Merger Is Complete
GWSAE members vote for union with ASAE, turn attention to integration
By Margo McCall -- Tradeshow Week, 7/12/2004
Now that the ballots have been cast and approval won, the merger between the Greater Washington Society of Assn. Executives and the American Society of Assn. Executives is final.
But that doesn't mean that the leaders of the combined organization, to be known as the American Society of Assn. Executives, can take a breather after six months of work putting the deal together. "Now we have to execute," said John Graham, ASAE president and CEO.
First at hand is the task of combining office space rented by the four previously separate groups: ASAE, the ASAE Foundation, GWSAE and its Center for Assn. Leadership. That will be made easier by the close proximity of the groups' Washington, D.C. offices.
Graham is heading up the combined association. Susan Sarfati, former GWSAE president, will serve as president and CEO of the Center for Assn. Leadership, the association's education arm.
Graham said no layoffs were necessary, thanks to GWSAE's practice of outsourcing and ASAE's leaving staff positions vacant over the past few months. Rather, the combined association is poised to add positions.
One thing that won't be merged is Springtime, held May 13, and ASAE's annual meeting, scheduled for Aug. 14–17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. GWSAE's annual one-day conference and tradeshow drew about 4,500 attendees and 830 exhibitors to the Washington (D.C.) Convention Center May 13. About 5,500 attendees and 475 exhibitors are expected at the ASAE meeting, set for Aug. 14–17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Of the 733 GWSAE members who weighed in on the merger June 30, 78 percent voted in favor. ASAE's charter didn't require a vote of its more than 23,000 individual members. "Over half of eligible (GWSAE) members voted, and nearly 80 percent voted in favor. That, to me, is a clear mandate," Graham said.
The four organizations' boards approved the merger in principle in January and voted on it in late May after a series of town hall meetings.
Furthermore, Graham and Sarfati suspect the merger could signal the beginning of a trend.
"As technology and communications improve, the ability of people to both get together and relate to each other increases and the need for multiple associations will decrease," Graham said. "I believe a lot of like associations will see the wisdom of coming together."
