174. Gwyn Donohue, CAE, ED of ASAMW, on Small-Staff Leadership, Member Value, and Reinventing Governance

How do you rebuild an association when you inherit the top job, lose key staff almost immediately, and have to figure everything out in real time? And in a relationship-driven industry like commercial construction, how can an association help members strengthen connections, prove value, and grow even when the staff team is tiny?In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Gwyn Donohue, CAE, Executive Director of the American Subcontractors Association Metro Washington (ASAMW). Gwyn discusses:How ASAMW represents subcontractors, suppliers, and service providers across Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, serving as the “moving parts” behind commercial construction projects.How Gwyn came into her first chief staff executive role in July 2025 and quickly found herself running the organization with almost no transition playbook when a longtime staff member left just five weeks into her job.How ASAMW relied on highly engaged members and committee chairs to preserve institutional knowledge and keep major programs moving.How Gwyn and the team pulled off the organization’s marquee event, the Subby Awards Gala, a 450-person event with a complex awards program and voting processHow Gwyn modernized ASAMW’s tech operations.How ASAMW is growing membership by leaning into LinkedIn, increasing visibility, promoting sponsor recognition, and meeting the construction community where it already is online.Why Gwyn made governance a priority.What 2026 looks like for ASAMW.References:ASAMW Website62nd Annual Subby Awards Gala