I brought at least one ‘pearl’ away from each session. This conference pays for itself tenfold, almost immediately. — Rick Reino, Sandwich, MA

Program-at-a-Glance Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008 8:30 am – 9:00 am Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:00 am – 9:30 am Plenary Opening Session: Virtual Associations, William A. Draves, CAE, President of LERN 9:40 am – 11:30 am Using Technology to Create Additional Revenue Streams, Johnson Cook, Founder & CEO, Impact Media Solutions 11:45 am – 12:45 pm Networking lunch: Network and share top tips with your association colleagues. 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Associations Going Green June Piry, CAE, Director of Education, British Columbia Real Estate Association and Chair, LERN Association Council; Thom Lowther, EdS, Senior Director of Education Systems, American Institute of Architects; S. Christian Smith, PhD, CPP, Director of Membership Services, LERN 2:25 pm – 2:50 pm LERN Update: Your Partner in Success. S. Christian Smith, PhD, CPP, Director of Membership Services, LERN

Specifically for association executives. You’ll network with other top association educators and take home the latest most, advanced tips for associations.

Sessions by and for association executives, plus exclusive discussion opportunities to talk about the top issues of the day.

Organized by LERN association leaders.

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008
9:00 am - 3:00 pm Fee: $125
Fee includes lunch.
Advance registration required.

Session Descriptions

Opening Session
Find out why Virtual Associations will thrive in the 21st Century and get Draves Top Tips on what you should be doing now! In 1998 Draves and his senior management dismantled the association headquarters office and allowed staff to move wherever they wanted. Ten years later, LERN has doubled revenue, increased surplus, and tripled reserves.

Using Technology to Create Additional Revenue Streams
Associations today are investing more than ever in live conferences and seminars, but most of the potential to generate income from these events ends with the applause. In this session, you will learn how to extend live events and create recurring revenue streams, adding valuable member benefits, and creating powerful distance learning products from your live programs. In addition, find out how to expand your reach for events by offering live webcast attendance alternatives. You will learn the finer points of logistics, marketing, and developing a strategic perspective.

-Presenter Johnson Cook is the Founder & CEO of Impact Media Solutions (IMS). IMS provides conference recording, online learning, and live webcasting in a full-service array of products designed to increase revenue streams, improve the value of membership, and lower staff-time requirements for distance learning programs.

Associations Going Green
In this panel discussion, you’ll learn how other associations are making the most of the “Green Revolution” that is transforming all professions (some more quickly than others!). Learn how one association has taken control of the term “green” and is regulating what qualifies as acceptable continuing education. You will also find out how to create resource pages for your members and the public they serve. Get tips on what you can and should be doing now to take advantage of Going Green!

-Panelists: June Piry, CAE, Director of Education, British Columbia Real Estate Association and Chair, LERN Association Council. BCREA represents over 17,000 REALTORS© and has developed a Green Resource website for Realtors.

-Thom Lowther, EdS, Senior Director of Education Systems, American Institute of Architects and Past Chair, LERN Board of Directors, has recently developed a set of specific standards regulating continuing education content relating to sustainable or “green” practices.

-Facilitator: S. Christian Smith, PhD, CPP, Director of Membership Services, LERN On LERN’s behalf, Chris has tracked associations’ efforts to “go green” and has developed best practices for continuing education.

LERN Update: Your Partner in Success
In this wrap-up session, we’ll discuss the latest developments in LERN’s never-ending effort to make our members the most successful association educators in the business.

-S. Christian Smith, PhD, CPP, Director of Membership Services, LERN On LERN’s behalf, Chris has tracked associations’ efforts to “go green” and has developed best practices for continuing education.