Tim Sprinkle

Something to talk about: ASPE brings local leaders and national issues to the table

APMA News - American Podiatric Medical Association
November 2003

Like a finely crafted timepiece, a successful professional association is the result of careful collaboration. Every constituent - from the members, to the leadership, to the office staff - must work in harmony to keep the organization on course, on time, and at work representing the profession. But what about the executive directors of these associations? Who serves their interests? Where can they turn for professional collaboration and advice about their unique positions in the non-profit world?

That's exactly what the founders of the American Society of Podiatric Executives (ASPE) were asking themselves when they founded the society almost 30 years ago. The podiatric medical profession was growing rapidly during the 1970s, state societies were becoming larger and more complex, and association leaders recognized the need for a central organization devoted to their interests.

"Basically, ASPE provides a forum to help state association executives communicate with each other," says ASPE President Richard Bloch. "Our mission from the beginning has been to help our members and their respective societies deal with a wide variety of issues, ranging from member recruitment to state representation, on a national and local basis." Bloch, who has also served as Executive Director of the Maryland Podiatric Medical Association since 1979, has emerged as the de facto authority on executive representation in podiatric medicine.

Drawing members from nearly every state society and a number of APMA affiliated groups, the ASPE acts as an intermediary between national organizations and the directors of state-level associations. The group helps its members address issues of nationwide importance with an eye toward state interests, giving state-level problems a national scope. Doesn't the APMA do this? True, Bloch says, but since APMA is a national organization it just can't work on a state-by-state basis, there are just too many small issues to handle. The association also doesn't offer a way for state executives to interact with each other to share their experiences, as its primary responsibility is to its members. That's where the ASPE comes in.

"We try to provide a mechanism whereby association executives can get together and share information about issues pertaining to the profession and get a sense for how other organizations are doing things," Bloch explains. "Give them chances to develop new ideas as a group and brainstorm solutions to shared problems."

They do this during national meetings held twice a year, and by encouraging regular communication among the members.

Originally named the Council of Podiatric Executives (COPE), the society's origins go back decades, long before any of its current members were involved. "It's just always been there," Bloch says, unsure of its exact history. But despite its mysterious beginnings, the ASPE has over the years emerged as a crucial link between the APMA and the state societies, offering its members' access and expertise and helping to bring many state and national-level issues in line.

"[COPE] was something that the executives knew they needed, especially as the profession started to grow," Bloch explains, "a way to share information and communicate with each other. 30 years ago we didn't have the communication tools that we have now - there weren't any Listservs or fax lists to help people keep in touch - so we needed a way to communicate ideas between the states."

The society stepped in and filled that role perfectly, creating a loose union where state leaders could turn when dealing with unique problems or expanding their association's programs. It has become a resource for podiatry's professional leadership, ultimately benefiting DPMs across the country.

The ASPE may have a murky history but, according to Bloch, its future is crystal clear.

First and foremost, recruitment, both for the profession and the member associations, is "critical" to the ASPE and will likely remain at the top of their 'to-do' list for some time. "Getting new people into the profession, and then getting them involved at the local level, are crucial to our survival," Bloch says. "Besides, if we don't have any members to represent, we aren't going to have jobs - it's all about economic preservation."

Bloch also hopes that the society will address potential revenue losses for state associations due to the increasing popularity of online CME credit courses. "The larger state associations make a lot of money by offering CME credits to their members," he says, "and the increasing number of online courses could pull that money down dramatically. That's revenue that some states rely on for survival, so it could develop into a big issue for the state associations."

As a link between state-level entities and the APMA, the ASPE serves a valuable service to the profession. "Our access and ideas can be invaluable," Bloch says. "We give a national perspective to state issues."