ESSAE Recognizes Distinguished Member of the Year and Five Member Associations for Excellence

ALBANY, NY (02/04/2009)(readMedia)-- Editor's Note: For more information, please call Penny Murphy at 518-463-1755; cell: 518-522-1830

ESSAE Recognizes Distinguished Member of the Year and Five Member Associations for Excellence

At its 30th Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet on February 5, 2009, the Empire State Society of Association Executives (ESSAE) will honor Joseph Reilly, President of the NYS Broadcasters Association, as its 2008 Distinguished Member of the Year. This award recognizes an association professional, and active ESSAE member, who has provided all around leadership both within his or her association and to the field at large.

Reilly was named the first full-time executive director of the New York State Broadcasters Association in 1980 and added the title of President in 1986. Under his expert leadership over the past decade, membership in the Association has tripled, a feat most associations aspire to achieve.

Among Reilly's many achievements is his leadership of the six-year battle to open New York State's courts to cameras and microphones. That historic struggle ended in 1987 when New York Governor Mario Cuomo signed into law a landmark bill permitting the electronic media entry in courtrooms throughout the state. The association has also taken a leadership role in the transition from analog to digital TV.

Reilly's rich history also includes founding, owning and operating several broadcast properties in the Northeast. He also serves on many boards and state committees, including the Governor's Committee for a Healthier New York.

Reilly is a veteran member of ESSAE, joining the year after its inception in 1979. He has been especially active as the communications dean for ESSAE's Association Leadership Academy since it began in 2005.

In addition to honoring Reilly, the association will recognize five associations for their creativity and talent in providing programs and services to their members. These five award-winning entries provide important models and benchmarks for other associations, and demonstrate the high level of service each association affords its members.

ESSAE's Association Excellence Awards recognize achievements by an ESSAE member for a particular project, idea, publication, practice or membership service instituted by an association in the last 24 months in any of these seven categories: education, government relations, marketing/public relations, meetings and expositions, membership recruitment and retention, publications, and technology.

The New York State Funeral Directors Association will receive the Excellence Award for Marketing and Public Relations for launching its first ever radio campaign to educate the public about preplanning while at the same time promoting its members and the association. The NYS Bar Association's Law, Youth and Citizenship Program will received the Excellence Award for Education for reaching over 500,000 students with its many and diverse programs which positively impact so many in the education community in NYS. Receiving the Excellence Award for Branding and Marketing is the Home Builders and Remodelers of Central New York, which launched their "Another Pro" member branding campaign to increase public awareness of the association and its members, as well as demonstrating the value of using professionals for home building. The NY Association of Convenience Stores will receive the Excellence Award for Meetings and Expositions for its highly successful and creative "Home Run Derby Trade Show and Convention" which was developed to drive member interest and build attendance. The Excellence Award for Membership Recruitment and Retention will be presented to the Professional Insurance Agents (PIA of CT, NH, NJ, & NY, Inc.) for creating its marketing campaign "Think PIA First" to keep members informed of member resources that are available quickly and easily without a deluge of e-mails and mail pieces.

The event takes place at the Crowne Plaza Albany Hotel in downtown Albany. The awards presentation segment will begin at approximately 7:45 p.m.

ESSAE comprises over 590 association and supplier members, and represents executives employed by trade, business and professional associations. ESSAE provides its members a means to exchange ideas and encourages high professional standards through educational forums, publications, industry resources and networking luncheons. ESSAE advances the association profession through a community of knowledge, sharing, education and advocacy. It is affiliated with the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), whose headquarters is in Washington D.C.