IAAPA time!
Patrick Haller leads the IAAPA marketing team
interview by Martin Palicki
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AAPA announced Patrick Haller has joined the organization as vice president of global marketing, communications, and membership. He will lead the association’s global marketing, communications, and membership strategy and plan implementation. Haller brings more than 15 years of association marketing and communications experience to his new role. He has previously served with the National Business Aviation Association, the American Institute of Architects and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Tell us about your background and what led you to IAAPA. The opportunity to join the IAAPA team was too great to pass up! I’ve spent the bulk of my career helping organizations grow by communicating the value of membership. I believe in the work associations do, helping members navigate difficult circumstances - as we’ve all experienced in the past 18 months - helping companies operate more effectively, and helping individuals grow in their career. With your experience in associations, tell us how you think the role of associations is evolving, particularly in light of the pandemic. Associations at the core exist to advocate on behalf of the industry. I don’t think that element of our role changes, but I do think how we achieve positive outcomes for the industry requires more member engagement than in the past. I also believe that associations have a responsibility to help members navigate information overload to identify best practices in safety and operational efficiencies. Associations are also a place where members can learn from each other and face the biggest challenges of the time. Whether those are health and safety related, staffing issues, implementing new technologies, or navigating difficult supply chains, members can and should learn and grow from the knowledge of one another. What tips do you have for members wanting to get the most out of their IAAPA membership? To get the most out of your membership, get connected! Make sure all your staff has access to the website resources and get the most important industry and association updates from the IAAPA News Daily e-newsletter. Participate in regional opportunities for networking and education as your schedule allows, and if you have the passion to help further the industry, consider joining a volunteer committee in your area of expertise.
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Patrick Haller Photo courtesy of IAAPA
IAAPA offers so many opportunities to learn and connect through the entire year! What will drive your role with IAAPA? I’m thrilled to be working with a great team of experts to market and communicate the global IAAPA brand on behalf of our members. We look to increase awareness of IAAPA’s mission and resources to all members so they can benefit from the depth of knowledge that exists in the industry on important topics like safety, operational efficiency, innovation and sustainability. We’re also working to ensure that we tailor our benefits, products and services regionally so that no matter where our members are located, they find benefits that are relevant to their needs. What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming IAAPA Expo in Orlando? IAAPA Expo is the premier event for the global attractions industry. I look forward to not only attending but being a part of the Expo. In September, we successfully hosted IAAPA Expo Europe, and with it, the return of large, in-person events. Our team developed and executed a comprehensive plan that included new protocols aimed at ensuring everyone was safe during the Expo. That helped make us even more excited for IAAPA Expo - we knew we could adapt and still deliver the quality events IAAPA is known for and deliver meaningful experiences for attendees and exhibitors. On a personal level, it was great to work alongside the IAAPA team and meet my colleagues from the IAAPA EMEA office. I also enjoyed beginning to get to know many of our members, and I look forward to meeting more colleagues and members inperson in November.
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