Donnelly K. Eurich, CAE, CMP has been active in association management for all thirty three years of his professional career. Upon graduation from Michigan State University in 1976 with a bachelor's degree in Financial Administration, Donn joined the Michigan Retail Hardware Association (MRHA) where he spent the next 7 1/2 years working with hardware stores throughout Michigan in the areas of accounting, financial analysis, educational training and SBA loan application assistance. Donn managed the member service and accounting division of the association's operations, and rose to be Manager, Accounting and Educational Services Group. During this time period, Donn had the opportunity to consult with the Mid American Health Organization (MAHO) in the areas of new store financing and development, cash flow and financial statement analysis, and developing new member services. He conducted seminars to hardware, floral and health food store owners throughout the Midwest on understanding financial statements and cash flow, was a featured speaker at the 1983 Eastern Regional Trade Show in Nashville, Tennessee, and wrote a series of articles for Health Food Retailing magazine on Six Ways to Improve Return on Investment.
Donn's tenure with MRHA and MAHO ended in December 1983 when he became Vice President of Public Affairs for the Michigan Bankers Association (MBA). Donn spent the next 7 ½ years with the MBA coordinating hundreds of legislative issues at Michigan's State Capitol. He managed the industry's political action committee which raised over $250,000.00 per election cycle and worked closely with banking and legislative leadership to achieve industry legislative goals. During his tenure with the MBA, Donn began providing lobbying and consulting services to other associations.
In January 1992, Donn became President/CEO of the Michigan Association of Credit Unions (MACU). In this capacity he performed all functions related to managing a trade association including budgeting, member service development, legislative advocacy, convention and conference planning and responsibility for all publications. As requests for Donn's time and expertise in lobbing, association management and consulting grew, he expanded his activities to accommodate additional clients.
In 1996 Donn founded an association management and government relations firm named Capitol Advocacy Services Group. In 1998 this firm evolved into Eurich Management Services (EMS) which specializes in association management, government relations and consulting. Donn is actively involved in the management of ten associations and oversees the production of three regional trade shows, six in-state conferences and dozens of seminars and events. He teaches Strategic Planning and Understanding Budgeting & Financial Statements to Association Executives at the Michigan Society of Association Executives Academy of Association Management and regularly speaks at association conferences and consults with associations on strategic planning and executive recruitment. Donn is the author of the highly acclaimed Credit Union Management Succession Plan Manual, and his article Twelve Steps to Successful Strategic Planning has been reprinted nationally. He is a contributor to Association Management Magazine where he participates in the monthly CEO to CEO column. His original article Business Golf: Managing the Four Hour Sales Opportunity was published by the Michigan Society of Association Executives and was recently republished in Greater Lansing Business Monthly Magazine. He also wrote “The Sale Probability Test”, A Guide for Entrepreneurs to determine if they are ready to sell their business.
He served as a Board member for the Michigan Society of Association Executives, and Chaired their Strategic Planning Committee for four years. Donn has also served as a Board member for United Way, both for the Boy Scouts of America and Child Abuse Prevention Services.
In 1991, Donn earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation, the highest honor of professional achievement in association management. In 1999 he earned the designation Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). He is one of only several dozen individuals to hold both professional designations nationwide, and the only such association executive in Michigan. In January 2002 he took and passed the qualification test to become a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians. In 2004 his management company, Eurich Management Services, LLC earned accreditation from the American Society of Association Executives.
