Posted by Lisa Hochgraf
It was nice being "live" in the CUES staff meeting last week, and seeing my colleague, Kristina Mattson, CUES' VP/membership services, be recognized for earning her Certified Association Executive designation from the American Society of Association Executives. To do so, Kristina had to pass a four-hour, 200-question test on everything from strategic management to planning and research to leadership, administration, knowledge management, and governance.
"The CAE program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and distinguish association professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to association management," according to ASAE. "Getting the CAE isn't simply a one-time thing, but an ongoing commitment to professional growth. Professionals holding the designation pledge to continually advance their knowledge and achieve higher levels of excellence in association management."
Kristina confirms this idea about continuous learning when she says, "Re-certification every three years will allow me to continue to grow and stay current. I also plan to facilitate future CAE study groups, including one this fall for the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives."
So, hats off to you, Kristina, on your achievement, and thank you for reminding me about the importance of CUES' own designation: the Certified Chief Executive, or CCE. To date, almost 290 credit union executives have completed the rigorous process of earning this prestigious designation, completing all three weeks of CEO Institute and two between-segment action-learning assignments.
I've been to a few days of CEO Institute II at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and I can tell you the program is every bit as good as the university where it's held. CUES' SVP/Chief Operating Officer Barb Kachelski, CAE, who has been though all segments of the program, adds: "I actually did the between-segment prjects. I found my greatest learning came from applying the knowledge I had gained."
So hats off, too, to the credit union executives who can proudly use the CCE designation on their resumes, business cards and letterhead. You have established a standard of educational excellence for credit union leaders and should be commended for your ongoing commitment to your professional development.
Lisa Hochgraf is board/operations editor for CUES' Credit Union Management magazine and edits the CUES Tech Port e-newsletter, News to Go.
