148. Rob Wenger, CEO of Higher Logic, on Online Communities, AI, and Associations as the Future of Knowledge Creation
Update: 2025-07-17
Description
How can associations remain relevant and valuable in an AI-driven world? How do associations create new knowledge while serving as the second source of truth in a world when search is dominated by AI engines?
In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Rob Wenger, CEO of Higher Logic. Rob discusses:
- Why people are prioritizing human connections over content at conferences, and how associations can support meaningful, year-round engagement.
- How Higher Logic’s Thrive platform integrates community, mentoring, volunteering, and marketing in a single ecosystem.
- Why virtual connections can be just as valuable as in-person ones, and how community platforms can reach younger and mid-career members who often don’t attend in person events.
- Why it’s a myth that trade associations can’t do online community due to competition, and what the data really shows.
- The existential threat to associations that delayed AI adoption creates, and why the window to act is closing fast.
- How Higher Logic is using AI and big data to automate over 200 types of marketing campaigns that associations often don’t have the resources to do.
- Why associations must become "the second answer engine" for their members when AI tools fall short.
- The role of associations in generating expert, original content that will feed and sustain AI innovation in the future.
- Rob’s journey from CTO to CEO, how he intentionally developed leadership traits over 20 years, and why he came out of retirement to lead Higher Logic again.
References:
- Higher Logic Website
- Higher Logic’s Thrive product
- Higher Logic’s 2024 Association Member Experience Report
- Higher Logic’s 2024 Association Email Benchmark Report
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