CM Services, Inc. Accredited by IAAMC
August 15, 2002
CM Services Inc., The Association Partnership Company® has been awarded charter accreditation by the International Association of Association Management Companies (IAAMC). The announcement came at IAAMC's Summer Meeting in Denver, Colorado.
IAAMC's accreditation program was launched earlier this year after IAAMC's standard was approved by the American National Standards Institute. CM Services is one of the first five Association Management Companies (AMCs) in the world to achieve this distinction.
In announcing the accreditation, CM Services President Dick Church said, "IAAMC Accreditation demonstrates the professionalism of our staff and the procedures and systems we employ in the day-to-day and long-term management of our Association Partners. Personally I am especially proud of this achievement because it confirms accreditation to an American National Standard. Our participation underscores our belief in the importance of supporting meaningful business standards. We believe this best serves the interests of our Association partners. IAAMC accreditation is just one way all of us at CM Services work daily to continue achieving the missions of our association partners."
Accreditation is a voluntary process verifying that CM Services demonstrates: accounting procedures compliant with the Federal Accounting Standards Board (FASB) requirements; appropriate contract review and transition procedures; appropriate and adequate insurance coverage; written record keeping procedures; and employee recruitment and training programs that assure the company's employees know, understand, and comply with company procedures and systems.
The program required written documentation provided by CM Services and an independent audit indicating that it meets or exceeds each of the above requirements of the standard.
To CM Services' association partners, accreditation means that, among other things:
- Checks and balances are in place to help ensure association money is properly handled.
- CM Services has processes in place that enable it to perform association management functions and deliver quality services.
- CM Services has established and implemented a training program for its employees to ensure that the delivery of services meets standards set by the AMC.
- Comprehensive and appropriate insurance is maintained by CM Services.
- Association Management Companies achieving this mark demonstrate a high level of professionalism and responsibility.
When the International Association of Association Management Companies (IAAMC) decided that a standard should be created for Association Management Companies (AMCs) to use as a benchmark for providing quality services, they also determined that creating an American National Standard was the best method. American National Standards are developed under the processes and procedures set forth by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a not-for-profit organization that accredits organizations to develop consensus standards. ANSI standards are recognized worldwide. ANSI requires all its accredited standards development organizations follow its approved procedures, removing the potential for dominance by a small group of interested parties.
The International Association of Association Management Companies (IAAMC) was founded in 1963 as the Multiple Association Management Institute (MAMI). In 1976, MAMI's name changed to the Institute of Association Management Companies (IAMC). To incorporate the global perspective, IAMC's name changed to the International Association of Association Management Companies (IAAMC) in 1996. Association Management Companies partner with fiscally responsible organizations of any budget size (generally not for profit organizations). AMCs typically serve as headquarters and staff for these organizations though many forward-thinking associations are turning to AMCs for help in specific need areas such as Meeting Planning, Lobbying, Marketing and Product Development, and more.
Earlier this year, CM Services Inc. was awarded Charter Accreditation status by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Association Management Company (AMC) Accreditation Commission. ASAE is a national organization representing approximately 26,000 professionals employed by trade associations, professional societies, philanthropic organizations, and other non-profit membership associations.
For twenty-five years, CM Services Inc., The Association Partnership Company® has offered core and customized services to certain types of associations. The company works to be the best in the world at specific services for each of its association partners. CM Services calls this service delivery method Targeted Partnership Services®.
Core services include financial management, budgeting, prompt response to inquiries and orders, meeting and convention planning and management, and member and database management. Customized services may include such functions as the facilitation of industry standards development, trade show management, collection and publication of statistical data, strategic business planning, public relations strategies, and special membership and marketing initiatives.
The International Association of Association Management Companies is a trade organization founded in 1963. Today its 125 association management company members (AMCs) work with over 1,200 associations with annual budgets exceeding $960 million (US). These organizations serve nearly 1.7 million members. AMCs employ over 3,000 association management professionals.
To learn more about CM Services, Inc. and its Targeted Partnership Services® contact the company at (800) 613-6672 or by email at partner@cmservnet.com.
