About Us
Mission and vision statement
To promote, protect and evangelise the profession of membership management globally. To support membership managers of all ages and backgrounds irrespective of their role within a membership organisation and to support their career development.
History and background of the Society and its predecessors
In the 1930 the Society of Association Executives was created to provide a professional body for those employed full time by professional bodies and trade associations. In reality the key focus of the SAE was to provide a luncheon club/social network for fellow senior membership professionals to share their challenges.
In the 1990’s the SAE became the Institute of Association Management and sought to become a more total resource for chief Executives and Directors of membership organisations. Attempts were made to create a qualification in the UK to match the CAE designation in the US and also to provide CPD. The name was changed again to the Institute of Association leadership but unfortunately for various reasons the focus on the top level management in the sector only meant that the relatively high Fellowship subscription, coupled with the fact that there was only one grade meant that focus was lost and the IAL wound up.
We are driven to use SAM to help the many new entrants coming into the sector especially those who may be working in the less traditional parts of the sector such as digital marketing. Whilst many of those currently in leadership roles in the sector, especially in the larger membership organisations have often fallen by accident into a second career in their working lives we passionately believe that there should be a strong career path available for those working their way up through the ‘ranks’ especially in the smaller, more niche membership organisations.
The SAM leadership team
We are proud to have a steering committee consisting of a number of highly qualified and experienced membership professionals with well over 150 years of experience between them. We will be seeking to add to the committee in due course and welcome approaches from any interested parties. The more knowledge and experience to be shared widely the better.
Code of ethics and professional standards
In today’s fast moving and highly challenging environment we believe that integrity, transparency and honesty are all a critically important part of a membership professional’s working life. The steering committee is working on a code of practice that we will publish in due course and will ask all members of any grade to sign and agree to.
Let’s talk!
Have a question or comment?
Find out how you can contribute to our future success in promoting the membership profession.
Email us:
Registered Office: North House, Parkins Close, Colliers End, Ware, Hertfordshire SG11 1ED
Company number 13498995 - registered in England & Wales.
You can also find us here: