Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau (ICVB) executive director, Maura Gast, was elected to serve on the Texas Society of Association Executives (TSAE) Board of Directors for 2012 – 2013, and has also been named to serve on the Ethics Committee for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
Members of TSAE represent more than 1,000 association professionals from Texas-based associations and societies, as well as corporations and firms that provide services to associations. Gast is one of five new appointees to TSAE’s 12-member board. Board positions are filled by nominations from the TSAE nominating committee, followed by board approval.
“I am so honored to be elected to the board of directors for TSAE. The ability to learn from and to work with leaders representing a wide range of associations will be a great joy and a great professional opportunity,” said Gast.
“A convention and visitors bureau is in essence an association. In our case, we represent the travel and tourism industry in Irving – so this also serves as a great continuing education opportunity for our organization, and I look forward to it.”
“TSAE looks for experienced industry leaders with strategic experience to help our association remain relevant,” said TSAE president and CEO, Beth Brooks.
“Maura’s work with the ICVB, especially her involvement with the new convention center, is the type of experience we look for.”
ASAE's Ethics Committee strives to stimulate the expression of appropriate behaviors for association executives, the associations they represent, their volunteer leaders, and their suppliers; and identify ways that association executives can help members examine their actions in the context of their impact on society.
As a member of the ASAE Ethics Committee, Gast will serve alongside other national industry leaders to create forums where association members can examine the ethics of their actions.
“Because ethics takes such a high priority in our industry, and rightly so, I am very honored to join ASAE’s Ethics Committee and work for ways to implement a culture of ethics throughout our industry, and to put a spotlight on the great work already being done by so many on this front – here at home, and out in the industry,” said Gast.
A 21-year veteran of the ICVB, Gast was named executive director in October 2003. A past chair of Destination Marketing Association International, she has earned the industry’s highest educational certification, Fellow Certified Destination Management Executive (FCDME). In addition, Gast serves on numerous community-based boards.
