Chicago, November 2, 2026 / PRNewswire / -- Smithbucklin announces the appointment of Stephanie Yanecek and Jeremy Van Ek as Co-Chairs of Business Management for the association. Together, they will help each association transform their development vision into tangible results and leverage the full capabilities of Smithbucklin to support growth and stronger performance. They will be jointly responsible for association performance and customer satisfaction.
Van Ek will lead the Smithbucklin Association Management Excellence Center, responsible for overseeing relevant professional capabilities, tools, technologies, and processes, in order to continuously provide stable and high-quality service performance as the association's needs evolve. Yanecek will lead the Smithbucklin core association customer team, working in collaboration with executive directors and the board of directors to understand their goals, set priorities, and integrate appropriate professional capabilities, resources, and insights to drive the realization of results.
Smithbucklin, President and CEO, Matt Sanderson stated: "Our association needs a partner in managing clients who not only understands their ambitions but also has the capability to integrate the right talents, professional skills, and resources to deliver what is required. The strengths of Jeremy in operations, technology, and organizational change complement the extensive professional experience and long-term client relationships of Stephanie. Together, they will help us anticipate the ever-emerging needs of our association and take action in an agile manner, while maintaining the quality and dedication that define our work."
Yanecek possesses extensive experience in the association sector, as well as professional capabilities in product development, brand building, marketing strategy, and communication. She has recently been in charge of leading the marketing, content, communications, creativity, and editorial teams at Smithbucklin, helping various associations to strengthen their market positioning, increase member engagement, and expand revenue opportunities. She holds a Master of Business Administration degree from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
Van Ek has over 25 years of experience in the strategic, financial, and operational fields of associations, marketing, and professional services industries. He most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer of the management business at Smithbucklin. Prior to that, he held the position of Chief Operating Officer for the American Marketing Association and held senior leadership roles at Edelman, Trisect, Arc Worldwide, and Frankel. He holds a Master's degree from the University at Buffalo, as well as a Bachelor's degree from Hope College.
About Smithbucklin
Smithbucklin is a professional services company that helps various associations to modernize, strengthen their capabilities, and achieve sustainable development, thereby bringing better results for their members and their missions. For over 75 years, Smithbucklin has been providing association management services, as well as support in areas such as conferences and events, sponsorship and exhibition sales, education, marketing, and technology. Smithbucklin employs nearly 650 people in Chicago and Washington, D.C., and its subsidiaries include 360 Live Media, The France Foundation, SDI Meetings, and, Incentives, and McKinley Advisors. For more information, please visit: www.smithbucklin.com.
