Association Leadership - May/June 2008 - (Page 14)

cover story: association career “And if you develop the ability to work with people, those skills will take you anywhere.” Harry Savio, Executive Vice President, Home Builders Association of Greater Austin moving to an association was an empowerment,Ó she said. ÒYouÕre trusted with the minimal resources you have to do the job of someone who has unlimited resources. With association work, IÕve had the opportunity to experience many different areas that I would not have been able to in the private sector. In the corporate world, sometimes you are spread so thin, you donÕt have the option to hone one skill beyond necessity.Ó Think Skills, Not Industries Certainly Stan Reid, CAE, chief information ofÞcer of the Texas Association of Counties, can attest to the value of using skills one never quite knew. For example, on the road to law school, Reid picked up a degree in government and some years of naval intelligence service. Once in the workplace, he spent time in the attorney generalÕs ofÞce and in private practice. Then came the turning point. ÒWhen I received a call from the general counsel at the Texas Association of Counties, I was ready to come to work here,Ó he said. ÒAnd it has been a good Þt, because despite what people think about lawyers, most of them donÕt go into it for the money, but because they want to do good things. But it is true that if you had told me in 1972 that I would be working in the association world, that would not have clicked at all for me. But now I see my career as kind of crossing the river, going from lily pad to lily pad. And so though I never set out to be in the association business, it all kind of came together.Ó The path Reid has taken is probably not that unusual Ð most association leaders seem to meander their way into the job Ð but itÕs what heÕs done since that may be. As McCausland and Brown have said, itÕs the opportunity to hone new skills that sets association work apart. In ReidÕs case, though he was hired for his then-vocation, it was his avocation that led to his current job. The opportunity came when TAC decided county ofÞcials and legislators needed a one-stop database of information and documentation. Because Reid enjoyed new technology and was comfortable with computers, Coming Soon Kongresshalle (Convention Center) Spring 2008! 1-800-572-2626 www.nbjumpin.com 14 Association LEADERSHIP | May/June 2008 http://www.newbraunfelschamber.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Association Leadership - May/June 2008

Association Leadership - May/June 2008 Contents President’s Column Homepage 60-Second Solutions Cover Feature: Associations As a Profession Positivity: Key to Retaining Young Talent Perspectives Association Case Study TSAE Annual Conference TSAE's Newest CAEs New Members Community Spotlight Grand Membership Campaign Committee Thank-yous Austin Dallas/Fort Worth Index to Advertisers Advertiser.com The Lighter Side of Associations- New Feature

Association Leadership - May/June 2008

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