ASAE10, ASAE's annual conference in Los Angeles this past month, was notable for a number of reasons and one of them is a learning experience in and of itself. This year’s meeting really highlighted the new conference attendee. Who is the new conference attendee? One who embraces new learning concepts, one who embraces technology, one who creates their own learning opportunities, one who votes on a session with their feet, one who creates an experience with the formal meeting at the backdrop.

Our next conversation celebrating the association volunteer (read more here) is with Don Boucher, Sr.,  S R A of Boucher & Boucher, Inc. who currently serves on the board of the Washington DC Metro Chapter of the Appraisal Institute (AIDC). He is a lon g time appraiser (37 years and counting) who believes that if you wa nt to be a positive influence in your industry then you must become involved with your professional association at some point in your professional life.

"10% of the people do all the work…and you’ve got to be one of the 10% some time in your life.

The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) hosted the 2010 Regional Association Council’s 11th annual Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) last month in Grapevine, Texas. And while it was focused on its 175 executive directors and volunteer leaders from all 28 regional associations, it offered lessons – and lots of ideas – for associations which are planning leadership conferences.

I had an inside view and the opportunity to give the keynote Back to the Future for Associations and a break-out session The Secrets to Creating an Exceptional Volunteer Experience.  I took away so many great ideas on logistics, on involving the members and leaders in the planning and the event, on managing volunteers and more. And I relished the opportunity to be at a volunteer and staff event that had an abundance of energy.

The “trick” to building your volunteer base is matching members to the right job. Making a good match is as much art as science. The trouble is that in associations we haven’t been even practicing the science much less the art. Instead, what we do is list the jobs we need done and then put out a call.

What if we turned the process on its head? What if we applied a little e-harmony/match.com science and art to the process? E-harmony has its 29 Dimensions ® of Compatibility. What if associations did the same?

There have been so many good reads that I've been reading somuch more than blogging. Here are a few I think you might like:

• Leading Change: Getting Your Organization on Board with Social Media
• Learning to ride the leadership rollercoaster
• Good is no longer Good enough
• Best Conflict Tool Ever: Ladder of Inference
• Leadership Skills: Curiosity (this is 3rd in a series -read them all!)
• On Mobilizing Your Evangelists
• The White Magic of Listening
• Federal Report Finds US Volunteer Rate Increased over 2 Years
• 50 Power Twitter Tips

There are so many more ... check out my Delicous bookmarks! And tell me where your's are so I can follow!

Our third conversation in our continuing celebration of the Association Volunteer (read more here) is with Chris Carbone, a volunteer with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-MD

We continue our celebration of the Association Volunteer (read more here) by talking with Claudia Ciolfi, Sr Communications Specialist at Injured Workers' Insurance Fund (IWIF). Claudia first joined PRSA-MD, the Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in 1999, and soon found a place where she could grow professionally and personally, all with the encouragement and support of her employer.

“It is exciting and gratifying to help PRSA achieve its goal on the local level and their goal is advancing the profession and the professional. I’m honored to help do that at the local level.”

Just checking out the new unconference headed our way: The Hacking Associations Unconference is coming.

Its about putting your money where your mouth is (ok and getting a pay back!). It's all inspired by Acronym's Big Ideas Month. Behind it are Principled Innovation's Jeff De Cagna) and DelCor Technology Solutions' KiKi L'Italien. If you are ready for innovating your association, check out the video here. mark the date (April 22) and follow #hackaction.

Bruce Butterfield's question and Peggy's earlier post on the comparison of associations to newspapers begs a fundamental question ... is that all there is?”

Conservative estimates put the number of service projects on MLK Day of Service at more than 10,000.
From President Obama and his family to kids and their families at an elementary school in DC, people took a “day on not a day off”. Twitter crackled with news coming in from all parts about in impromptu and very-organized activities (follow #MLKDay).

One of aspects of this service that went unreported are the hours put in by association volunteers on the all-important business of their associations. I don’t mean in any way to discount the work of many for communities and charities, but I would like the shine a light on the thousands of volunteers who toil for their professional and trade associations.