Learn how association leaders are using mergers, acquisitions, and partnership models to strengthen relevance, expand capacity, and secure long-term sustainability.

Association M&A is no longer a niche tactic; it’s increasingly part of how boards and CEOs think about growth, resilience, and mission delivery. This CEO Update Live program brings together three real-world case studies — a trade association merging with a professional society, a trade association acquiring a media company, and an association restructuring through a new partnership model — to unpack the strategic decisions behind each move.

Designed for CEOs and senior executives, this session focuses on the business and governance questions that matter most: why leaders pursued these combinations, how they evaluated fit, how they navigated board and member dynamics, and what they learned about culture and integration once the deals were done.

You’ll leave better equipped to lead high-stakes conversations about mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships in your own organization.

Who Should Attend
– Association and nonprofit CEOs
– Senior executives and COOs
– Board chairs and senior board members
– Strategy, finance, and operations leaders supporting M&A or restructuring initiatives

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, you will be able to:

– Assess strategic fit: Identify when a merger, acquisition, or partnership is the right tool for growth, relevance, or mission protection — and when it’s not.

– Frame the leadership conversation: Articulate the core strategic questions boards and executive teams must address before pursuing a combination, including risk, timing, and alignment with long-term goals.

– Navigate governance and stakeholder dynamics: Anticipate common board, member, and stakeholder concerns, and plan a communication and engagement approach that builds trust and minimizes friction.

– Evaluate partners and deal structures: Apply practical frameworks for due diligence, partner evaluation, and structuring deals that support both financial health and mission outcomes.

– Plan for culture and integration: Recognize the cultural factors that determine whether a deal delivers value, and outline key steps for post-deal integration of people, programs, and brands.

– Prepare your organization for “what’s next”: Use lessons learned from the case studies to test your own organization’s readiness for strategic combinations and to surface scenarios worth exploring with your board.

CEO Update is a CAE Approved Provider. The program above meets the requirements for fulfilling the professional development requirements to earn or maintain the Certified Association Executive credential. Every program that we offer that qualifies for CAE credit will clearly identify the number of CAE credits granted for full participation, and we will maintain records of your participation in accordance with CAE policies. For more information about the CAE credential or Approved Provider program, please visit www.asaecenter.org/cae. As a CAE Approved Provider educational program related to the CAE exam content outline, this program may be applied for 4 credits toward your CAE application or renewal professional development requirements.