CEO tells ASAE17 that Trump's travel ban may limit meeting attendance by foreigners; ‘bathroom bills' bashed

ASAE CEO John Graham addresses the group's annual meeting opening general session.
Photo: Jennifer Roberts

ASAE CEO John Graham strongly rejected discrimination in his opening address at the 2017 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition in Toronto Sunday morning.

Speaking against the immigration policies of the Trump administration and so-called "bathroom bills" in states such as Texas—but with racist violence in Charlottesville, Va., fresh in mind—Graham praised the welcome extended to ASAE attendees by Canada.

"Unfortunately, some currents in our own nation seem to be causing some to feel less welcome," he said.

He pointed to reports that international attendance at U.S. events has been hurt, especially for scientific and medical groups, and highlighted ASAE's public policy efforts.

"As an industry, we stand for a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. At ASAE, our board and our membership have been united in opposing discrimination in any form and for any reason.

"(W)e cannot support the idea of a travel ban, especially a ban aimed at those of particular nationalities or faiths. The same is true for vetting so extreme that it discourages visitors who want only to attend a conference or tour our cities," Graham said.

ASAE is lobbying in state capitals, including Austin, Texas, against laws tGraham said are "designed to discriminate rather than protect." The bills require people to use a bathroom corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificates, rather than the gender with which they currently identify.

"We've joined a broad coalition of business, Texas destination and civic groups that believe this kind of legislation is discriminatory. Of course, we continue to fight any legislation that makes our country, or any of our states, any less than welcoming to all," he said.

Transition to CEO

Following a lunch break where attendees leaving the Metro Toronto Convention Center were met by throngs of Blue Jays baseball fans on the way to the nearby Rogers Centre stadium, learning sessions commenced.

Many aspiring top executives gathered for a 90-minute "deep dive" on transitioning into the C-suite. Former association leader Nancy Green, now a search consultant at Vetted Solutions, moderated a panel composed of:Chris Busky, CEO of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Larry Sloan. CEO of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, and Alison Keane, CEO of the Flexible Packaging Association.

Each taked about the different path followed to their current positions.

Sloan addressed the challenges moving to a professional society from a trade association—he previously led chemical industry group SOCMA. Busky followed what he called an "atypical" climb from EVP and COO at one group—the Heart Rhythm Society—to CEO of another. Keane went from chief lobbyist at the $10 million-revenue American Coatings Association to leader of the $2.8 million FPA—where the total staff and budget are smaller than the GR operation she managed at ACA.

Busky said he was up front with his CEO and mentor at HRS before he began his 10-year tenure there—he did not want to be limited to finance and operations. The CEO agreed—but said Busky needed to focus on fixing the group's finances in his first two years.

A decade later, the search committee at IDSA was impressed with Busky's ability to speak about the entire range of functions at HRS, including membership, marketing and fundraising.

"Was that given to me? Of course not, I had to go get it, I had to ask for it," Busky said. "I could have stayed in my swim lane for 10 years at HRS, but I didn't want that.

"When a search committee sees a COO coming in the door, there's that question mark: ‘Have you just done the finances and HR and IT? That's not what many organizations are looking for."