Attended by more than a hundred delegates, the Associations Summit 7 (AS7) of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives (PCAAE) remains as the biggest gathering of associations and association professionals in the country. The event was successfully held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on November 27-28, 2019.
For the first time, the Summit featured a half-day session called “ASAE Edu-Day” organized by Washington, D.C.-based American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Amy Hissrich, ASAE Vice President for Web Strategies and Communications, made a presentation on “The Future of Associations.”
With the theme, “Fast to the Future,” the Summit is presented by PCAAE, with the support of the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). In addition to ASAE, other event partners are the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific (ADFIAP) and the PICC.
Atty. Renato B. Padilla, PICC General Manager, and Ms. Ma. Carla Remedios E. Miranda, TPB Acting Head of M.I.C.E. Department, opened the 2-day event. Ms. Greta Kotler, ASAE’s Chief Global Development and Credentialing Officer, also delivered her opening remarks via video.
The event also served as the launch of the new PCAAE brand identity, a graphic representation of the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” PCAAE said the symbolism is likened to a kaleidoscope encapsulating many parts to create a holistic image and provide a new perspective in association governance and management.
The Summit also featured two plenary sessions and case studies where a panel of speakers representing various sectors of the association community presented their respective organizations’ challenges and the solutions they have managed to undertake. Ms. Maria Victoria Espano, Chairperson and CEO of P&A Grant Thornton, also made a special presentation on “Reinventing Associations in the Age of Disruption.”
Four special-sharing lectures on “Future Proofing Associations” were also delivered by the following: Ms. Hissrich of ASAE; future-proofing your governance system by Mr. John Peacock, CEO of Associations Forum Pty. Ltd. (Australia); future proofing your revenue sourcing by Mr. Noor Ahmad Hamid, Regional Director, Asia-Pacific of the International Congress and Convention Association (Malaysia); and, future-proofing your technology handled by Mr. Eric Schmidt, co-founder and CEO, EventBank. The sessions were facilitated by Ms. Gwen Albarracin, Immediate Past President, Asia Marketing Federation and PCAAE Board of Trustee.