Partners IN THE PROCESS How a Florida firm has become an unsung hero in Sunshine State advocacy

For many associations in Florida, Partners in Association Management provides the perfect solution to behindthe-scenes management and helps give industries a presence in Tallahassee.

Partners, headquartered in the capital city, helps trade groups stay organized, supporting everything from board and financial management and membership to advocacy efforts and events. Clients include, among others, the Florida Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association, Florida Ground Water Association, Florida Life Care Residents Association and Florida Surplus Lines Association.

Partners celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year.

By Peter Schorsch Photography The Workmans

“Twenty-five years in, I am proud of us for sticking to a slow, but steady growth strategy. Like most small businesses, we started with a small stable of clients and our original three associations are still clients,” Partners CEO Bennett Napier said.

“As a professional services firm, we wanted to make sure we always delivered for our existing clients and we recognized that we would grow organically with them. As a result, a good portion of our business growth over the years has been referrals from existing client board members. This has been appreciated as our team has a strong commitment to not taking the eye off who got us here.”

Humble Beginnings

Partners in Association Management was founded in 1998 by Napier, a certified association executive with a master’s degree in applied American politics and policy from Florida State University. He started with just one client: the Florida Life Care Residents Association (FLiCRA). The 14,000-member senior citizens’ advocacy organization remains a client 25 years later.

At its founding, the business growth philosophy was, “grow slow but steady.” That idea puts the focus on attracting clients that are a good long-term match, rather than growing just for the sake of it. That strategy works. Partners has had almost zero client turnover in the last 15 years.

“I have been privileged to work with Partners in Association Management, both as Board Chair of our national certification body as well as Board President of our national trade association. Both organizations had been headquartered in Washington, D.C., for years and our leadership made the decision over 20 years ago to move our operations to Florida, to be managed by Partners,” said Heather Voss of the National Association of Dental Laboratories and the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. “Partners’ passion for our cause has greatly advanced awareness of our profession among state Legislatures, federal regulators and allied organizations.”

As the company grew, other senior executives came onboard to manage expanding client relationships and company operations. Members of executive management average more than 18 years with Partners, a testament to the company’s quality both internally and externally. Today, Partners has just over 40 team members serving its clients.

Facing page: For 25 years, Partners in Association Management has provided a variety of services to help trade groups grow and prosper. Above: Front, left to right: Jillian Heddaeus; CMP, IOM, PIAM vice president; Bennett Napier, MS, CAE, PIAM president/CEO; and Rachel Luoma, MS, CAE, PIAM vice president. Back, left to right: John Ricco, MPA, CAE, PIAM vice president, and Eric Thorn, PIAM general counsel.

Supporting Florida Influencers

Partners is not, nor has it ever been, a lobbying firm. It’s also not a public relations or media firm. Rather, Partners fills a niche in the advocacy supply chain by providing turnkey day-to-day operations for associations.

Due to its work with nonprofit associations, Partners has considerable experience in advocacy and issue management, PAC management and the legislative and regulatory process at the state and federal level.

Several management team members with the company previously worked as lobbyists or served as legislative staff, including a former General Counsel for the House.

Partners has a proven track record of year-over-year growth in client net assets, which has led to high retention. Revenue growth increases Partners clients’ ability to maximize advocacy and public relations.

“As a career insurance professional in Florida, including executive time with the FCCI Insurance Group and the Office of Insurance Regulation, I have been around the Florida Legislative process since the late 1970s. In my ‘retirement years,’ I have served as a state board member of the Florida Life Care Residents Association (FLiCRA). I have watched firsthand the value that the team at Partners in Association Management brings to our 14,000 member senior citizens advocacy group,” said Raymond M. Neff, CEO of AIHC Group. “In an arena of political Goliaths in the long-term care sector, we have been able to effectively get a seat at the table and ensure our voice is respected by regulators and legislators.”

The firm is involved in a wide range of public policy issues each Legislative

Session including long-term care, insurance, dentistry, groundwater and funeral services. Partners staff — working with lobbying and PR partners — have successfully initiated or defended legislative and regulatory changes impacting clients.

“Partners has a best-in-class team to handle the nuts and bolts of association management, but who are also in tune with the political and advocacy components critical to any association’s success,” Capital City Consulting Partner Ashley Kalifeh said. “In my experience, they are able to take trade groups to the next level by advancing both their operational and legislative pursuits.”

Over the years, Partners has been a strategic resource for clients, working with public relations firms, including Moore, Sachs Media, Allison Aubuchon Communications, Salter Mitchell and RB Oppenheim Associates. Partners also works with lobbying firms Capital City Consulting, Gray Robinson, the Southern Group, Whisper, Shutts and Bowen and Ramba Consulting Group.

A Culture Of Giving Back

Workforce culture has been a staple throughout Partners’ history. Florida Trend magazine has ranked the company 10 times as a Best Company to Work For.

All staff are encouraged to seek internal and external training opportunities and to pursue leadership positions through state and national associations and professional societies supporting association management. These opportunities ensure staff stay on the cutting edge of association management, and result in staff having a better understanding of the needs and roles of volunteer leaders.

About Partners

The company serves as headquarters for 22 state and national trade and professional associations. It is one of only 79 accredited association management firms in North America and one of only two in Florida.

Partners employs 42 association professionals who work with client organizations, including 15 Certified Association Executives and/or Certified Meetings Professionals.

Partners produces 15 annual conventions and more than 85 training seminars and workshops, reaching more than 10,000 attendees.

It manages more than 10 credentialing programs and five print magazines and advertising programs that provide $850,000 in revenue for client associations.

In addition to Florida Trend’s Best Companies to Work For, Partners has been a three-time Seminole 100 Award Winner, a two-time Tallahassee Family Friendly Workplace Winner, and has received the Florida Governor’s Business Ambassador Award.

Governor Ron

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Speaker of the House Paul Renner for putting Florida consumers and local businesses above billboard trial lawyers.

We would also like to recognize bill sponsors Representatives Tommy Gregory and Tom Fabricio, and Senator Travis Hutson for carrying this historic Chamber-backed legislation.

For more information visit: www.flchamber.com/lawsuitreform