History

The history of CSAE is a testament to the power of collaboration and professional growth in the association management industry. The roots of CSAE can be traced back to Ed Bemis, Manager of the Colorado Press Association, who gathered association leaders from the Denver Chamber of Commerce’s membership list. What began as informal meetings twice a month soon evolved into a formalized organization, and in 1952, CSAE was officially founded under the leadership of its first president, Ray Kimball.

By the mid-1960s, CSAE had established a clear mission: to advance and promote the profession of association executives through the exchange of ideas and experiences while developing programs that provided meaningful benefits to its members.

In its early years, CSAE was a small but dedicated community, consisting of 63 industry trade associations, with about 25-30 attendees at luncheons and just 15 at the annual meeting. With membership dues set at $10 per year, the organization operated on an annual income of just more than $1,000.

As CSAE grew, debates emerged about expanding membership to include hotel representatives and suppliers, a topic that was formally settled in 1970 when suppliers and vendors were welcomed as affiliate members (now called Supplier members).

The 1970s marked a period of rapid growth and innovation for CSAE. The launch of the CSAE Monthly Bulletin in 1971 helped members stay informed, and by the mid-1970s, membership had expanded to include 100 association executives and 40 affiliates. The introduction of the Certified Association Executive (CAE) study program in 1976 reinforced CSAE’s commitment to professional development.

In 1982, CSAE took a major step forward by becoming incorporated. With a renewed mission focused on fostering professionalism and personal development, CSAE solidified its role as a vital resource for association leaders, laying the foundation for decades of growth and impact. In 1987, the organization hired Joan Tezak (JT) as the Executive Director.

Each year marked a constant evolution of the member value proposition, and by 2018, CSAE surpassed 300 members.

In the mid-2000s, CSAE expanded its Preferred Provider program for non-dues revenue and developed advertising and sponsorship packages to boost revenue. By 2008, CSAE introduced a dashboard for tracking key metrics and hired an external advertising firm to further build sponsorship revenue. That same year, it launched the Association Express Program to support new executives and CAE candidates, along with Idea Swap sessions to foster knowledge-sharing.

In 2009, CSAE extended programming to Colorado Springs. The following year, it refined its board nomination process, introduced social media channels, and realigned its education mix to ensure all members had opportunities for engagement. By 2011, while it discontinued its non-dues revenue program, it continued to refine its member offerings. In 2012, the association expanded membership options with a new group membership model and launched a Young Professionals group.

CSAE’s advocacy efforts gained momentum in 2013, successfully influencing legislation with the passage of HB 1136, which reinstated associations’ ability to offer continuing education for credit.  AMCs were added to the listing on the website to provide better visibility for industry partners. By 2014, CSAE declared financial stability, and reinstated the Legislative Reception. The association saw record conference attendance in 2015 and launched the Qualified Association Specialist Certificate Program. It also produced an association directory for Colorado Elected Officials and hosted its highest-attended Legislative Reception, with 79 attendees.

The strategic vision for 2016-2018 focused on industry storytelling, culminating in the Tell Your Story campaign. In 2017, CSAE launched an online professional community, a new website, and adopted a new AMS through Association Management Online (AMO), while also updating social media policies and initiating an Ambassador Program. By 2018, it further enhanced its PEAK Events with pre-meeting discussions for professionals and expanded non-dues revenue initiatives. In 2019, CSAE hosted its first Virtual Conference. 

COVID made CSAE re-think a number of ways to provide value to members, including the annual conference and more.  While the 2020 Annual Conference was cancelled, the organization launched virtual sessions and even offered an event in a park to gather the community while acknowledging social distancing.

The organization's Board of Directors continued to select association industry Board Presidents (see the complete list on our Leadership page), and Joan Tezak continued as Executive Director until her retirement in 2021 after 25 years with CSAE. In the spring of 2022, Su Hawk was named Executive Director, the Annual Conference was held at The Hythe Hotel in Vail, and the focus was on on continuing the growth of the industry and expanding the community to engage more association professionals in all roles from across the state. CSAE launched a new series of association roundtables, with framed conversations from member association leaders and professionals to use the power of collaboration to share best practices, lessons learned - and to create strong connections between association professionals.  

In 2023, CSAE expanded engagement with members on committees and at events, and launched the new Future of Associations Symposia events to provide local half-day conferences with speakers focused on forward-thinking topics.  The Annual Conference was held at Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs to showcase their multi-mission-dollar renovation, and the organization re-named its social event to "First Tuesday," to offer networking events to create nearly-monthly networking for all members for connections, friendships and a sense of community, and in 2024, further refined the offering to showcase member hosts, offering them even more expanded visibility in the industry. CSAE also created a new membership for association professionals in transition, the Executive In Transition, to ensure that all association professionals be welcomed and involved, even during a career transition.  

In 2024, CSAE reached a new milestone of 425 members, and launched a more expansive awards ceremony at the Annual Conference to recognize individuals from across the industry, including the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award. The organization created a strengthened working relationship with ASAE for national legislative initiatives to ensure the voices of Colorado's association community are included in important conversations impacting the entire industry. And, CSAE also met a new milestone of nearly 200 attendees at the Annual Conference. Su Hawk was named to the Executive Committee for ASA, a national collaboration with other chief executives of "SAEs" from across the country, to provide the Colorado association community pathways to be further involved in national leadership.

In 2025, the organization began the year with more than 50 volunteer members serving on committees, alongside the 12-person Board, and celebrated the success of 30+ roundtables to create thought leadership for association professionals and the expertise within the state. In February, CSAE launched the new website and AMS system for enhanced member engagement. The 2025 Annual Conference will be hosted at Hotel Polaris at the Air Force Academy, the first time CSAE attendees will be at a new hotel for the conference.

Through these years of innovation, advocacy, and member-focused initiatives, CSAE has strengthened its role as a leading association for professionals, continuously evolving to meet the needs of its growing community.