Southwestern Vermont Chamber Director Earns Certified Association Executive Credential

Harrington at the 2023 Annual Membership Meeting

Washington, DC, June 24 2024 --

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has announced that Matt Harrington, Executive Director of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber, has recently earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have experience with nonprofit organization management by completing a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development. Applicants must also pass a stringent examination in association management focused on governance, executive leadership, organizational strategy, operations, business development, member and stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and marketing and communications. Finally, applicants must pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. Less than 5,000 professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE Program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

"I am deeply honored to receive the Certified Association Executive credential from ASAE,” remarked Harrington. “This recognition reflects not only my dedication but also the support of my family and my team at the chamber. From weeks away at the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management honing my skills, to providing the books and resources I needed to prepare for the four hour exam, to the many hours of studying to pass the exam, my wife and team have been tremendously supportive and my constant cheerleaders. As we look to the future, I am excited to leverage this achievement to further our mission, drive innovation, and enhance the value we bring to our members and community.”

Shannon McLenithan, President of the Southwestern Vermont Chamber’s Board of Directors added, “"On behalf of the Board of Directors, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Matt for earning the CAE credential. This achievement is a testament to Matt's unwavering commitment to excellence and his visionary leadership. We are confident that his new designation will bring even greater success and innovation to our chamber and the communities we serve. We are incredibly proud of Matt and look forward to the continued positive impact of his leadership."

Harrington (right) with Chamber staff at the 2024 Women In Leadership Luncheon

ASAE is a membership organization of more than 50,000 association executives and industry partners. Since it was established 100 years ago, its members have and continue to lead, manage, and work in or partner with organizations in more than a dozen association management disciplines, from executive management to finance to technology. 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. Visit ASAE at asaecenter.org.