ASB names Kristen Spriggs as executive director

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ASB names Kristen Spriggs as executive director

9 Feb 2023

Joanie Spencer

Since 2008, Joanie Spencer has covered the retail and wholesale sides of the baking industry.
Serving associations such as the American Society of Baking (ASB) and BEMA, Joanie is also in demand as an industry presenter on bakery operations and trends. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication from Rockhurst University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.

When she’s not running or playing soccer, Joanie spends her time with her husband and 11-year-old son.

KANSAS CITY, MO — The American Society of Baking (ASB), the association serving baking industry professions for continuing education, networking and professional development, has announced Kristen L. Spriggs, CAE, IOM, as executive director to succeed Kent Van Amburg, CAE, upon his retirement March 2, at the closing of ASB’s 99th BakingTECH 2023 conference, set for Feb. 27-March 3 in Chicago.

With association management experience spanning more than 20 years, Spriggs has led efforts to build community in partnership with volunteer leaders and staff of membership-based organizations through strategic leadership of events, certifications/professional development, and products and services.

“Kristen’s extensive experience in board and committee governance and event management, as well as leading teams and organizations through transformational change, made her the ideal candidate to shepherd ASB into a new era,” said Brittny Ohr, 2022-23 ASB board chairman and Executive Search Committee chairman.

Developing relationships and enhancing member value has been a focus of Spriggs’ work throughout her career.

Most recently, Spriggs served as the chief member services officer for the American Society for Quality (ASQ), providing executive leadership to its 60,000+ global membership, with more than 230 chapters/components. In that role, she led standards development, knowledge management, events for in-person and virtual HQ and member units, as well as sponsorship/advertising partnerships.

Prior to ASQ, she spent 17 years at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), leading the association’s overall sponsorship/advertising to generate non-dues revenue in support for valuable member programs and launching the association’s first board education program in 2007.

Additionally, during her time at NAMIC, she grew events by 444%, averaging a 70-point Net Promoter Score.

“Kristen’s passion for innovation and collaborative approach comes at the right time in ASB’s history, with the succession of Kent Van Amburg, who brought stability and focus to ASB when he joined the organization in 2010.” — Brittny Ohr | 2022-23 ASB board chairman and Executive Search Committee chairman

A native Midwesterner and graduate of Indiana State University with a B.A. in public relations and marketing, Spriggs has already dived into her new role by meeting with several ASB and industry partners.

“ASB has a strong foundation, and throughout all my discussions with the Board of Directors, I can see there are tremendous opportunities for us to enhance our service to the industry,” Spriggs said. “Right away, I could feel the strong bonds and familial nature among peers who connect with one another in this industry. That was a huge piece of what attracted me to this role. I’m excited to do this in partnership with the other trade organizations and many other service partners who are invested in our industry’s success.”

Spriggs holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation and IOM distinction from the US Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, she was recognized by her peers as a 40 Under 40 by Connect magazine and honored as the Association Professional of the Year by the Indiana Society of Association Executives.

“Kristen’s passion for innovation and collaborative approach comes at the right time in ASB’s history, with the succession of Kent Van Amburg, who brought stability and focus to ASB when he joined the organization in 2010,” Ohr added.

Van Amburg spent 10 years as a representative for the grain industry before moving into association management, having served the association industry since 2006, 13 of which he spent with ASB. His hobbies, such as perfecting his sourdough recipe and flyfishing, will take centerstage as he and his wife, Nancy, plan their retirement travel destinations.

Although Spriggs will officially take the helm as executive director on March 2, she will be actively participating in BakingTECH, coined by the association as “The Best Week in Baking.”

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