Celebrate the 2025 Salute to Association Excellence awards

It’s time to salute association excellence! For 45 years, the Salute to Association Excellence awards have recognized the best and brightest industry professionals. On March 13, 2025, eleven association professionals were honored for their dedication to excellence as top association leaders nationwide. 

Read on to learn more about the Salute to Association Excellence event and this year’s honorees!

What are the Salute to Association Excellence awards?

Hosted by Association Trends & CEO Update, association professionals and leaders gathered on March 13 in Washington, DC, to celebrate the 2025 Salute to Association Excellence awards. For over four decades, the awards have honored association professionals who have gone above and beyond in their work within the association industry, including awards like Trade Association Executive, Association Trailblazer, and Young and Aspiring Professionals. 

Who won the 2025 Salute to Association Excellence awards?

Momentive is especially proud to celebrate six out of the eleven winners of the Association Excellence awards granted in 2025 who are Momentive clients. These winners are:

• Winner of the 2025 Trade Association Executive of the Year—Lori Anderson, President and CEO, International Sign Association 
  Lori Anderson leads the International Sign Association, which serves the sign, graphics and visual communications industry. During Anderson’s tenure as ISA president, she’s reorganized the association to align its membership structure and a restructuring of staff and programs. Anderson serves as a cheerleader for the sign, graphics, and visual communications industry, representing the industry to the public and end-user groups.  
• 2025 Association Trailblazer—Alicia Auerswald, CAE, Senior VP of Strategy & Marketing, International Sign Association 
  Alicia Auerswald, CAE, leads strategic initiatives for the International Sign Association (ISA), focusing on enhancing member value and steering the organization in digitally transforming its data, data systems, processes, and infrastructure. Auesrswald has helped launched new ISA events, revenue streams and has worked to evaluate policies and procedures to increase growth and engagement.  
• 2025 Association Trailblazer—Brianna Gianti, Vice President of Membership, Recycled Materials Association (ReMA)
  Brianna Gianti serves as Vice President of ReMA Membership and has been instrumental in transforming the membership program while leveraging NetForum.  During her tenure as VP, Gianti has increased membership by 39%, departmental revenue by 62%, and new membership by 227%.  
• 2025 Association Trailblazer—Holly Smith, Executive Vice President of Membership, American Bankers Association
  As Executive VP of Membership at ABA, Holly Smith has boosted member recruitment, retention, engagement, and professional development opportunities for America’s banks. Smith is proud to serve ABA and be the “voice of the nation’s banking industry.” 
• 2025 Leading Association Lobbyists—Greg Crist, Chief Advocacy Officer & Head of External Affairs, Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) 
  Greg Crist leads advocacy efforts for AdvaMed, representing industry interests before the Food and Drug Administration, CMS, EPA, and other federal agencies. Crist leads a public affairs team, representing more than 500 global and domestic medtech companies, to assist with organizational efforts and advocacy strategy.
• 2025 Leading Association Lobbyists—Jason Ortega, JD, MBA, CAE, National Wooden Pallet & Container Association, Vice President of Public Affairs 
  As VP of Public Affairs, Jason Ortega is the lead lobbyist and advocate for the global wooden transport packaging industry. With YourMembership and ExpoLogic, Ortega and the rest of the organization increase outreach efforts and support advocacy goals. Ortega has worked hard to expand the NWPCA’s outreach and double the reach of the association’s political action committee.

Momentive Software is excited to announce its donation to Suited for Change.  In honor of the Salute to Association Excellence awards and all the incredible honorees, Momentive Software is proud to support Suited for Change, a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to empowering women on their path to financial independence. Suited for Change offers women professional attire, coaching, and skills training to secure and sustain professional employment.