Chamber and ASAE chiefs, along with Chamber top lobbyist, accepted CEO Update 2014 Association Leadership Awards

Association executives gathered at the JW Marriott hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., on October 14 to honor the winners of the 2014 Association Leadership Awards. (Photos: James Favata, Leading Authorities)

Oct. 17, 2014
By William Ehart

Association executives crowded the swank JW Marriott hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14 to recognize three pre-eminent members of their community at the inaugural CEO Update Association Leadership Awards.

The 2014 ALA winners are:

• Trade Association CEO of the Year—Tom Donohue of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce;
• Professional Society CEO of the Year—John Graham of ASAE;
• Association Lobbyist of the Year—Bruce Josten, executive vice president for government affairs at the Chamber.

Trade Association CEO of the Year Tom Donohue of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce accepts his award from Tom Kuhn and Susan Neely.

The 450 executives and guests, gathered in the hotel's grand ballroom, were flanked by twin jumbo screens, which punctuated the event with documentary-style, black-and-white videos featuring association leaders.

There were 41 tables at the sold-out event.

Attendees got a taste of British journalism as BBC World News America anchor Katty Kay conducted living-room-style sit-down interviews with each of the three men.

Edison Electric Institute President Tom Kuhn and American Beverage Association CEO Susan Neely emceed the event, bantering behind a tall desk and presenting the awards to Donohue and Graham. Christopher Womack, president of external affairs and executive vice president of utility Southern Co., a Chamber member, gave Josten his award.

ASAE's John Graham accepts the Professional Society CEO of the Year award from Kuhn (left) and Neely.

Prior to the award ceremony, a select group of CEOs hobnobbed with the honorees in a VIP reception featuring live video interviews and a champagne toast led by Mark French, publisher of CEO Update and president of parent company Leading Authorities. The speaker, event services and video production company produced the event.

Among CEOs attending the reception: Jack Gerard, American Petroleum Institute; Connie Tipton, International Dairy Foods Association; Dawn Sweeney, National Restaurant Association; Matthew Shay, National Retail Federation; Jay Timmons, National Association of Manufacturers; Steve Caldeira, International Franchise Association; Joe McGuire, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers; Julie Coons, Electronic Retailing Association; Stephen Gold, Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation; Geoff Freeman, American Gaming Association; Henry Chamberlain, Building Owners and Managers Association; and Dick Doyle, Vinyl Institute.

Chamber chief lobbyist Bruce Josten accepts the Association Lobbyist of the Year award from Christoper Womack of Southern Company.

The Association Leadership Awards event culminated a multi-pronged effort to identify and recognize the best in the association business. In early spring, CEO Update solicited nominations from 11,000 executives in the community. An independent panel of recruiters, notable former association executives and other members of the community chose the winners.

The IFA was the platinum sponsor of the ceremony, while Washington, D.C.-based tenant-only real estate services company Cresa was the gold sponsor.

Silver sponsors were: Bloomberg Government, Korn Ferry, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Lumix, the National Retail Federation, the National Restaurant Association, Ogletree Deakins and SmartBrief.

Bronze sponsors were Associated Luxury Hotels International, the Aluminum Association, JDG Associates, AXA and SunTrust.