The Association for Accounting Marketing has moved its headquarters and replaced its management company in an effort to take the organization to the next level, executives said.
The former Kansas City, Mo.-based association has moved to Mount Laurel, N.J., where the offices of Association Headquarters are based. Previously, the Robstan Group had managed AAM, and Robstans former executive director, Granville Loar, had been assigned to AAM in a full-time position. The new executive director, Pete Pomilio, will be working for AAM part-time.
The transition formally took place July 1 and members were notified in April, according to Julie Tucek, AAMs president and marketing director at Legacy Professionals in Chicago.
As a matter of due diligence after eight years with the same management company, our executive committee and board of directors reviewed proposals from five management companies, Tucek said. While our intent was not necessarily to change but to review what other companies could offer AAM, AH stood out to us as the management company that could lead us to the next level. We believe AH will work along with AAM to increase visibility, expand membership, and bring more benefits to our members, all of which speak to our strategic plan.
The current contract with AH is for three years, according to Jamie Trayner, AAMs immediate past president and director of marketing at LBA Group in Jacksonville, Fla.
It was a huge decision on so many levels, she said, pointing to an October board meeting where the transition talk started to take place. This was the year our strategic plan was five years old so it was time to tear it apart and rebuild it.
Traynor said the association would focus on providing members with more educational resources, beefing up membership, recruitment, and retention, and building strategic alliances.
Pomilio, who also serves as executive director of a medical nursing group, said AH will manage AAMs Web site, membership, conferences and executive management.
They were really pleased with what [Robstan] did service-wise, he said. They helped them grow. I think it just got to a point where they were looking for some new direction, a different point of view, a change.
Tucek said AAMs executive committee and board of directors would work with AH to get up to speed on managing an accounting association.
We consider the AAM/AH relationship a partnership, she said. We work together to ensure the AAM members needs are being met, we are promoting the accounting marketing profession, all the while following best practices and trends in association management. We did not make this change because it was the easy thing to do. It was very difficult. The transition has gone smoothly so far, with a few bumps in the road. We expect more bumps, but again, we are looking to AAMs very bright future.
