The growth of ARTBA, an old-line construction industry group, includes the story of an organizational turnaround and a risk-taking CEO with a mandate to mobilize an aging association. And its echoes are familiar to many Washington trade groups now looking to update their image and reenergize their members. At ARTBA, the terrain starts off rough, with a new CEO and a mature trade group in the midst of financial challenges—including a 10-year lease escalation that was sinking the organization into further debt. Despite board and staff skeptics, Peter Ruane suggested purchasing the property outright in 1993—a daring investment for the group housed on the dreary edge of… Read More