In honor of the 2012 presidential election in November, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) will open the 2012 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition with a political punch as Democratic strategist James Carville debates Republican strategist Karl Rove, it announced yesterday. The debate, which will discuss the election process and how the current political landscape will impact the country, will be moderated by MSNBC political analyst Michelle Bernard.
"With this being an important election year and associations trying to find new, innovative ways to implement business strategies, we wanted to have dynamic, smart, strategic thinkers that can provide these perspectives," said ASAE President and CEO John H. Graham IV. "Rove and Carville will engage in an important discussion about politics that will give our members insight into how the election may impact their organizations."
ASAE's closing general session will feature Daniel H. Pink, author of A Whole New Mind and Drive, who will discuss the evolution of the art and science of selling.
"As professionals, we are always looking for ways to become better communicators and advocates for our members, and Pink will provide attendees with a new perspective, tips and tools on how to be a better seller so they can take their association to the next level," Graham said.
ASAE also announced speakers for three "Game Changer" sessions, which are education sessions led by influential leaders in business, innovation and finance. Speakers for those sessions are:
• Peter Diamandis, who'll deliver a session titled "Creating an Age of Abundance" during which he'll examine human needs by category and how technologies are transforming things that were once scarce to something abundant.
• Jean Chatzky, who'll deliver a session titled "The Keys to Personal Financial Happiness" during which she'll share a survey in which she questioned 1,500 Americans about their financial attitudes and behaviors and look at how much money people need in order to have a happy, comfortable life.
• Hattie Hill and Fritzi Woods, who'll deliver a session titled "The Power of Using Influence & The Art of Diplomacy" during which they'll discuss how becoming a powerful advocate and sponsor for others can fuel one's career.
The ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition will take place Aug. 11-14, 2012, in Dallas. For more information, visit www.asaecenter.org/annualmeeting.