On September 3, 1931, searchlights lit up the Spokane sky as 30,000 people gathered for the grand opening of the Fox Theater. Celebrities waved from the rooftop, movie stars dazzled the crowd, and Hollywood glamour filled downtown with the world premiere of Merely Mary Ann. This year, Visit Spokane is bringing that magic back for AMCI’s Annual Meeting! On Wednesday evening, we’ll gather in the beautifully restored Fox Theater for a reception filled with sparkle, style, and celebration.

From our team to yours – Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

This season, we celebrate the strength of our community and the meaningful progress we’ve achieved together across the AMC industry. As we look ahead, may the New Year bring fresh opportunities, shared successes, and moments of joy. Together, let’s continue building an even brighter future for our industry.

Unlock New Client Opportunities: Join AMCI’s Trusted Advisor Webinar. AMCI is pleased to invite you to our upcoming webinar: Trusted Advisor Program: Opening Doors to New Client Opportunities for AMCs.

Trusted advisors—CPAs, attorneys, investment professionals, and others—are often the first to spot when an association is experiencing operational, financial, or governance challenges. They are also the expert association leaders turn to when evaluating new solutions, including the AMC model.

AMC Institute is gearing up for an exciting year ahead! Mark your calendars for these important milestones that will shape our community, strengthen partnerships, and celebrate the AMC industry.

Key AMCI Events

As we prepare to gather in Spokane for the AMCI 2026 Annual Meeting , February 10–12, 2026 at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, WA, we’re excited to share two important opportunities to engage, give back, and plan ahead.

Early Bird Registration Ends December 19!

We are pleased to invite emerging AMC executives to a special roundtable designed to foster connection, collaboration, and shared learning among rising leaders across our community. If you are an owner, principal, HR leader, or member of the C-suite, we encourage you to share this opportunity with your emerging executives so they can take part in this important conversation.

This interactive session will provide a supportive environment to:

A new, easier way to bridge AMC workforce gaps

Workforce challenges continue to be one of the biggest pressure points for AMC firms. Which is why Association Workforce, a purpose-built platform that connects members with seasoned freelancers who already know the association and multi-client environment, was created for our members.

Austin, Texas—Strategic Association Management (SAM) has been selected as the association management company and staffing solution for the Texas Association for School Nutrition (TASN), one of the largest school nutrition associations in the country with more than 6,000 members.

TASN empowers and supports school nutrition professionals dedicated to advancing the accessibility and quality of Texas school nutrition programs. Through advocacy, professional development, certification and networking, the association works to positively impact the health and education of Texas students.

AMCI is thrilled to once again lead a hosted buyer group to IMEX Frankfurt, the premier global event for meetings and event professionals.

Looking to connect with peers who truly understand your day-to-day challenges? One of AMCI’s most popular formats, AMCs by Size, returns to the 2026 Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 11:00 AM PT, and this year, we’re expanding the conversation.

LaGrange, Georgia — The Georgia Economic Developers Association, GEDA, has selected Association Services Group of LaGrange, GA., as its new association management partner. ASG began its new management responsibilities for GEDA in November 2025. Prior to partnering with ASG, the Georgia Economic Developers Association worked with Nardone Consulting Group.

“ASG is honored to partner with the Georgia Economic Developers Association, and GEDA CEO Grant Cagle,” said Katie Oxford, CEO of Association Services Group. “Together, we look forward to building on GEDA’s strong legacy of leadership and helping expand economic opportunity throughout Georgia.”GEDA’s mission is to serve as the leading resource in professional development and public policy for the economic development community in Georgia. Established in 1963 as the Georgia Industrial Developers Association, GEDA adopted its current name in 1993—replacing “industrial” developers with “economic” developers to better reflect the broad scope of interests and services that go into promoting job creation and community prosperity.

The right talent. The right time. The right project.

Middleton, WI — The Employers Council on Flexible Compensation

(ECFC) is excited to announce a new partnership with AMPED Association Management, a firm known for delivering strategic and innovative support to growing associations. Effective November 3, 2025, AMPED will provide full-service management to ECFC, positioning the organization for expanded reach, enhanced member value, and long-term growth.

Middleton, WI – AMPED Association Management is proud to announce that Jen Brydges, CAE, AMPED President & Owner, has been awarded the Visionary Award from the Wisconsin Society of Association Executives (WSAE). This prestigious recognition celebrates individuals who demonstrate exceptional innovation, leadership, and commitment to advancing the association community.

AMCI is building a powerful new content pipeline to educate associations on the value of partnering with AMCs—and we need your help.

We’re collecting fresh case studies to feature in our digital marketing campaigns with Beautiful Beast, showcasing how AMCs drive measurable impact. Specifically, we’re looking for examples that highlight:

Mandatory viewing alert!

Mandatory viewing alert! Visit Spokane just released a sneak peek for AMCI’s 2026 Annual Meeting and it’s giving The Office meets winter wonder vibe! Watch the video — and get ready for a meeting that’s anything but ordinary.

The AMC Institute is proud to introduce AssociationWorkforce.com, a new digital platform created to connect Association Management Companies with freelancers who have experience serving associations, nonprofits, and multi-client organizations.

The concept was shaped by member feedback collected during the 2025 AMCI Annual Meeting. That input informed every element of the platform’s development, including how it identifies priority skills, matches talent, and balances technology with human review.

The first wave of freelancers has completed onboarding, and the next phase invites AMCI member firms to explore and prepare to post their first projects.

Visit the Association Workforce site to see what has been built and how it continues to evolve. The platform will expand during the full launch once AMCs have posted their initial opportunities.