Welcome to Common Sense

Just as Thomas Paine's Common Sense helped spark excitement about America's Revolution, we hope AAMSE's Common Sense blog will do the same to you as we share updates with you on the progress of planning for the 2011 Annual Conference. From session announcements to tidbits on interesting places you may want to visit while in Boston, AAMSE's Common Sense will be your one-stop place for the latest information concerning the conference as well as tips to ensure you maximize your experience.

Visit http://www.aamse.org/commonsense to subscribe to postings and/or bookmark the page.

Renew Your AAMSE Membership Now for 2011

AAMSE remains the only association dedicated to medical society executives, and continues to offer programming and tools specifically for individuals in your field. Don't delay in continuing to receive these outstanding membership benefits:

• Take advantage of a reduced rate to attend the largest meeting of medical society executives in the country, with keynote speakers and interactive breakout sessions designed to solve the challenges facing the medical community;
• Enjoy a members-only discount for the only leadership program for medical association staff based on proven theories and presented by medical society leaders;
  
• Access the most comprehensive Benchmarking database of medical associations;
• Navigate through your career using pertinent information in the monthly Hotline, sent right to your email;
• Educate yourself and your volunteers using hundreds of downloadable documents related to medical society management in the Management Library;
• Network with peers at the only meetings for County, State and National Specialty medical association CEOs , as well as the listservs (CEOs only); and
• Enlist the aid and opinion of other medical society contemporaries in the Forums.

As an AAMSE member, you can now renew your membership for 2011, and we have made it an easy to continue to enjoing the benefits of AAMSE. You can:

• Renew your membership online;
• Log in and print out an invoice to mail / fax in; or
• Complete the paper invoice sent out this week to mail / fax in.

Forgot your login information? Click here to have it sent to your email.

If you wish to continue enjoying these benefits, please renew your membership by December 31. We look forward to a new year with you!

AAMSE EDWeb: Association Management Software Redesign

Register now for Association Management Software Redesign webinar at www.aamse.org/edweb.

Learn the questions you need to ask and the potential problems that may arise during the process of redeveloping your AMS from experts in the field and society executives who have been through the process.

Registration: $50

2010 Annual Conference Registration is Now Open!

AAMSE is excited to bring you the 2010 Annual Conference (July 21 - 24) in Seattle – a city “where the extraordinary is commonplace and commonplace is anything but.” We have a great line up of speakers who will share their expertise on managing the Peaks and Perks of Change – everything from communicating value to members to addressing healthcare reform. Click here to check out the full conference schedule.

In addition, we’ve planned several networking receptions in which to catch up with old friends as well as foster new partnerships. Click here to see a list of additional social activities designed for you and your guest(s).

Discover for yourself how AAMSE’s Annual Conference can inspire professional vision and renew your personal spirit. We look forward to seeing all of you at the 2010 Annual Conference in Seattle.


The 2010 AAMSE Annual Conference will be held at the Sheraton Seattle. To view more information on the venue and how to make your reservation, click here.

Register Now for the New Medical Executives Institute

Navigating through the often-convoluted and confusing waters of medical society management has always been trying for new medical society executives. Now with healthcare reform, Medicare payment reductions and ever-increasing legal issues for all nonprofits, the challenges are mounting.

Fortunately, AAMSE has tapped into its members' wealth of knowledge and experience to help those with less than three years of experience in the field with the New Medical Executives Institute, May 10 - 12 in Chicago, IL. Participants will gain valuable skills in such areas as:

• Basic medical society information;
• Volunteer management;
• Effective communicating and networking;
• Advocacy;
• Understanding of the Federation and the AMA connection; and
• Finance and Legal issues.
  

If you or someone you know could benefit from participating in the New Medical Executives Institute, click here for more information and to register.

Registration for members is just $225, $295 for nonmembers.

The 2010 New Medical Executives Institute will be held at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Chicago, at a special room rate of $189 per night. To make your reservations, call (800) 235-4670.

AAMSE thanks Pfizer, Inc. for their generous support of the 2010 New Medical Executives Institute.

AAMSE EDWeb: "Legal Issues 2010"

There is still time to register for the AAMSE EDWeb, "Legal Issues 2010: Keeping Your Association Out of Trouble," to be held Thursday, February 18, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Central Time.

Make sure you are prepared for new challenges and developments in association law and legal issues that will affect your members. Hear from top association legal experts as they address the chief issues facing medical societies in 2010.

The panelists for this EDWeb are George Constantine, JD and Ronald M. Jacobs, Esq of the law firm Venable LLP.

Mr. Constantine is the former staff attorney of ASAE and currently sits on ASAE's Legal Section Council. His practice focuses exclusively on providing legal counseling to and advocacy for trade and professional associations. He has extensive experience with many of the major legal issues affecting associations, including contracts, tax, antitrust, governance, and political activity matters.

Mr. Jacobs advises clients on all aspects of state and federal political law, including campaign finance, lobbying disclosure, gift and ethics rules, pay-to-play laws, and tax implications of political activities. He offers practical advice that considers not only the legal requirements, but also the reputational risk of political activity to a broad range of clients, including large and small associations.

Intended Audience: CEOs, CFOs and legal counsels

Objectives:

Participants will learn:

1. The chief legal issues facing medical societies in 2010.
2. Significant legislation that may have an impact on associations.
   

Mark Your Calendar for the 2010 AAMSE Annual Conference!

Join us July 21-24 at the only conference designed specifically for and by medical society executives.

With budgets shrinking for professional development, it is important that you invest in opportunities that will benefit you and your organization the most.

You could sit through conferences that focus on general association management, or you could attend a conference that addresses the unique attributes and needs of medical societies with other executives who share your specific challenges.

This year's lineup of speakers are experts in their field whose messages will speak directly to your unique needs. The social events will allow you to form connections, not just with other association executives, but with other medical society executives.

Make the investment in yourself, your organization and your profession:

Join us at the 2010 AAMSE Annual Conference!

Glenn Tecker Tecker Consultants, LCC	Mr. Tecker, the recipient of ASAE’s Academy of Leaders Award-the highest possible recognition awarded by ASAE’s Board of Directors-and co-author of 3 best selling books, is considered one of the nation's premier consultants in association management. His presentation will discuss leading through times of transformation.
Shawn Scott, CAE North Carolina Medical Society Rick Abrams Medical Society of the State of New York Nancy Frankel, MBA American Society for Reproductive Medicin	One of the issues facing every medical society is the evolving role of allied health professionals within their society. At the 2010 Annual Conference, we have compiled an all-star panel of medical society executives who will be addressing the challenges and potential solutions their medical societies have experienced while addressing this issue. Expect a lively debate and plenty of time for interaction as this crucial issue is addressed in a forum that will afford it frank and open discussion.
Sheri Jacobs, CAE Avenue M Group	A 15-year veteran of the association and nonprofit community, Ms. Jacobs currently serves as president and chief strategist at the Avenue M Group. Ms. Jacobs is a frequent speaker and a contributor to various associations and publications and is widely recoginized as one of the leading experts in association communications. Ms. Jacobs will share her expertise in how to succesfully communicate the value of your membership to your medical society's members.

For more information visit www.aamse.org/ac