The 2021-2022 MPI Middle Pennsylvania Executive Board
– Associations –
The Importance of Networking The hospitality industry always has been a tight-knit community. Providing service is at its core, and the relationships that it has developed among industry partners, peers and clients have long been its lifeblood. Now, more than ever, staying connected and informed is of critical importance. Industry associations provide engagement with others through educational sessions, participation in showcase events, resources for keeping up with the latest happenings, changes and trends, and – just as importantly – opportunities to network and make professional connections, as well as forge longstanding business relationships and even friendships. According to Ethan Gray, CAE, director of association management services for Talley Management Group and immediate past-president for the Mid-Atlantic Society of Association Executives (MASAE), associations enhance quality, both among individual professionals and also within industries as a whole. “Associations provide members the opportunity to learn, to network and to influence the future of their own profession. Value is derived in many forms – through the consumption 34 Julyz August2021
of content, the interactivity of networking, collaboration during volunteer leadership," asserts Gray. "Associations are the great conveners, bringing professionals together for common missions – to better their professional lives and the sectors of society served by their industries.” Throughout the pandemic, MASAE has worked hard to maintain touchpoints, professional connections and to deliver education in a fragmented environment, Gray explains. “We have provided content to directly address pandemic-related challenges and also to help organizations and individuals think about the changes that will endure post-pandemic.” Getting back to networking as it was before COVID-19 may take some time. Challenges still exist and new methods of connecting may need to be employed. While some organizations may move quickly to revisit “traditional” events because it will feel great to return to how things used to be, Gray cautions that some “new norms” will persist – at least for the short-term future. “There will be some re-entry turbulence, as both associations and constituencies reimagine networking – how to facilitate in-per-
