Columbia, MD – Sarah Rayne, Director of Operations for the Howard County Association of REALTORS® (HCAR), has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential, which is the highest designation for the association management profession.

 

The CAE program is designed to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate those who demonstrate knowledge essential to the practice of association management.

 

To sit for the CAE exam, a candidate must have five or more years of experience as an employee at a qualifying nonprofit organization or association management company. Candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher or, in lieu of a degree, eight additional years of professional work experience. Candidates must also complete 100 hours of broad-based, association management-related professional development. Finally, candidates must pass the four-hour CAE exam, then maintain the credential through ongoing professional development.

 

There are roughly 4,700 professionals who hold the CAE credential.

 

Rayne has been Director of Operations for HCAR since April 2020. Prior to that, she was Government & Public Affairs Director for the Coastal Association of REALTORS® in Berlin, MD for six years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a focus on Journalism from Salisbury University and has previously earned the REALTOR® association Certified Executive (RCE) designation, which is the only designation offered by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) specifically for association executives. Rayne also holds the At Home With Diversity (AHWD) certification, the e-Pro® certification, and the Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) endorsement, which are all granted by NAR.

 

Rayne sits on the Maryland REALTORS® Community Involvement Committee, the NAR RCE Certification Advisory Board, and the NAR Association Executives Magazine Editorial Board.