Jackson: I believe it is important to give
back, both professionally and socially.
Although each affords its own level of
satisfaction, both can allow association
professionals to use and sharpen the
skills of their trade in ways that benefit
others. I always encourage my colleagues
to get involved, especially younger people.
For nominating and eligibility details, please
access associationforum.org and click on Education
& Events/Association Week/Honors Gala.
FORUM: How has being a volunteer
leader contributed to your success in
association management?
Jackson: There are innumerable benefits
to your career obtained through volunteer work with the Association Forum.
Just recently I was asked to join the host
committee for the upcoming national
conference for Independent Sector, being
held in Chicago. This is the association
for all of the major foundations and charitable organizations in the country. They
have members like the Gates Foundation
and the MacArthur Foundation. There is
no way I am allowed to serve this exceptional group without the experience and
recognition of my time with Association
Forum.
takeover of my position by one of my
staff directors in order to circumvent
the professional search process. There
were some intense months until it was
announced that I was to be the recipient of the Shapiro Award in June 2007,
which took the wind out of the effort to
circumvent the process. If I had been
nominated for that award by current
AVMA staff, how could anyone argue that
I was not a favorable leader and needed
to be replaced immediately? The staff
member resigned his position and a
search committee was organized and my
replacement recruited and approved by
the board. The Samuel B. Shapiro Award
helped make the difference.
was association management. I could call
on my peers to help with problems or
decisions with which I had no experience
or training. I took classes at Association
Forum to fill my educational gaps and
attended committee meetings whereby I
learned not only avenues to pursue, but
experiences that others had witnessed in
the past. My interaction with Association
Forum was extremely important in my
professional development.
Bruce W. Little, DVM,
retired CEO of the American Veterinary Medical
Association and the lon-gest-serving executive in its
147-year history
2007 Samuel B. Shapiro Award Winner
FORUM: What do you think are essential
attributes in a leader?
Little: A leader is someone who first
listens, then researches the subject and
subsequently makes a decision. All decisions do not end up being productive or
profitable, but decisions must be made
and implemented for the best interest
of your organization. Good leaders make
more positive decisions than negative
ones.
FORUM: Was being an Association
Forum award recipient a nice way to end
your career?
Little: Receiving the 2007-2008 Samuel
B. Shapiro Award was a most significant
event in my case. After 23 years of ser-
vice to my association, the last 12 years
as executive vice president and CEO, I
announced my retirement in July 2006
with an effective retirement date of Dec.
31, 2007. After announcing, some of my
board members organized an unfriendly
FORUM: How has being a member of
Association Forum assisted you in your
career?
Little: Association Forum was very
important in my progression as an association executive. I was a trained professional working in a professional
association of the same discipline as my
training; however, I had never received
any formal association management
training. Association Forum gave me the
opportunity to network with colleagues in
the association business, whose business
