Professional Excellence is a core value of RGI and knowledge-sharing supports that value. In July RGI staff members spoke at the Indiana Society of Association Executives (ISAE) ICON conference in Bloomington, IN and the Association Management Company Institute (AMCI) Engaged meeting in Montreal, Canada. Drawing on their varied education, expertise and experience, spoke on employee retention and staffing solutions, professional development for association professionals, meeting management, advocacy, and a client success story.
Navigating the Turnover Tsunami: Strategies for Employee Retention
Speakers: Mark McSweeney, CAE, Vice President, Association Strategies; Kim Paugh, CAE, Executive Director & Director of People Strategies; and Nick Estrada, CAE, CMP, CEO
The aftermath of the pandemic has unleashed unprecedented shifts in the workforce landscape, leading to what some have termed the “turnover tsunami.” With remote work becoming the new norm, retaining talent has become more challenging than ever, exacerbating the crisis of culture within organizations. In this enlightening session, Raybourn Group International, a four-year recipient of Indiana’s Best Places to Work, shared compelling case studies illustrating how intentional approaches to employee retention can achieve a thriving workplace culture through strategic hiring and onboarding processes, robust feedback structures, and comprehensive growth plans for staff. Mark McSweeney shared, “I am excited to speak about Employee Retention at AMC Institute because, surrounded by our peers in the AMC world, our audience understands the unique challenges and opportunities within our industry. This issue is real, and after our own struggles, it is an honor to share how RGI has made intentional changes and found success in employee retention and development.”
To Speak or Not To Speak: Should my Association Get Involved with Elections?
Speaker: Samantha Zechiel, Member Services Coordinator
Sam discussed her experience with association advocacy initiatives and the different approaches associations can take. Before diving into the legislative process, associations must consider the amount of time, planning, and resources that are required for different forms of advocacy. She’s shared these insights in a recent RGI blog post.
CMP Deep Dive: Get Started on Your Journey
Speakers: Nick Estrada, CAE, CMP, CEO, and Emilie Perkins, CAE, CMP Fellow, CMM, PMP, CED, Vice President of Client & Conference Services
The Certified Meetings Professional (CMP) designation is a professional development option for both new meetings professionals and those looking to boost their proficiencies. Nick and Emilie shared their own work to earn the CMP.
Strategies for Effective Staff Onboarding and Training
Speakers: Kim Paugh, CAE, Executive Director & Director of People Strategies and Karly Wolfcale, Communications Coordinator
Kim and Karly shared how to transform the first 90 days on the job into a stress-free and productive period, ensuring a smooth transition and rapid integration into your team. Attendees learned practical insights on crafting onboarding programs that transcend traditional approaches and fostering a culture of continuous learning.
Stakeholder Stew: A Beginner’s Recipe for Managing the Key Ingredients of Any Event
Speakers: Emily Wrinkle, CMP, DES, Meetings Manager, and Anna Parr, Membership Manager
Emily and Anna challenged attendees to think of key event stakeholders (speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, etc.) as ingredients, staff as the chefs, and their insights as a recipe. They questioned attendees to “picture a scenario when your main ingredient, the conference keynote, shows up on the wrong day.” With the right mixture, they shared how to develop a recipe for organized communication that sets up key event stakeholders for success, and ultimately crafts a dish that leaves no attendee palate unsatisfied.
STAR Awards Showcase
Speaker: Emilie Perkins, CAE, CMP Fellow, CMM, PMP, CED, Vice President of Client & Conference Services
Emilie shared the details of an award-winning project for the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group (DSMIG-USA), an organization with only .26 full-time equivalent employees. To facilitate the information exchange needed to accomplish their mission; DSMIG-USA adopted the Project ECHO knowledge-sharing model. Inspired by the way clinicians learn from medical rounds during residencies, an ECHO online session allows participants to present real (anonymized) cases to the specialists—and each other—for discussion and recommendations. In just 11 months, these sessions have had over 1,200 registrations, with 61% of participants using what they learned in their work, and 93% of participants saying the sessions have increased, improved, or positively impacted their knowledge.
RGI staff members conduct knowledge-sharing with co-workers but also with peers through in-person presentations, blog posts, and consulting projects.
Rachel Daeger, CAE, IOM
Rachel Daeger, CAE, IOM joined the RGI team in 2010. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism and business from Indiana University. With extensive association management experience, Rachel uses her communication and organizational skills to meet her clients strategic objectives regardless of their industry.