaying the ASAE logo on a red and blue diamond.
All of this sets the stage for a gathering that will not only inspire people over the days and weeks ahead, but will also reconnect attendees with their roles as association professionals around one main point: that in order for them – and the wider world – to thrive in the future, it is vital to create and maintain solidarity.
As ASAE President and CEO Michelle Mason said, “(It’s) really about inclusion. It’s about coming together for the common good…This year’s theme is ‘Together We Prosper,’ and it’s more important now than ever.”
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Take it and drive home
The opening and closing keynotes, delivered by Amanda Gorman and Adam Kinzinger, respectively, and conducted in an interview format led by award-winning speaker and interview guru Holly Ransom, highlighted key points of solidarity and delved into its nuances in a unique way.
Amanda Gorman
As the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, Gorman, who was just 22 when she recited the poem “The Hill We Climb” at President Biden’s inauguration, has become something of an icon. But she told ASAE attendees that she is part of a generation of talented young people. When asked about the common preconception that a certain level of maturity is required to write insightful poetry — or to succeed in any other way — she spoke up for the potential of young people, saying she would respond to someone saying, “Have you heard of Anne Frank? Sappho? Frederick Douglass? Young people have been telling the truth in compelling ways for thousands of years.”
For Gorman, unity doesn’t mean everything is the same — quite the opposite. “Embracing and reveling in our differences. It means that despite our differences, we find common ground: our cares, our principles, and our values.”
Adam Kinzinger
Former U.S. House of Representatives member Adam Kinzinger was called a traitor by many in the Republican Party after serving as a member of Congress. January 6day Committee. He, his wife, and children received death threats. In 2023, he published his memoir, The Traitor, which became a New York Times bestseller.
Kinzinger told the ASAE audience that we must acknowledge, and not become complacent about, the deep divisions that exist in the American political climate.
Kinzinger’s words were moving when he responded to a question about how difficult it must be to be one of the few Republicans running against the rest of the party in the Jan. 6 election.day investigation and Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, he began to cry, saying “I’ll never be able to tell my son to do the right thing if I’m not willing to do the right thing myself.”
Kinzinger explains that leadership—and unity within leadership—is not about being in power, but about taking care of the people you’re responsible for. He asks people to think: “Are you willing and able to take care of those who need your help? Are you living for something greater than yourself? Everyone is in desperate need of inspiration—and that’s what taking care of the people you’re responsible for is about: inspiring people and giving them purpose.”
Create an inspiring atmosphere
The keynote was neither the beginning nor the end of the theme of solidarity. The value of solidarity was reflected in every aspect of the conference. The educational sessions covered everything from destination boycott to discovering your leadership voice; from the ethical considerations of using generative AI to creating intentional inclusion through the lens of DEI.
Gatherings during the conference sought to include a diverse group of people. One gathering took place in The Loft, a gathering space on the fourth floor of the conference center, where young people and emerging professionals gathered for the Young Professionals Reception.
Empowering young professionals
Gorman’s presence was no accident; the focus of the conference and exhibition is to celebrate the wisdom and expertise of young professionals. This is the first time in ASAE’s history that the incoming Board of Directors includes a member of the ASAE Young Professionals Advisory Committee (YPAC). The Young Professionals Reception has been a staple of the ASAE Annual Meeting for many years, with attendance growing each year.
Current YPAC President Michael Pereira, CAE, shared, “ASAE has a lot of committees that focus on membership or professional development; YPAC focuses on our own demographic…We are committed to advocating for (young professionals) to have spaces and resources that can advance our leadership skills.
“It’s not all about young or emerging professionals,” Pereira said. “It’s about the expertise we bring; we are professionals in our fields and we want to have a seat at the table in the industry. That’s what YPAC is about; we are trying to create resources — and people are listening.”
Michelle Mason also emphasized empowering young professionals and recognizing the expertise they bring to the industry. She noted in the news release that just last year, ASAE launched the Future Leaders Professional Development Scholarship, which provides funding for young professionals to attend any conference, including registration, travel and lodging.
Since its inception, the scholarship has raised more than $53,000, with Destination Cleveland being DMO’s first donor. Three scholarship recipients will be in person at the 2024 conference and expo.
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Unified with the destination
The association and meeting industries and the destinations they are part of are so intertwined that, at times, they can seem like one big industry. The extent to which they work together means unity in their partnership is vital. ASAE and Visit Cleveland offer a powerful example of this unified partnership for all attendees, association professionals and destination professionals alike.
In a press release, David Gilbert, president and CEO of Visit Cleveland, shared how the city of Cleveland sees being the host city for the 2024 convention as a huge honor, and what a daunting task it is. As the city prepares, locals have rallied behind the DMO, ready to help. “Over the past four or five years, we’ve hosted some of the biggest events in the country: the NFL Draft, NBA All-Star Game, MLB All-Star Game and the Women’s Final Four; (ASAE 2024) has also generated a lot of interest in the community.”
Gilbert further explained: “Hundreds of organizations, hundreds of volunteers want to be involved because they are eager to showcase their city.”
A day before and after the conference, Cleveland Visitors Bureau hosted Experience Cleveland, which provided attendees with a series of tours and curated experiences that took them out of downtown Cleveland, where the conference was held, and into Cleveland neighborhoods. All funds raised through these programs will go to businesses in these neighborhoods.
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During the opening keynote, attendees watched as Cleveland Visitors Bureau volunteers paraded, jumped and ran through the hallways, cheering and throwing merchandise to the crowd before taking to the stage with Chomps, the Cleveland Browns mascot. The city was full of energy, enthusiasm and fun, and the performances were skilled.
“It’s not hard to find hundreds of volunteers in hotels, airports, on the streets, wearing Cleveland T-shirts, and when they see people wearing these badges, they walk up and say, ‘Hey! We’re glad you’re here.’ It’s that simple,” Gilbert said.
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