MAE Timeline

Year	Events
2007	12th annual conference (Radisson Lansing)—Rodney Hopson, keynote speaker Meg Blinkiewicz elected president MAE secretariat moves to Public Sector Consultants John A. Seeley Friend of Evaluation Award: Sam Singh, Michigan Nonprofit Association MAE Service Award: Nancy Hewat, Public Policy Associates
2006	11th annual conference (Radisson Lansing)—Abraham Wandersman, keynote speaker First conference at which an organization required attendance: Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) required funded sites to send two representatives each Completed Engaging Minority Evaluators Project (EMEP) grant with W.K. Kellogg Foundation John A. Seeley Friend of Evaluation Award: John Ziraldo, Lighthouse of Oakland County MAE Service Award: Jeffrey Padden, Public Policy Associates
2005	10th annual conference (Radisson Lansing)—David Fetterman, keynote speaker; Rosalie Torres, pre-session presenter John A. Seeley Friend of Evaluation Award: C. Patrick Babcock MAE Service Award: Sandra Herman
2004	9th annual conference (Radisson Lansing)—Kent McGuire, keynote speaker; Dawn Hanson Smart, pre-session presenter MAE Website redesigned MAE receives $10,000 W.K. Kellogg Grant to increase the number of evaluators of color in Michigan Organizational memberships introduced Online registration for annual conference initiated John A. Seeley Friend of Evaluation Award: Carol Mowbray, University of Michigan MAE Service Award: Nanette Keiser and Cynthia Cameron
2003	8th annual conference (Lansing Center), in conjunction with the Grantmakers/Grantseekers conference, with the Council of Michigan Foundations and Michigan Nonprofit Association Neva Nahan elected president Friend of Evaluation Award: Betty Tableman, Michigan State University MAE Service Award: Michigan Public Health Institute Friend of Evaluation Award renamed John A. Seeley Friend of Evaluation Award
2002	7th annual conference(Radisson Lansing)—Lea Sechrest, keynote speaker; Hallie Preskill, pre-session presenter Diversity initiative developed through the Leadership Committee Survey of membership conducted Bylaws and articles revised Filed and received 501(c)(3) designation Friend of Evaluation Award: Robert Collier First MAE service awards: Mark Lelle, Debbie Jackson, Cheryl Endres, and John Seeley
2001	6th annual conference (Sheraton Lansing) First grant for capacity-building—$30,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation For the 501(c)(3) process, finalized purposes and received approval from the membership for revised bylaws First year-long calendar for professional development published—each region had two sessions Friend of Evaluation Award: Ricardo Millet of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
2000	5th annual conference (Kellogg Center)—Lisabeth Schoor, keynote speaker First website produced Developed and sold evaluation promotion presentation, "Demystifying Evaluation: A PowerPoint Presentation” Conducted first mail election Affiliation with the American Evaluation Association finalized Second annual Friend of Evaluation Award: James Sanders, Western Michigan University
1999	4th annual conference (Kellogg Center), sponsored by the Skillman Foundation—Carol Weiss, keynote speaker and pre-session speaker Task force addresses open governance issues and proposes a mail ballot for board members; board and membership adopt process Discussion of application for 501(c)(3) status begins First paid secretariat Membership reaches about 120 individuals Bylaws revised to change term limits and the election process MAE incorporated in the state of Michigan; obtains federal employer identification number New logo created First Friend of Evaluation Award: Leonard Smith, retiring president, Skillman Foundation
1998	3rd annual conference, provided through funding by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation—Michael Quinn Patton, keynote speaker and pre-session presenter Jeff Padden, Public Policy Associates, elected second president Members approve a name change from Michigan Association of Evaluators to Michigan Association for Evaluation MAE secretariat moves to Wayne State University (WSU) Regular newsletter publication begins First professional development meeting held Membership surveyed about areas of interest/expertise for the database MAE website development begins
1997	2nd annual conference—Huey Chen, keynote speaker MAE secretariat is housed at MSU for six months and at Formative Evaluation Research Associates (FERA) for six months; MAE begins to negotiate with WSU to be the organization’s secretariat
1996	1st conference held in May—David Fetterman (via an Internet connection), keynote speaker; more than 100 people attend Organization is formally established (as the Michigan Association of Evaluators) with bylaws and board members, at the conference business meeting John Seeley, Formative Evaluation Research Associates (FERMA), elected first president Secretariat: MSU’s Outreach program Board holds first planning retreat; guiding values, charges for committees are established; calendar for 1996–1997 is set First MAE newsletter is created
1995	A core group continues to meet 2–3 times annually A mission and bylaws are drafted The need for an event to launch the organization is discussed; a spring 1996 conference is sketched out Obtaining organizational supporters and sponsors is discussed; requests for foundation funding are delayed until the organization has proved itself
1994	Informal meetings take place to explore what a Michigan association for evaluation organization would look like Agenda usually includes discussion of the organization’s purpose; lunch; and one evaluator presenting some current work Meetings are held 2–3 times this year and include much discussion of purpose and structure A needs assessment of evaluators in Michigan who were members of the American Evaluation Association is conducted; results demonstrate a need for a statewide/local organization
1993	The Skillman Foundation calls a meeting to address issues and concerns about evaluation All local evaluators are invited to attend Evaluators enjoy the meeting and the ability to talk with each other (which had not previously occurred locally); they talk about continuing the dialogue