The final months of 2024 provided a resolution to yet another contentious and historic presidential election cycle that eclipsed most other news coverage. But when CEO Update members weren’t following campaign headlines, they were tracking the latest executive moves in the association industry and looking for ways to take their careers and associations to new heights.

Below we are revisiting the 10 most-read CEO Update articles from last year.

1. Hoffman to lead waste group; Schutt dismissed from engineer group

We’ve done the surveys and heard the reader feedback: our reporting on association executive departures and arrivals is our most popular content feature. So, it’s fitting that the most-read CEO Update article in 2024 was a departure and arrival story on Michael Hoffman’s appointment and David Schutt’s ouster.

2. Second Realtors association board leader resigns

Following months of turmoil at the National Realtors Association, Tracy Kasper, former Realtors board president, resigned at the beginning of 2024, citing a blackmail threat.

3. Neely to retire from insurance group; Rogers resigns from hotel association

Two big executive moves captured readers’ attention last January: Susan Neely announced her plans to retire from the American Council of Life Insurers at the end of 2024, and Chip Rogers resigned from his position at the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

4. Women using golf as a tool for career advancement

At the end of 2024, CEO Update reported that women accounted for 45% of association CEO placements. This article on women taking up golf to help their careers claimed a spot in our top 10.

5. Changes coming soon to federal grant requirements

Most federal grant funding goes to state and local governments, but nonprofits and associations also receive federal financial assistance. Readers took note of the changes to federal grant compliance rules that took effect in October 2024.

6. Johnson tapped to lead coatings group; Rosenberg announces exit from camp group

In the fall, Tom Rosenberg stepped down from leading the American Camp Association and Mike Johnson took the helm at the American Coatings Association, succeeding Andy Doyle, who led the association for almost 40 years. 

7. Second NAR board president departs; another real estate association formed

We followed up our reporting on Tracy Kasper’s resignation with the announcement that a new group for realtors, the American Real Estate Association, was being formed by a longtime NAR critic and celebrity real estate agent.

8. How big should your reserves be? Short answer: It depends

CEO Update members requested more insights on how other executives were managing their association’s finances. This story on reserves that included data on how much reserve funds grew during the pandemic was popular with readers.

9. Wills to succeed Levin at psychiatric group; Sheahan named leader of health policy organization

Marketa Wills took the helm at the American Psychiatric Association after former longtime leader Saul Levin retired. 

10. Chavern named next leader of life insurance group; Cain to helm real estate group

Two veteran association leaders, David Chavern and Angela Cain, made big moves in 2024. Chavern left the Consumer Brands Association after more than a year at the helm, to succeed Neely at ACLI. Cain, who led CoreNet Global for more than 10 years, became the CEO of Urban Land Institute.