ASAE CEO John Graham is promising his group will continue to push for "diversity and inclusion" after some members expressed concern that it signed a letter pledging to work with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration.

ASAE was one of more than 1,100 organizations and individuals that signed a National Association of Manufacturers letter promising to work with the president-elect, whoever that may be. The letter was circulated before Election Day and doesn't mention Trump or his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by name.

ASAE's news service Associations Now published a story about the letter Nov. 14, mentioning ASAE was among the signatories. In a statement released Thursday, Graham said his organization has heard from several members who were unhappy about the apparent show of support for Trump. He didn't say what those complaints were, but reader comments on the original story raise concerns about the president-elect's past comments about minorities and women. http://bit.ly/2g20F0b

Graham noted ASAE is a bipartisan organization that doesn't endorse candidates. Still, he acknowledged the recent election had been particularly contentious and was "painful for many Americans, including many of our members."

ASAE simply viewed the letter as a means of asking the new administration to rebuild trust government and business institutions, he said.

"In looking ahead, we make the same commitment we've made upon the arrival of past new presidents: ASAE will work with the new administration in a manner consistent with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, emphasizing the important role associations play in our society and offering our expertise to help shape effective policies that will advance our nation," Graham said.

ASAE has taken political stances in the past against state laws the group believes would discriminate against some of its members. It has protested laws in Indiana and North Carolina that critics said would have discriminated against LGBT people. http://bit.ly/2fCBPr4

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