The Joseph E. Shaner Company > About Us

The Joseph E. Shaner Company is one of thirty association management companies accredited by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Specializing in the management of trade and professional associations we provide a full list of services to our association clients ranging from general administration and financial record keeping to convention/meeting planning and public relations counseling.

Organized and incorporated in the State of Maryland in 1974 to provide public relations counseling services for a variety of commercial, industrial, trade and professional organizations, we had among our first clients a small volunteer run trade association which needed professional management as well as public relations services. We began to address this need immediately and, in so doing, recognized a similar need on the part of other trade and professional associations.

We systemized and expanded our services to include not only public relations and publicity, but also financial planning/bookkeeping, meeting/convention planning, government relations, membership development, communications, certification, mailing services, committee development and general association management. These services are tailored to meet the specific needs of individual association clients while maintaining effectiveness and cost control.

We maintain active memberships in the ASAE, the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), the Maryland Society of Association Executives (MSAE), the Greater Baltimore Committee, and the Maryland and U.S. Chambers of Commerce. Some staff members have completed and others are enrolled in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Institutes for Organization Management. In addition, staff members attend a variety of seminars, workshops and other educational programs of ASAE, MSAE and other organizations.

It is our policy that any member of our staff who is directly involved in the management and servicing of any association of volunteers also be actively involved as a member and a leader of at least one professional association or community service organization. In this way, staff persons are kept informed and aware of the different needs of members and of how members perceive and relate to a professional association management staff.