President’s Foreword - A Milestone Year
By J. Tate Godfrey, CEcD, President & CEO
It’s been an exceptional year for IAMC, one marked by several milestones that position our organization for continued growth and success.
First, in September, IAMC welcomed its 80th new corporate member for 2024 — a significant achievement. Just a few years ago, 80 new members in one year was just a dream, but today, it’s our reality. This milestone is the result of strategic decisions made by our Board of Directors over the past few years and the tireless work of our team.
Several years ago, we restructured the staff responsibilities for membership into two distinct areas: Retention/Engagement and Recruitment, each supported by its own committee. The recruitment team, led by Michele Miller with support from 2024 Membership Development Committee Co-Chairs Jen Roth (Bimbo Bakeries) and Matt McGregor (Colliers), has been laser-focused on identifying and developing quality prospects and driving new corporate membership growth. This also facilitates growth in IAMC’s economic developer and service provider membership by reducing associate waitlist time.
On the Engagement side, the Member Engagement Committee has maintained an impressive corporate member retention rate of over 80%. This year’s co-chairs, Keith Winters (Modine Manufacturing) and Ray De Winkle (Consumers Energy), along with staff support from Mark Nortman, have played a key role in this success.
Together, these efforts have helped IAMC grow to more than 300 corporate members — a new record for the association.
We also set an attendance record at the Spring 2024 Forum in Greenville, South Carolina, with 527 attendees — 117% of our target. Included in that number are 122 corporates, which was 163% of our goal. These numbers reflect the strength of our community and the value our members find in IAMC events.
Finally, IAMC has seen tremendous success in securing sponsorships. For the first time in a single year, we attained over 100% of our sponsorship goals for both the Spring and Fall Forums. Kristen Stewart is doing a great job of leading this effort on staff. These milestones show that IAMC continues to deliver exceptional value through networking, sponsor exposure, educational opportunities and quality programming.
It is truly an honor to work alongside such a dedicated team. While I’ve highlighted a few individuals, every member of our staff is an all-star. As we look to 2025 and beyond, I am excited about the possibilities ahead. IAMC is on an incredible trajectory, and I couldn’t be prouder.
Tate.