Inside The Minds of Association Execs
Getting a sense of where politics is going is like predicting how much snow we’ll get next winter. (Eric Cantor bought a spoon when he needed a plow.) So Bisnow assembled six association execs last week at Smith & Wollensky in DC to shed light on how they view the political landscape.
Our moderator Jerry Jasinowski (former CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers) is watching four trends: Tech is accelerating and disrupting everything; only 25% of Americans think the US is going in the right direction; the economy is not going to pick up in any major way; and the country’s future depends on a better educated workforce. Speaking of tech, Aerospace Industries Association president/CEO Marion Blakey says unmanned aircraft systems are exciting for aerospace and defense. AIA is educating the public and policymakers on beneficial uses and safety related to these systems. The European Commission expects to have regs on unmanned systems by the end of this year and Japan is already using them in agriculture. The FAA has until 2015 to establish regs for integration of unmanned systems into US airspace.
Polarization in Congress is forcing some associations to change how they tackle elections. American Forest & Paper Association president/CEO Donna Harman says the organization is playing a bigger, more grassroots role in primaries and inviting future members of Congress for tours of paper facilities before they start drafting legislation that will affect the industry. (Our advice: while there, take notes on paper instead of your phone.)
National Association of Professional Employer Organizations president/CEO Pat Cleary says NAPEO, which represents businesses that handle human resources and other back office functions for small businesses, is the epitome of a mixed emotion association. The more regs Washington hands down, the better his members do in business. Obamacare, with its several thousands of pages of confusing regulation, was a gift, says Pat. But his board is fairly conservative, so cheering on more regulation is awkward. Heidrick & Struggles partner Julian Ha says more companies are hiring chief revenue officers. They intersect strategy, finance, and marketing.
Builders and tenants are moving to Northern Virginia because of regulatory changes in DC. That's why the District of Columbia Building Industry Association is more proactive than ever before, says CEO Lisa Mallory, who left DC government six months ago. But that hasn't slowed down construction. DC has some of the most complicated building projects going on, including Capitol Crossing, a large mixed-use structure requiring air rights over I-395. DCBIA is also closely monitoring the mayoral race and its two leading candidates.
Electric Drive Transportation Association president Brian Wynne says the electric car industry has good political support ahead of it as it contributes to the transportation infrastructure, tax incentives, and sources of power. He’s optimistic simply because of how much drivers love their electric drive cars. The association is partnering with Formula E, a worldwide FIA-sanctioned championship featuring pure electric open wheel racing.
Big thanks to Heidrick & Struggles and Smith & Wollensky for helping us throw the roundtable luncheon.
