Member Forum 2025: Accreditation Celebration

The Annual Member Forum is an opportunity to connect and celebrate the vast and diverse World Trade Centers Association network, as well as to provide continued education opportunities for our Members.   

With that in mind, I thought that there is no better way to champion our 2025 Accredited Members than through an interactive game. Gamification provided a way to invite attendees to learn more about these elite Members and recognize the achievement of Accreditation, which can be an arduous, but deeply rewarding undertaking (and therefore deserves a little fun!)    

The Case of the Missing Map: An Interactive Journey through the 2025 Accredited Members  

Inspired by a beloved game from my youth, we used the chase of the character “Wanda the Cartographer (W.T.C.) ” across the globe to recover the absconded WTCA Map as a way to learn more about ea ch of these Members’ achievements. From thriving business clubs, active trade programs, and world class facilities, these Members stand out as standard-bearers of the pillars of the WTCA: reciprocity, trade development, commerc ial real estate & services, business & member services , and conferences & exhibitions .  

Accreditation Snackable: Conversations with Accredited Members to demystify the process  

Along with celebrating these Members, I also wanted to talk to Accredited Members about what they gained by going through the Accreditation application . I interviewed the teams from WTC Washington D.C. (Allyson Browne McKithen , Nimal Aluthgama), WTC Rennes Bretagne (Joanna Murphy), WTC Lisbon ( Luciano Menezes) , and WTC Montevideo (Alicia D’Agosto , interviewed by Latin America’s Regional Director, Carlos Ronderos). Each of these Members spoke about their experience and what was gained by taking a step back to inventory the services they offer. This led to new sponsorship opportunities, new services, and revitalizing existing programs.   

As Nimal Aluthgama (WTC Washington D.C. states: “during the Accreditation process, we realized that some of the assets that we offer, that we have taken for granted in the past, we realized how precious they are to us in maintaining our standards.”  

Accreditation is not only a way to elevate extraordinary Members, but is also a powerful tool for growth, no matter how large or small a World Trade Center business is. While e very WTC license is unique, the Accreditation program is a way to honor the uniqueness of each exceptional World Trade Center, while also building a network of shared strength and quality.   

If your Worl d Trade Center location is interested in learning more about the Accreditation process, please feel free to email me at aball@wtca.org .   

The 2025 Accredited Members are: