Annual Conference and Expo for Meeting and Association Professionals in June

ALBANY, NY (05/17/2011)(readMedia)-- The Empire State Society of Association Executives, Inc. (ESSAE) will hold its 32nd Annual Conference and Exposition Engage, Embrace, Enjoy, on Thursday, June 2, 2011 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The one-day event consists of two concurrent general sessions, a reception, ESSAE's 6th annual Association Leadership Academy (ALA) graduation ceremony, luncheon keynote presentation, a three-hour trade show and after-party. The location for the event is the Saratoga Hilton Hotel and Saratoga Springs City Center. The after-party will be held in the new second floor conference room of the newly renovated City Center.

During the morning sessions, meeting planners and executives will learn how to stretch their meeting dollars with 75 budget-saving tips from a world-class meetings expert. Senior executives, CEOs, department heads and staff will learn about how social technologies are reshaping traditional association business models, making it the new medium for organizational engagement – from volunteer leadership to CEOs and every level of staff. Each session will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A cocktail reception follows the sessions at 12:30 p.m.

The graduation ceremony of the Association Leadership Academy marks the conclusion of the sixth year of the program, designed to educate association leaders who represent nonprofit organizations in New York State on skills unique to association management. The graduation ceremony will begin at 1 p.m., immediately followed by the luncheon and keynote.

Nationally renowned keynote speaker Steve Gilliland will impart his thoughts on facing conflicts, igniting passion and keeping focus. Following this presentation, the exposition will open at 3 p.m. and close at 6 p.m. The after-party will begin at 6 p.m.

Attendance to the exposition and after-party is open and free of charge to qualified association and meeting professionals. The after-party is open to only trade show attendees and exhibitors. The cost to attend a general session is $50. The cost to attend the luncheon is $40. Individuals can register online at www.essae.org.

Coined the "Association for Associations," ESSAE is a 580-member statewide not-for-profit association based in Albany, N.Y. dedicated to serving the professional needs of those who work for, or otherwise serve, trade, business and professional associations in New York State. ESSAE provides a method for the exchange of ideas among the professional staff of associations and encourages high professional standards in the management of associations.