With an extensive background in associations and leadership since 1993, Christie Tarantino-Dean, FASAE, CAE, the CEO of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), is our guest this week on the Six Degrees of Associations Podcast, presented by Big Red M. Christie sits down with host Lucas McCann to examine what she's uncovered in a career spanning multiple decades, including serving as CEO of IFT — one of the leading food science associations in the world — since 2014.As we learn in this chat, associations take on the personality of their membership, and association managers and leaders need to stay nimble to embrace that. Before embarking on her role at IFT, Christie also served as: President and CEO of Association Forum of Chicagoland; Executive Director of the Academy of General Dentistry; and Associate Vice President of Member Relations with the Professional Convention Management Association.You can follow Christie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christietarantinodean/ And learn more about IFT: https://www.ift.org/

Everyone wants everything faster. It's a recurring theme in our culture, and if associations are going to keep up, responsiveness and speed will be the coin of the realm.We're joined this week on Six Degrees of Associations, presented by Big Red M, by prolific author, speaker, branding and marketing thought leader, business-growth expert, and world‑renowned tequila influencer Jay Baer, who brings his passion and wisdom to the show alongside host Lucas McCann, Big Red M CEO and serial entrepreneur.As Jay points out, consumers are telling us that speed is as important as price — but are you running your association that way? It's obvious many associations are either unaware of this or have grown complacent about their standing in the marketplace. We also learn from Jay that responsiveness is the key to unlocking what so many associations are seeking: member retention and loyalty.In the age of AI, the human touch will be what stands out. Once efficiency gains become a red‑ocean commodity through AI, Jay predicts, those who return to the human touch will gain the lasting competitive advantage.Jay’s Website: https://www.jaybaer.com/ “The Time to Win: How to Exceed Your Customers’ Need for Speed”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C9NYKWK9?ref_=pe_3052080_276849420 About the Tequila Report: https://www.tequilareport.com/ Follow Jay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaybaer/ Jay on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JayBaer

Wylecia Wiggs Harris, PhD, CAE, CEO of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and a renowned association executive and purpose-focused leader, joins the Six Degrees of Associations Podcast this week, presented by Big Red M.

Dr. Harris has reached what many might call the pinnacle of the association profession, serving as the CEO of multiple large-scale, globally recognized non-profit organizations, and she has done it all as a self-proclaimed introvert — something she discusses at length in this compelling conversation.

She offers plenty of pearls of wisdom for those in our association industry who want to excel in leadership and management but feel uncomfortable engaging in crucial relationship-building activities like networking and socializing to make deeper connections.Learn more about the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: https://www.eatright.org/More about Big Red M: https://bigredm.com/