CAE Orientation
So You Want to Be a
Certified Association Executive
Welcome & Introductions
Presenters:
• Steve Smith, CAE
Director, Business Development & Marketing Services
American Academy of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation
• Joyce L. Paschall, CMP, CAE
Vice President, The Center for Association Growth
Top Reasons Why People
Earn the CAE
1. Professional development – career
planning
2. Dedication to association
management as a career
3. Belief in the profession
4. Self-fulfillment
Benefits of having your CAE
1.
Expanded knowledge: gain in-depth insights into
every aspect of association management.
2.
National professional recognition: peers, staff,
and volunteer leaders all value the CAE
designation.
3.
Extensive peer-level communication: increase
networking opportunities as a result of participating
in study groups and CAE only events.
What is CAE?
• Certified Association Executive. Just like a CPA for
accountants, CAE is the association profession's
recognized certification designation.
• It’s a process of accumulating substantial experience
and demonstrating a commitment to the association
profession over time.
CAE eligibility requirements:
• If you are a chief executive officer with at least three
years of experience as CEO and a bachelor's degree
or higher, or CEOs with five years of experience
without a degree.
• If you are an association staff member with at least
five years of experience and a bachelor's degree or
higher or seven years of experience without a
degree.
CAE eligibility requirements:
• You must be an employee of a trade association,
professional society, individual membership
organization, philanthropic organization, or
association management company.
• You must pledge to adhere to the ASAE code of
conduct and have no felony convictions.
• You have made the decision to make association
management your career, and you are willing to
commit yourself to career-long professional
development.
The following categories are
Not Eligible for the CAE
• Suppliers
• Vendors
• Consultants
How Many CAE’s Are There?
• 21.5 percent of all eligible ASAE members hold the
CAE designation
• Approximately 3,000 association executives are
CAEs
• 56 percent of all CAEs are chief executive officers
Who Administers the CAE
Program?
• ASAE administers the examination under the
direction of an 11-member CAE Commission, which
provides the credential.
• All applications are sent to and processed by ASAE.
The Steps To Achieve The CAE
1.
You can print out your application online at
http://info.asaenet.org/pdf/CAE_application.pdf
2.
Attend an orientation session conducted by the
Association Forum's CAE working group.
3.
File the application form and appropriate fees.
4.
Register for an Association Forum study group
(most candidates go through the study group
process).
The Steps To Achieve The CAE
5.
Order the ASAE reference materials.
6.
Read the materials, attend study groups, and
prepare for the exam.
7.
Take the CAE exam.
8.
Celebrate your accomplishment! Pass or fail, you
are richer.
The Application Form
• Documents your professional and educational
background.
• Completion of 75 hours of broad-based, association
management-related continuing
education/professional development within the last
five years. This education must be directly related
to nonprofit management.
The Application Form
• You will remain eligible to sit for the exam for three
years after your application has been accepted.
• If you are unsuccessful on the CAE exam, you may retake the exam until your eligibility expires.
• Within 6-8 weeks of submitting the application, you will
be notified of eligibility.
The Application Form
How long to complete?
• Anywhere from a few hours to a few
days.
• It is up to you to remember and record
your achievements; The Forum doesn’t
do it for you.
How Much Does It Cost?
• Application fee of $500 for ASAE
members and $700 for non-ASAE
members.
• The CAE study group costs $165 for
Forum members and $220 for
nonmembers.
• Reference materials can be purchased in
a set from MSAE for $400.
How Much Does It Cost?
• Rescheduling/cancellation fee of $25 if you
cancel or reschedule with less than two weeks
notice before the exam date.
• There is a $250 fee for each re-examination.
Bibliography of references
• The CAE Commission’s Authoritative Literature presents
readings for the CAE exam, organized by the ten domains of the
CAE exam outline. Most of these resources are available
through ASAE's bookstore at special member prices. Several
resources contain information applicable to more than one
domain, and thus appear more than once in the Authoritative
Literature. Where possible, specific chapters have been noted to
provide further direction as to the sections applicable to that
specific domain.
• The Authoritative Literature provides a concise yet detailed
guide to informative association management books in key
knowledge areas. It serves as a valuable tool for all association
professionals, especially those preparing for the CAE.
Bibliography of References
• References are available through ASAE &
the Center’s Web site
http://www.asaecenter.org/
• Remember!!
– The study aides are designed to help
candidates gain an understanding of the topics
covered in the exam. The specific questions,
however, are not derived from the reading
material. – In other words, the answers aren’t
necessarily in the references!
Forum’s Study Group
• CAE Working Group plans study groups for
both the fall and spring exams. Study group
locations are based on the number of
candidates and geographic location.
What's the format?
• Informal, interactive discussion facilitated by
“graduates” of the CAE program.
• Discussion is tailored to build on participants'
existing knowledge base, and focuses on
integrating experience and knowledge.
How Much Time Does It Take?
• Groups meet 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. once a
week for seven weeks.
• How much time you spend preparing for
each study group and the exam will
relate to your comfort level with the
material for each domain.
About The Exam
• A knowledge-based, paper and pencil
examination.
– 200 multiple-choice questions.
– Questions were written by CAEs under the
direction of psychometricians (exam writing
experts).
– The content outline is derived from a role
delineation study conducted by ASAE & the
Center that forms the body of knowledge for
the association management profession.
• Four hours or less to complete.
When Will I Know If I Passed?
• All candidates notified in writing within
eight weeks.
• Exams are computer graded.
• Successful candidates receive
notification of their passing status only.
• No results are reported over the
telephone.
What If I Don’t Make It?
• Unsuccessful candidates receive a summary
report.
• Unsuccessful candidates may file a written
petition to the CAE appeals committee.
• Although a candidate may only take the exam
once in a calendar year, there is no limit on
the number of times candidates may take the
examination.
When Is The Exam?
• The next exams are scheduled:
– December 2, 2005
• Deadline to apply: September 9, 2005
• Late deadline: October 7, 2005 ($100 additional)
– May 5, 2006
• Deadline to apply: February 3, 2006
• Late deadline: March 3, 2006 ($100 additional)
How Is The Examination
Scored?
• A pre-determined standard of knowledge set by a
criterion-referenced methodology (similar to setting
par in golf).
• There is no curve and candidates do not compete
against each other.
• There is no limit on the number of candidates who
may pass or fail the exam.
CAE Recognition
• Successful candidates are recognized at ASAE & the
Center’s next national educational event.
• By Association Forum in the FORUM magazine and on
Forum’s Web site.
• All successful candidates receive a CAE pin as a gift from
the Forum, and are honored at a Forum reception at ASAE
& the Center’s Annual Meeting.
Certification Renewal
• Must accumulate 40 points of continuing
education, professional development or
30 points of continuing education and
10 points in other areas--such as
leadership, instruction, or writing.
• Every three years.
• Must complete CAE renewal report
form.
What Does Renewal Cost?
• $185 for members and $265 for
nonmembers.
• Must be paid when the renewal report
form is submitted.
For More Information
• On Forum’s CAE study groups contact Julie Sullivan
Assistant Director of Membership, Association Forum
of Chicagoland 312-924-7042 (direct) or get more
info on the Forum’s Web site at
www.associationforum.org
• For general information on the CAE program, access
ASAE’s Web site at
http://www.asaecenter.org/YourCareer/contentcae.cfm?Ite
mNumber=16097&navItemNumber=14985
CAE Orientation
Thank you for attending!