PPAI Executive Vice President Robert McLean, CPA, has earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry. He joins PPAI President and CEO Paul Bellantone, CAE, on the Association’s staff with the designation.

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of three years’ experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,200 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

ASAE is a membership organization of 39,000 association executives and industry partners representing 9,300 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the U.S. and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support from the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community.