Yesterday Abila, Aptify, and YourMembership were all purchased and put under a single umbrella called Community Brands.

This is likely the single biggest deal in the history of association technology and will clearly have significant ramifications on the association, thought it’s not yet clear exactly what those impacts will be.

The details can be read here, but there’s so much more under the surface that’s worth discussing.

As web developers, this is certainly concerning since it will undoubtedly directly impact a huge majority of Bean Creative’s clients. They look to us to connect their web services with their AMS, and when (not an *if*) that’s in flux, it’s going to get hairy.

Join us as we discuss this issue next week in the influential Association Chat Tuesday  at 2pm with the head of the new Community Brands company, alongside several other amazing association gurus.

Many of us at the studio remember how hard it’s been just to get AMS tools to support responsive design over the past five years…I fear how how long it may take for these systems to be well-aligned.

That said, I think the AMS space has been in dire need of a shake up because so many of the tools are older and typically propped up as newer versions instead of being completely redone.

I’d be a HUGE fan on the new consolidated company developing NEW tools and systems that are designed for today’s realities and future considerations.

Ideally, the new firm will actively engage the association community to get an idea of what people really want and need so that they create a killer product that people will buy.  Raise your hand if over the years, you remarked that if you had spare time, you’d make our own AMS that actually did all the things our clients really want?  (Well, at least I have thought this, but I am a big nerd).

Imagine how great a new product could be with Community Brands’ combined resources plus the input of the big brains in the association industry?

I’m remaining hopeful that they are in this to actually solve big problems. SaaS and open-source development would make me so very happy…think they’ll sink the time and resources in to develop it? Join in the discussion Tuesday April 11th in Association Chat!