Before I purchased an association management company (AMC), I owned and ran a pizzeria. In that business, you have your basic ingredients: mozzarella cheese, the dough, the pizza sauce, maybe a little pepperoni. Of course, you offer a lot of extras: sausage, olives, even anchovies.

Some pizzerias often more exotic combinations that include pineapple.

The AMCI Annual Meeting 2020 in Long Beach, CA was one of the last events many in our industry attended before our travel declined and ultimately halted to a full stop. How fitting it was then to come together again in Orlando, FL for AMCI 2021 June 2-4^th.

Showing up to our first event in over a year, it was hard to know what to expect for the “new normal” meeting environment, such  as something as simple as shaking a hand, which we took for granted a year ago in Long Beach! Besides the content and networking opportunities that waited for us at AMCI, this was also a learning experience for us to gauge how we should operate our client’s meetings and events in a post-pandemic era. We dusted off our suitcases, dug in the back closet for business clothes that haven’t seen sunlight in months, and hopped on flights packed with theme-park clad families to make it to AMCI.

Four Newly Accredited AMCs Recognized at Annual Meeting

We have all heard of overachievers during the pandemic – loaves of bread, puzzles completed, miles tracked on fake bikes. Some of our AMC colleagues truly used the time to their professional and competitive advantage – becoming an accredited firm within AMCI.

 We had the chance during our Annual Meeting to recognize the four most recently accredited firms, AMC Source, ICOM, Management Connection, and Q & A Business Solutions.  Kudos to their respective principals, Gregory Brooks, Dr. Ahmed El Shal, Nick Bundra, and Beth Quick-Andrews, CAE, for rallying their teams and completing the intensive accreditation process in a virtual environment. And as my company is part of a global firm, I want to issue a special welcome to ICOM, headquartered in the UAE with an additional office in Cairo.

Emerging Leaders Workshop - In Case You Missed It 

More than 50 emerging AMC leaders convened to listen, learn, and share their experiences at AMCI's first Emerging Leaders half-day workshop. The program focused on how to advocate for yourself, seize opportunities, and spotlighted best practices to close skill gaps and accelerate your career.

There were dozens of highlights and nearly as many books, articles and resources shared. Below are five techniques we explored applying to our routines; if they inspire you, share your thoughts in the comments!