A total of four Certified Association Executive (CAE) credits for the Leadership Deep Dive Session; and pending ASAE approval eight CAE credits for the Convention.
Convention Program
Fan Experience & Community Relations Manager Tri-City Dust Devils
Return to Conference
Growing up in the Tri-Cities, Erik Mertens - better known as Erik the Peanut Guy - dreamed of playing professional baseball in front of the hometown fans. Now fully grown, he tells bad jokes into a microphone and throws peanuts. Close enough.
Working for the Tri-City Dust Devils as their on-field host and peanut vendor has given Erik the opportunity to combine his favorite things – baseball, the Tri-Cities community, and talking. The Dust Devils are the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels and play at award-winning Gesa Stadium in Pasco.
In 2012, the team honored Erik with a bobblehead giveaway and eight years later in 2020, the team surprised him with a life-sized bobblehead statue at the ballpark’s front gates. Erik has worked with the Dust Devils for all 24 years of their existence and has no immediate plans for retirement.
2024 Conference Schedule *updated date and time of sessions
Monday, June 3, 2024
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Your Guide to Getting the Most Out of Convention, via Zoom, Jeffrey Wilcox
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Room A, Leadership Deep Dive, sponsored by Seattle Convention Center 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Great Hall A, GEMS load in 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Lobby, Registration/Information 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Great Hall A, Welcome Reception, sponsored by Three Rivers Convention Center
Thursday, June 6, 2024 6:30 a.m. 7:15 a.m. Group walk starting from the hotel 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. Great Hall A, Hosted Table Topics 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Great Hall A, Welcome 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Great Hall A, Opening Keynote: Making Vitality Your Reality 9:30 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Lobby, Break & Silent Auction opens 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Room C, Session (1) Thinking About Events in a Remarkable Way 9:45 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Room D, Session (2) Meeting Member Needs Amid an Evolving Membership Landscape 10:45 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Break *11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Room C, Session (3) Bravely Advancing a Culture of Shared Accountability for Results *11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Room D, Session (4) What is a Remarkable Employee Experience? You Know it When you Feel It! 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Great Hall A, Lunch 12:30 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. Great Hall A, WSAE Business Meeting & Awards, sponsored by Tulalip Resort Casino 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Room D, Session (5) The Changing Intersection of Members’ Personal Narratives and Professional Challenges 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Room C, Session (6) REMARKABLE Solutions to Event Challenges: We Have the “Hacks”
2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. Break
Remarkable Conversations 2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m Room C, Education & Learning 2:45 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. Room D, Marketing & Communications
3:15 p.m. - 3:20 p.m. Break
3:20 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. Room C, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 3:20 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. Room D, Engagement
3:50 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Break
4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. Great Hall A, Session (6.5) Seattle Chocolate Tasting, sponsored by Seattle Southside 4:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Great Hall A, Happy Hour/Silent Auction Closes 5:45 p.m. Buses depart for dinner hosted at Goose Ridge Winery, sponsored by Visit Tri-Cities 8:45 p.m. Buses return from venue
Friday, June 7, 2024 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Great Hall A, Breakfast 8:00 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. Great Hall A, Hosted Table Topics 8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. Great Hall A, Opening Keynote - The Soul Crushing Reality of Micromanagement 9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Break *10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Room C, Session (7) How to Create the Remarkable Employee Experience in my Association *10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Room D, Session (8) Pursuing Remarkable Governance Outcomes for Remarkable Associations 11:00 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. Break 11:05 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Great Hall A, Closing Keynote - Effective Leadership Through Exceptional Communication