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Message from the Executive DirectorMarch/April 2010With only one month to go before the 18th Annual Meeting of the NASC and our Sports Event Symposium, it is clear we will see another record crowd! As the travel industry continues to recover from the effects of the recession the sports event segment is more than holding its own. NASC members are showing personal commitment by turning out in big numbers to learn the latest trends, discuss what works best, earn professional certification, and book business.
Our report on the state of the industry will include results from two very recent and important studies that chart what is happening industry-wide.
The highlights of the program have been covered elsewhere. My focus is on you, our members. Due to continued growth in our membership, record attendance, and growing financial support from our corporate partners and symposium sponsors, on January 1, 2010 the NASC opened its own office here in Cincinnati. Although the NASC has been managed from Cincinnati since 1994 its offices have always been part of those maintained by our company. Now, the NASC is standing on its own! We are additionally hopeful to have a 100 percent full-time staff by the end of this year.
This is important for several reasons. It is a clear indication of a growing industry that requires growing support from its association. I will be reporting in April on an explosion of new member services in the last two years. These new services combined with all the other benefits of membership have produced growing demands on our staff. This is best handled in-house. Dedicated employees are able to become intimately familiar with what you are looking for. After all, they are speaking with members every hour of the day! Finally, it allows for professional certification of our staff. In 2009 Beth Hecquet achieved her CMP certification. This year, Elizabeth Chaney is enrolled in a personal productivity course designed to help her identify and focus on high-payoff activities in terms of their importance to members.
At the same time, we have equipped Lori Gamble with an in-home office that allows her to interface with all of our systems and data 24/7. Although she is in the office each week the bulk of her work is now completed from home. This is a major time saver because Lori’s commute was consuming time now spent on you. Lori’s primary responsibilities continue to revolve around finances and our meetings. Our auditor has just completed their examination of our books for 2009, and Lori has been responsible for projecting and re-projecting our financial performance and monitoring everything on an account by account basis every month since 1994.
We hope to add another member of our team who will take responsibility as the primary telephone and web site contact and act as an assistant to Lori, Beth, and Elizabeth. More details on our future planning and partnership programs will be shared next month.
All of this continues with no increase in dues since 2002 and only occasional and modest adjustments in registration fees for our meetings and programs. Staff continually monitors our financial position and reports to our board of directors each month. The system works!
On behalf of the board, executive committee, and staff we look forward to seeing you in April!
Sincerely, 
Executive Director,
National Association of Sports Commissions
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