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February 26, 2009
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OUTSOURCE IT!
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At last, Washington is talking about infrastructure as an urgent national priority. Sponsors Iona College and Terex Corp. have assembled an all-star panel on the subject to discuss not just short-term fixes, but long-term answers. And they’re offering a discount to Bisnow readers. Please see ad to right for more details on their March 4 conference. (The promo code is Bisnow.)
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If outsourcing can work for Hollywood (see: Slumdog Millionaire), then why not for association jobs? We spoke with Rick Cristol, President of Kellen Company, the world's 2nd largest association management company, who says requests for their services have increased dramatically.
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Kellen provides full service management to 75 associations, many of them listed on that board outside Rick's office. But a growing part of their business is providing specific services on an outsourced basis. For example, if you don't need a full-time PR person, they offer a full service communications staff. He tells us requests for outsourced services have increased 20% in the past 6-12 months, and they've had to add staff to accommodate. They also recently acquired John Adams Associates to beef up their public affairs work.
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Rick summarizes their wide-ranging services (including web strategy, meeting planning, and marketing) by telling us "We have our hands in a lot of pies." He can get away with a folksy idiom like that because he's from Atlanta, where he began with Kellen 31 years ago, following stints at Nestle and Bendix. Rick says while Kellen handles a mix of associations, they specialize in energy, environment, building, and food (including four different food associations). We wonder if they're hiring any taste testers research analysts?
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| Buy American, Hurt America? |
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American Institute for International Steel prez David Phelps has a difficult job. (Notwithstanding putting up with pesky reporters at his McLean office.) He makes the case for free trade when, to many nowadays, protectionism seems the easier route. Legislators even slipped a Buy-American steel clause into the stimulus. While he's been assured that statute doesn't violate any current international agreements, he fears the tough rhetoric alone will provoke retaliation. And it has: Witness recent Buy-Canada and Buy Australia clauses. There's even a Buy-Indiana. Is there something you're not telling us, Indiana?
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David says they're monitoring things closely and credits Barack Obama for stating early on that the stimulus shouldn't be used to provoke a trade war. When he's not avoiding another Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, David tells us he's just like that other famous Phelps, using a daily swim to stay in shape. While he doesn't have any Kellogg's endorsements, David seems to have the confidence of board members John Griffin and Leon Goldenberg, who joined him for this photo at a recent AIIS dinner.
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| BE PREPARED! |
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Last night we caught up with our friend Linda Mathes, who’s run the National Capital Area of the American Red Cross for 17 years. She tells us Frank and Cathy Keating will be honored April 21 at an event to raise awareness and funds for the Red Cross. Frank, of course, is CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers, and former Oklahoma Governor (’95-’03). Linda says his experience with the likes of tornados in that region and the Oklahoma City bombings has made him well aware of the importance of the Red Cross mission and that he has been a great friend of the organization. She’d love all of you to get as involved: www.redcrossnca.org.
Send your story ideas to Curtis@Bisnow.com
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This newsletter is a journalistic news source which accepts no payment for featured interviews. It is supported by conventional advertisers clearly identified in the right hand column. You have been selected to receive it either through prior contact or professional association. If you have received it in error, please accept our apologies and unsubscribe at bottom of the newsletter. © 2009, Bisnow on Business, Inc., 1323 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036. All rights reserved.
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