Comparison · 10 material differences
AM&AA vs ICSC
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Professional association
Verified September 2026 AM&AA
Middle-market M&A advisers — investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers
Professional association
ICSC
Owners, developers, managers, investors, brokers and marketers of shopping centres and other retail and mixed-use property, plus retailers, public officials and academics
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining — AM&AA: Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A career; ICSC: Next Generation membership: industry professionals under 40.
- Industry restriction — AM&AA: Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independently; ICSC: Standard membership: companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces and spaces (excludes retailers and tenants).
- Annual dues — AM&AA: $545 a year; ICSC: $300 a year.
Side by side
| AM&AA | ICSC | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Professional association | Professional association |
| Founded | 1998 (Established in 1998 to bring together CPAs, attorneys and corporate financial advisers working in middle-market M&A) | 1957 (ICSC's own account: "With a $500 payment and a handshake, seven enterprising professionals established ICSC in a downtown Chicago hotel in 1957.") |
| Headquarters | Dallas, United States | New York, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Chapters are all in the United States plus a virtual chapter; the membership network spans 25 countries | Global; ICSC runs regional divisions and works with national and regional shopping centre councils worldwide, and holds a Washington DC office alongside its New York headquarters |
| Members | 1,100as of September 2026 | 70,000as of May 2026 |
| Chapters | 24 | Not publicly disclosed as a single figure. ICSC organises by region and division rather than by named chapters, and Wikipedia reports relationships with more than 25 national and regional shopping centre councils. |
| Primary audience | Middle-market M&A advisers — investment bankers, CPAs, attorneys, valuation specialists, corporate financial investors and business advisers | Owners, developers, managers, investors, brokers and marketers of shopping centres and other retail and mixed-use property, plus retailers, public officials and academics |
| Typical member | Members are M&A and supporting trade professionals: accountants, lawyers, investment bankers, valuation and due diligence specialists, and corporate financial investors working in the middle market. Individual membership is aimed at those who practise independently; corporate membership covers teams of five or more from one firm. | Membership spans the retail property chain: shopping centre owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and brokers, together with academics and public officials. ICSC's own pricing distinguishes companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces from retailers and tenants, who pay a lower rate. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Young Professional membership is limited to those aged 35 and under in the early stages of an M&A careerIdentification and proof of age are required during the application processverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Next Generation membership: industry professionals under 40A discounted category, not a barrier to joining.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | Individual membership is for M&A and supporting trade professionals who practise independentlyverified September 2026 · source ↗ | Standard membership: companies and individuals who own, develop, manage or support marketplaces and spaces (excludes retailers and tenants)Retailers and tenants have their own lower-priced category.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | No |
| Application process | Applicants complete an application through AM&AA's membership portal at amaa.wildapricot.org, or contact the association directly. Young Professional applicants must supply identification and proof of age. Corporate memberships are arranged by email with custom pricing. There is no published interview, sponsorship or committee review, but all members must accept the ethics and standards rules and the no-solicitation condition. | Applicants join online through the ICSC membership pages, choosing a member type. Categories with reduced rates require documentary proof — government letterhead for public sector applicants, a university ID for academics, and a transcript, course list or registrar's letter for students. There is no sponsor, interview or committee stage in the published process. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed — AM&AA publishes membership categories and conditions but no acceptance data | Not publicly disclosed; the published route is open enrolment with eligibility set by the type of business the applicant is in. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $545 a yearIndividual membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ | $300 a yearStandard membershipverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee is listed alongside the published dues.verified September 2026 |
| Programme fee | $5,200 one-timeCertified Merger & Acquisition Advisor (CM&AA) programme fee, which includes first-year membership and materialsverified September 2026 · source ↗ | ICSC publishes a simple flat rate card with no corporate tier: companies and individuals pay the same $300 standard rate. |
| Event costs | Not publicly disclosed | Not recorded here. ICSC's conferences are separately ticketed and are the main cost of participation, but rates vary by event and were not read for this record.verified September 2026 |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly chapter events plus two annual conferences (Summer and Winter), and CM&AA certification courses run in person and virtually | A year-round conference programme including ICSC Las Vegas and ICSC New York, plus regional and state conferences |
| Peer forums | No confidential peer forums; members organise through chapters, including a virtual chapter, and deal-sourcing tools | No confidential peer forum structure is published; participation is through events, divisions and committees |
| Confidentiality | Members agree not to solicit fellow members without written board permission; no broader confidentiality policy was found | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Chapter-based, Event-focused, Virtual | Event-focused, Chapter-based |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | Yes | Partial |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Partial |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Partial |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | Yes | Yes |
| Investment discussions | Yes | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | Yes | Partial |
| Philanthropic component | No | No |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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