Barbara Byrd Keenan, CAE – Executive Vice President
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, IFT
Business: 312-782-8424
E-mail Address: bbkeenan@ift.org
Prior to joining IFT in 2003, Ms. Keenan was President of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) in Alexandria, Virginia. During her tenure, the organization transformed from an ailing, bankrupt entity to a financially healthy one enjoying broad member support and won over 14 top honors and awards for education programs, publications, marketing and legislative affairs.
Ms. Keenan has had extensive experience consulting with associations and educational institutions and has a long history of professional volunteer involvement. She served on the board of directors for the American Society of Association Executives, including two terms on the Executive Committee as Vice Chairman and Secretary/Treasurer. She was selected as a Charter Fellow of ASAE in recognition of professional accomplishments and leadership, was named 1990 Chairman of the ASAE Fellows Program, chaired ASAE's 10th Anniversary Management Conference in 1992 and in 1994-95 led ASAE's Associations Advance America Committee. She is the 1996 recipient of ASAE's Key Award, the highest honor bestowed on an association executive.
Active in her community, Ms. Keenan served as Founding Chairman of the Board of the Travis County Adult Literacy Council and was named TCALC Chairman Emeritus. She was selected as one of the Top Ten Business Women for 1986 by the American Business Women's Association, and is included in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Women and Who's Who in Finance and Industry. She received the Excellence in Education Award from the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives in 1992, chaired GWSAE in 2001-02, and serves as a trustee for the Center for Association Leadership and on the inaugural editorial board for the Journal of Association Leadership for GWSAE. She also serves on the Committee of 100 of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
In 1999, Ms. Keenan was honored as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from Old Dominion University.