ASTD Reboots With New Name and Logo

The American Society for Training and Development is changing its name to the Association for Talent Development. The announcement came from ASTD president and CEO Tony Bingham in a Tuesday afternoon event at the 2014 ASTD International Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

“Now is the time for ASTD to adapt and meet you where you are, to align to where the profession is and where it’s going,” Bingham said. “This is a journey of redefining our brand and widening a path to a future that is grounded in the work you do in developing the talent of today and tomorrow.”

Jenny Dearborn, chief learning officer and senior vice president of SAP, said the new phrase broadens who the society reaches and helps it apply to what the industry has become. “Training will be at the heart and core of what we do. Seeing the association evolve with the profession, some would say catch up, is huge.”

Along with the name change, Bingham also unveiled a new logo and said there will be additional changes to the website and branding of products and services in the next year including new resources for international partners, local chapters and suppliers. Certificate programs will still be offered and the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance program will still be offered for practitioners in the field.

T&D Magazine will become TD Magazine, and Bingham said the association will release a new magazine in 2015 called CTDO that highlights chief talent development officers. New content, learning communities of practice and new resources are also slated as part of ASTD’s new image.

Bingham fielded questions from the audience following the announcement. One audience member asked if SHRM, the HR industry's largest association, would see the rebranding as an encroachment on its territory. Bingham said ASTD's focus will remain on talent development and should not compete with SHRM's broader sphere of influence that includes such areas as talent acquisition. Another asked if ASTD will help defray the cost of rebranding for local chapters. Bingham was noncommittal, responding that the year-long rebranding process will not be a huge financial burden.

ASTD was founded in 1943 by 15 petroleum industry workers to raise the standards and prestige of the training profession and develop those responsible for training others.  

“As the needs of organizations have become more complex, so too have training and development,” Bingham said. “As a result, organizations can prosper and the world does indeed work better.”