pierre

Annapolis, MD, November 5, 2025 – The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) has been awarded the esteemed 2025 Pierre Award, recognizing its groundbreaking ICU Centers of Excellence (COE) program, which is transforming patient care and collaboration in Intensive Care Units worldwide.

Hosted by Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR) and presented at the annual RevUP Summit, the Pierre Award celebrates associations that drive meaningful industry change by aligning mission impact with innovative business strategy.

Developed collaboratively by SCCM staff, members, volunteer leaders, and pilot sites, the ICU COE program ensures tools and metrics remain relevant, equitable, and adaptable. In its first year, the program generated over $200,000 in new revenue, establishing a scalable, multi-year growth model—while directly improving the quality of ICU care.

“We really started by listening to our members and what the gaps were,” says SCCM Director of Research and Quality, Vishaka Kumar, MD, MBA. “Our members told us that they needed help sustaining quality improvement and not just to attend another one-day or two-day course.”

With members in more than 80 countries, SCCM is the only organization representing all professional components of the critical care team, committed to ensuring the highest-quality care for every critically ill and injured patient.

Through the ICU Centers of Excellence program, participating hospitals receive ongoing education, implementation tools, and multiprofessional team training. Each ICU gains access to structured learning, tabletop simulations, and direct consultation—supporting bedside practitioners in advancing patient- and family-centered care while improving clinician satisfaction. Participating hospitals can earn gold, silver, or bronze distinction.

In its inaugural year, the program exceeded expectations by enrolling 50 hospitals—more than double its goal of 20 sites. According to Melissa Nielsen, SCCM’s Director of Marketing, Sales and Communications, collaboration has been key to this success.

“SCCM members helped design the model for this program, and early hospital sites helped shape the tools and metrics. Internally, our education, research and quality teams were really aligned to deliver one cohesive experience,” Nielsen notes. “We exceeded the goal for lead generation by more than 200-percent.”

SCCM joins the Infectious Disease Society of America (2022), the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (2023), and the Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO) as the recipient of the prestigious annual award that honors the life and career of association visionary, Christine Pierre. Finalists are selected for their commitment to innovation, vision and partnership.

“We are continuously inspired by the finalists for the Pierre Award,” said Sean Soth, Founder and Chairman, PAR, and SVP, Strategy & Global Partnerships, SCRS. “SCCM’s Centers of Excellence program demonstrates how associations can leverage business strategy to deliver on their mission in powerful, measurable ways. This initiative not only advances critical care outcomes, it creates a sustainable model for growth and member value that reflects the best of what associations can achieve.”

Finalists for the 2025 Pierre Award included:

  • American Geophysical Union (AGU): AGU developed AI- and NLP-based tools that personalize content, connect scientific researchers, and recommend relevant content programs—advancing collaboration across the global scientific community.
  • American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT):
    ASNT’s free membership initiative for students and early-career professionals has welcomed nearly 2,500 new members—79% brand new to the organization—while generating nearly $100,000 in non-dues revenue.

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About Professionals for Association Revenue (PAR): PAR is a professional membership community and leading resource for association professionals seeking to optimize their revenue generation strategies. PAR offers a comprehensive array of resources, tools, and education to help associations enhance their financial sustainability and deliver greater value to their members. Learn more at mypar.org.

About the RevUP Summit: PAR’s RevUP Summit brings together association executives responsible for revenue generation and strategy. From value creation to revenue diversification, data-driven methodologies to member and customer acquisition, landing your next 6-figure deal to uncovering opportunities in plain sight, the RevUP Summit program is uniquely suited to further your organization’s progress through education for association leadership and revenue drivers. Learn more at revupsummit.org.