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November 2025 Update from the Board and Staff

Date postedNovember 19, 2025
ACCT Updates,

November 2025 - Continuing Our Momentum Toward 2026

From the Board of Directors: A Season of Steady Progress

As we move into the final quarter of 2025, the ACCT International Board of Directors is proud to share highlights from recent meetings and staff initiatives. Guided by our strategic priorities - Standards Development, Program Execution, and the Future of ACCT Events - the Association continues to strengthen its programs, refine its policies, and expand engagement across our global community.

⚙️ Standards Development: Strengthening the Foundation

Significant progress has been made on the ACCT Accredited Standards front. During the October 29 Board meeting, the Consensus Body was officially convened to guide the next revision of the ACCT American National Standard. New and improved web resources explaining the Accredited Standards Developer (ASD)  process were just recently published as part of our website re-alignment project acctinfo.org/standards-development.

The Accredited Procedures Task Force 2 (APTF2) continues its work on a number of projects, including creating internal procedural guidelines, that ensure efficient coordination of volunteers and clear communication with stakeholders about how ACCT’s standards are created and maintained. Additionally, educational materials are being developed to help members understand the standards development process and their opportunities to participate.

Meanwhile, the Board formally archived the Practitioner Certification Standards (also known as the Practitioner Certification Structure and Requirements) as an ACCT Standard that is supported for public use.  The Practitioner Certification Structure and Requirements have been, and will continue to be, used by Accredited Vendors to provide Level I, Level II, and Course Manager certifications. The document itself has been transferred to the Program Department for continued use and updates as needed. A statement was released to help provide context to that decision, and it can be found here. 

🧾 By the Numbers: Program & Credentialing Snapshot

  • 181 Professional Inspectors Certified

  • 42 In-House Inspectors

  • 41 Accredited Operations

  • 32 Accredited Vendors

  • 31 Operation Reviewers

  • 10 Vendor Auditors

🎓 Expanding Education & Accreditation

ACCT Academy continues to grow through our new Learning Management System (LMS), now offering a growing suite of on-demand and live courses. The Crisis Management Series launched in October and will continue through early 2026. Updated Inspector Certification Prep Course and testing support materials have been added.  Standards education modules are also in development and will be released next year.

We are excited about the future of ACCT Academy, because we believe that it isn’t just an online classroom; our hope is that it will become a professional hub of our industry.

🗳️ Leadership, Membership & Elections

The 2026 Board of Directors Election process will officially begin on November 24, 2025, when nominations open. All eligible members are encouraged to participate.

To support prospective candidates, the Board of Directors has developed a document outlining the time commitment, fiduciary duties, and key responsibilities of serving on the ACCT Board. This is designed to help members make informed decisions about running for election and to ensure they fully understand their role should they be elected. January’s Open Office Hours, on the 6th, will be an opportunity to meet the candidates and get information about running for the Board before the nomination period ends on January 16th, 2025.

October’s Open Office Hours focused on the ACCT International Community Hub, our new community engagement platform, which will provide members with enhanced networking, discussion, and opportunity for collaboration. This is one step in our goal of enhancing member benefits for the community. Check out this tutorial to help you navigate the platform: ACCT International Community Hub Tutorial

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight: Standards Writing Group

The TIRE Committee is in the process of convening a Standards Writing Group (SWG) to assist in developing a draft revision of ANSI/ACCT 03-2019. The recently filed PINS (Project Initiation Notification System) defines the scope as: to “revise standards to enhance consistency in terminology, structure, and application, with integration of evolving industry practices and technological developments.” The SWG will be working efficiently over the next several months to develop a draft for a public comment period, projected to begin in Spring of 2026, in order to make the necessary revisions for a July 2026 deadline with ANSI.

💼 Financial & Strategic Outlook

The Board reviewed Q1 financials at the October 29 meeting, and is focusing on the close monitoring of expenses and revenue streams. Some of the highlights of that report include that the association was awarded an Employee Retention Credit during Q1, providing valuable additional financial support. Given the challenging economic climate, we remain acutely aware that shifts in member spending and industry outlook will directly impact our bottom line, and we are proactively managing costs and resources accordingly.

Work continues on defining monetization goals for educational products, which is an important step in diversifying revenue beyond our current income streams. 

The ongoing Operation Accreditation Audit remains a high priority, with the Board, Finance Committee, Program Work Group, and Staff collaborating to ensure the program’s financial sustainability and consistency across all accredited operations.

🎪 Events & Engagement: Looking Ahead to Oklahoma City

Momentum is surging toward the 36th Annual ACCT International Conference, February 4–8, 2026, in Oklahoma City! Early-bird registrations surpassed last year’s pace, and exhibitor and sponsorship spots are filling with exciting new vendors joining the lineup.

The Harnessing ACCT team challenge returns bigger than ever where teams from across the industry will compete in technical skills, creative challenges, and the legendary cable-whip showdown, all in the vibrant atmosphere of the conference.

Also back by popular demand is the hilarious Human Slot Machine which helps raise funds for conference scholarships.

Ready for the ultimate thrill? Over the Edge is LIVE!

Rappel down the Omni Hotel Friday, February 6, 2026 | Downtown Oklahoma City

How to secure your spot (two easy ways):

Direct purchase: Pay $250 now and lock in your rappel instantly.

Fundraise: Raise at least $250 to rappel ($500+ unlocks a 50/50 split - half covers your spot, half donated in your name to ACCT International, this year’s Pays It Forward recipient The Come Back Kid Society, or a charity of your choice).

Check-in time slots start at 2:00 p.m. local time and run every 30 minutes until 6:30 p.m. (total experience  approximately 60–90 minutes). Slots are first-come, first-served.

Spots are limited - sign up today, make memories (and epic photos) from 14+ stories up!

📅 Upcoming Events
🌱 Looking Forward

This year, we’re sustaining momentum in the areas that matter most: advancing Standards Development to keep our industry the global benchmark for safety and excellence, strengthening Program Execution with better training, accreditation, and member support, and shaping the future of ACCT Events through innovative, high-impact conferences and gatherings.

ACCT International is poised for continued growth, deeper member engagement, and stronger global connection as we write the next chapter of leadership for challenge course and aerial adventure professionals worldwide.

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Practitioner Certification archived as standards and transferred to Programs for ongoing use in the Vendor Accreditation Program. 

  • Consensus Body convened for upcoming ANSI standard revisions. 

  • Standards Work Group begins convening members. 

  • ACCT Academy is expanding with new crisis management content, and will begin developing standards-based courses.

  • 2026 Board election nominations open November 24.

  • 2026 Conference in OKC gaining strong early participation. The next registration deadline is Dec 1,2025.

© 2025 ACCT International
Association for Challenge Course Technology
PO Box 19797 • Boulder, CO 80308 • acctinfo.org

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