We ensure the will of the Board gets done...Plain and simple!

  • Consulting
  • Scalable association services
  • Conferences & events
  • Is this right for us?
  • Real ROI
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Is member engagement and member recruitment a challenge?
Are the length of your board meetings going too?
Are you having challenges moving from a working board to a strategic one? 

We have the skills and expertise in everything from member recruitment, member engagement, strategic revenue development, governance, communications, government relations, and the multitude of other challenges Boards of Directors for associations face.

You don't have to face these challenges alone!  Our turn key solutions offer consulting services to get you on track towards success.  Contact us to open a discussion.

You'd be amazed that for what you'd pay for an employee (or even less), you can have an entire team driving your association's agenda forward!

             Overhead costs for professional services are shared across each of Our Executive Director's clients, increasing association resources and capabilities, and strengthening each organization's return on investment.   To capitalize on time and energy, association management companies like Our Executive Director (OED) provide nonprofit organizations and associations with the expertise they need, when they need it.
            Each association pays only for the services rendered, finding more value in concentrated, professional expertise. And by outsourcing functional areas, board members and executives are freed up to concentrate on strategic initiatives. 

Need only a few elements of cost effective support? Let us relieve the burden on volunteers...

Seeking help with even just one or two of these elements can be very affordable:
  • Basic bookkeeping
  • Minutes and secretarial services
  • Annual membership billing and database services
  • ​Basic postal address, a phone number and live reception/voicemail
  • ​Website maintenance and member mailing/ social media posting
  • Sponsorship and revenue generation
  • Event and conference coordination
  • Services all the way up to an Executive Director for your association. 
You be amazed how much more you can get done by partnering with us. 

Events and conferences that go off smoothly

If you and other volunteers have done conference planning or event coordination any amount of time, you know that making events successful can be taxing for even the most dedicated volunteers.

​Let us take the burden off your shoulders.
Coordinating a successful event is no small feat. First and foremost, the logistics, operations, planning, coordination, budgeting and execution of National, Regional and International events all require an intensive attention to detail. Delegating to us means we can take care of overseeing and coordinating all the logistics of your events including:
  • Venue selection and contract negotiation
  • Budgeting and cost projections
  • Speaker sourcing, selection, negotiation and contracts
  • Entertainment sourcing and selection
  • Audio visual outline, format and negotiation
  • Food & beverage planning, forecasting, and menu selection
  • Trade show format, set up and communication to supplier base
  • Registration design, development, ongoing support and reporting (Event Wizard or comparable registration software experience an asset)
  • Master account, rooming list and hotel liaison
  • Oversee the management of all printed event documents and programs
  • Arrange shipping of all event materials to event venue
  • Coordinate all logistics on site and execute planned event
  • Manage the communications of all events to members and suppliers through our internal communication portals
  • Monitor and manage event details including troubleshooting event issues
  • Manage relationships with external vendors, suppliers and agencies.
  • Arranging pre-meeting and special events logistics and operational planning including but not limited to meeting space allocation, event / banquet order preparation, liaison with key suppliers such as audio visual and display companies;
  • Preparing preliminary event critical path and work plans;
  • Preparing RFP’s for the site selection process and prepare preliminary evaluations of proposals;
  • Preparing drafts of floor plans or promotional structures;
  • Preparing drafts of promotional materials (including final programs and show guides) and post promotional materials to websites;
  • Coordinating printing of promotional materials including camera ready artwork;
  • Assisting with sponsorship and exhibit solicitation programs, sourcing, costing & implementation;
  • Monitor and tracking of sponsorship fulfilment;
  • Providing and overseeing outside suppliers to ensure adherence to budget and quality of service;
  • Self-reviewing all event coordination products and services for quality assurance;
  • Assisting in tracking and accurately recording of expenses;
  • Assisting with the preparation of post-event recommendations including wrap-up debriefs, reporting and analysis for historical purposes;

Your Board needs the confidence of knowing that things will "just get done" efficiently and with care for your members and stakeholders.

If you are considering an association management company, you may be wondering if its even a model that's right for you.
New research conducted by Brigham Young University (BYU) professor James Gaskin demonstrates that associations who partner with AMCs enjoy significant revenue and asset benefits. (AMC Institute study)
You may even be wondering "why us" and not some of the other options...

Shouldn't we just hire our own staff?

       Hiring staff to run your association is certainly an option. However, as a board member, you become an employer with all of the liabilities that come with it:
  • There is payroll and paperwork that is legally required as an employer. Along with this, you’ll need to withhold your employees’ taxes, social security, and Medicare or if in Canada, CPP, QPP, and EI premiums.  In the case of the US, this can amount to as much as 7.65% of the employee's compensation. In Canada, these costs add as much 1.4x on to the costs of each employee.
  • You are also responsible for your employees’ training and professional licensing requirements
  • Employee relations and discipline
​        Moreover, the general rule is that an employer is legally responsible for the negligence of his or her employees, but not for the negligence of an independent contractor.
         By hiring Our Executive Director, the Board is freed from these responsibilities.Each association pays only for the services rendered, finding more value in concentrated, professional expertise.
         Of course, if your association already has staff, we can work in tandem with them as well.
So why Our Executive Director? Watch the video below from the founder to give you an idea of what he and his team can do for you...

Maybe we should just hold the fort and keep using volunteers?

  Perhaps your association has been moving along in its development on the work of volunteers alone?  The move towards the next step in the association's evolution may be a scary thought.  Inevitably, you may be asking yourself..."Can we afford to hire an association management company?".
       But have you thought of the lost opportunity cost as well? Perhaps you have struggles in billing, the administration, up-keeping of your website and social media profiles, or even in managing your events?
        We can relieve the burden of the mundane tasks and those more intensive and ongoing efforts which too often produce volunteer burn out. Want an impartial analysis of the cost of using volunteers vs. contracting out to an AMC? Contact us for a no-obligation chat.

Our association is already co-habiting with another and we're sharing services. Why should we rock the apple cart?

         Teaming up with another organization is one way organizations are finding means of reducing overhead.  However, as a non-profit board of directors, have you considered other factors for the association's long-term strategic direction and voice?
  1. Independence of voice: There may be synergies between your associations but what happens if your voices or interests  must diverge? Could your association's position be compromised if its percieved as "biting the hand that feeds it"?
  2. ​Duplication of value and service: Today's market for membership in associations is a highly competitive one. Members are looking at your association and they're looking at others. Is there enough differentiation between your associations for them to see the value if your two organizations are seen too closely together?
  3. Is your association their "top priority"?: Larger associations may be able to assist yours, but often, your association may be handled off to the corner of someone's desk - not with a dedicated resource.
           When an association becomes a client of Our Executive Director, their interests and issues become our issues. Your voice becomes independent and unique.

Independent studies have shown that the AMC model provide a greater Return on Investment for small associations

                Wondering if the association management model would make sense for your association?  A white paper authored by Michael LoBue, CAE, “AMC Managed and Standalone Organizations—A Sibling Study,” compared the operating ratios of AMC-run associations with those of standalone associations. This study is the first of its kind, analyzing independently-conducted studies by an outside source commissioned by AMC Institute and ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, without influ- ence from either group.          According to LoBue, “Rigorous evidence-based comparisons about the differences and similarities between AMC-run and standalone organizations [show] that the AMC model is not only more efficient, but also more effective, which in the end is what counts most.” 
​Associations Now, July 2010.

Still not sure if your association can afford association management?

                 You'd be surprised! Having professional management doesn't have to put financial constraints on the organization.  We believe that any money that you spend on professional association management is an investment in your future that will return significantly more than the expense. If you’re thinking of and association management company as an expense, there’s a strong likelihood that you won’t gain anything out of the experience.
                     You can expect to invest $750-$7,500 per month to deliver a professional association management services and to support/ implement the decisions of the Board, depending on how quickly you need to see results, and how integrated you'd like us to be within your association.
                        We know that you have unique needs with unique solutions, so every proposal we produce is handmade with love, but you can contact us if you'd like to know more about what goes into our efforts.