Together is the key word: EAST committees and members
now work in harmony and the board functions as a team —
their executive director an essential player.
“I love the way our members and leadership have appreciated my experience and seen the value in an association professional managing this group,” Eme says. “They see me as staff
first, with their best interests at heart. I feel I’ve helped them
in the ways I was supposed to as a professional; they have
helped me immensely as well.” She adds having an appreciative, positive board reaffirms what you’re doing is “good and
valuable,” and that because they all work together for the
good of the organization, member needs come first and foremost. For example, in 2006 EAST opened its membership
to other trauma professionals such as nurses and mid-level
practitioners.
“Trauma services have grown, and the number of people
involved also has grown,” says EAST Board Member Bruce
Crookes, M.D., with the Medical University of South Carolina
in Charleston. “That’s why we decided to expand beyond sur-
geons. The philosophy of our group is that we should embrace
those other connections because we are about the care of the
injured patient. We need more people to take care of them,
so we need to be inclusive, not exclusive.”
This philosophy coincides with EAST’s core strategic goals
established in 2006, and also reinforces EAST’s mission. The
goals stress fellowship and collaboration within the entire
trauma professional community, therefore expanding member-
ship to new groups of medical professionals was a strategic
goal. As a result, more than 250 new members have joined
EAST in the past two years — the previous average was up
to 90 new members per year — and the Annual Scientific
Assembly has doubled in size since 2008, with a record
attendance of 600 for the 2011 meeting. It’s also provided
greater responsibility for Eme, which she views as a great
opportunity for her professional growth.
“I feel lucky that the leadership of EAST is so forward-thinking,” Eme says. “When the association started, they
were one of the first trauma associations to have a website.
They’re not afraid to try new things and that’s a great place
for a CEO to be.” She adds that relying on her network of
association professionals, including her fellow members at
the Association Forum of Chicagoland, for guidance has
helped EAST grow and become even more respected.
“The sense that you have to do it all by yourself or create
it from scratch is greatly reduced because of the camaraderie
of the Association Forum members and their willingness to
share experience and resources,” Eme says. “I’m one person,
but I know where to look for help.”
This is precisely why EAST hired Eme. “EAST was good
before,” Bernard says. “Now we are great. Our ability to set
and accomplish goals is really good. Our membership also
has exploded, the rigor of our meeting has expanded, and our
framework is much more defined and stable.”
Not Business as Usual
Amid much change since EAST’s inception, one constant has
been its dedication to young trauma professionals. EAST’s
mindset and approach are unique. For example, no ties are
allowed at the Annual Scientific Assembly. “This is a meeting
for young people, so let’s be young and informal,” Block says.
In this way, EAST demonstrates that members are learning
from one another as peers. Along with the “no ties allowed”
mantra, Hawaiian shirts are encouraged — even for those
presenting their papers from a podium. A former president
even accepted his term in shorts, and one year EAST distributed Hawaiian shirts with the EAST logo. “That is our image.
That’s what we want,” Block says.
Younger members mean families — and families not only
are welcome, but encouraged. “EAST wants you to bring your
families to the meeting,” Stassen says. “It is my favorite
meeting every year.”
Eme especially enjoys and appreciates how EAST has
maintained its unique, level-playing-field mentality. “Every-
one is true to the unique character of the organization,” she
says.
Block adds: “When I first joined EAST, one of the slightly
more senior members wisely told me, ‘EAST is about taking
risks, and sometimes we’re right.’” Because of that, he says,
“EAST enjoys spectacular successes in a variety of areas, is
willing to try new things, is progressive and always remains
headed in the right direction.”
Suzi Wirtz, CAE, is a Chicago-based freelance writer. She may be reached at
smwirtz@sbcglobal.net.
THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 SIGNATURE STORY features the inspiring reinvention of the 125-year-old American Fraternal Alliance, including a
new name and brand, and substantial changes to its programs and services.
The result: much more aggressive advocacy initiatives, enhanced education
programs and networking opportunities, a new class of membership and new
non-dues revenue streams. Based in Oak Brook, Ill., the Alliance is a trade
association with 70 member fraternal benefit societies, which comprise one
of America’s largest member-volunteer networks. In 2010, members invested
more than 91 million hours and $400 million to charitable programs supporting community service projects.
