163. Addy Kujawa, CEO of AAOE, on Going Independent, the Entrepreneurial Operating System, and a Culture of Innovation
Update: 2025-11-13
Description
What does a small association need to go independent? And what does it take to transform an association into an entrepreneurial, nimble, and innovative organization?
In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Addy Kujawa, CEO of the American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE). Addy discusses:
- How AAOE supports orthopedic and musculoskeletal practice executives, primarily C-suite leaders focused on the business side of practices.
- The organization’s evolution from being managed by AAOS to becoming fully independent, and thereby saving costs, increasing agility, and creating a tight-knit, high-performing staff team.
- The challenges and logistics of relocating the association from Illinois to Indiana, hiring new staff, and setting up operations from scratch.
- Why independence was the right decision: complete control, direct board governance, nimbleness, and a culture of ownership.
- How Addy introduced EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) to improve accountability, strategic focus, and communication. They began with a 90-day pilot that transformed into a permanent operating model.
- The success of EOS in fostering innovation, sunsetting underperforming programs, and promoting team-wide accountability and ownership..
- A young professionals council that created a resource guide for new orthopedic execs, and a revamped webinar program that grew from 15 to 50 annual events.
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