Anne Daly Heller, publisher and executive editor of the weekly association newspaper USAE, died Sept. 12 at her home in Chevy Chase, Md., from complications of pneumonia. She was 78.

Heller and her husband Ross founded USAE in 1982. She received ASAE's Academy of Leaders Award and has been a central figure in the association community for four decades.

"Anne was a fixture in the business events industry, and a tremendous supporter of the PCMA Foundation, frequently chairing the foundation's fundraising committee for the annual Visionary Awards," Sherrif Karamat, CEO of the Professional Convention Management Association, said in a statement. "Our industry will not be the same without her."

The Events Industry Council named Heller a member of its Hall of Leaders in 2019. She was given The Spirit of Hospitality award by Destination Marketing Association International (now Destinations International) in 2009.

She is survived by her husband, three sons and three grandchildren.

In addition, the Destinations International Foundation has announced the creation of the "Anne Daly Heller USAE 30 Under 30 Scholars Fund." The fund is intended to provide exceptional continuing education opportunities for participants of each year's class of Destination International's 30 Under 30 honorees. Funding came from an initial endowment of $100,000 donated by Ross Heller.

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