- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Update on Association Consolidation
By William Saas, President, Taskem, Inc., and Surface Finishing Industry Council
There has been substantial progress in crafting a meaningful consolidation of the three key associations of the North American surface finishing industry: the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Association (AESF), the National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF), and the Metal Finishers' Suppliers Association (MFSA).
State of the Industry: Where Do We Stand? |
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By now, most finishers know a Planning Retreat was held last September in Chicago with a highly successful and unanimous outcome. The 21 participants at the facilitated retreat agreed upon a framework for a new, unified surface finishing trade association. Seven representatives from each of the existing associations created a business model that addresses the present and future needs of the current organizations. Additionally, the model properly recognizes the diverse interests, make-up and perspectives of these same groups, while forming a stronger, more viable vehicle for advancing the interests of the North American surface finishing community in the long term. The following elements summarize the main points of the new business model:
The name agreed upon is the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). The group concluded this was an appropriate name to reflect the integration of association cultures, while preserving the individual identities and traditions of the former organizations. The mission statement for the NASF is, "the promotion and advancement of the North American surface finishing industry globally."
A governance structure was defined to manage the activities of the new association in both the short and long term. In the short term, a 15-person transition board was created, which includes five appointed members from each of the three current associations. The first order of business will be selecting a transition president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer to serve in these roles until the associations have officially joined as a single body. In addition, a process was defined for electing the board once the transition process is completed. Elections to the board will be by the general membership of all three associations.
Initially, five candidates will be elected to one-year terms, five to two-year terms, and five to three-year terms. Subsequent elections will all be for five members to serve three-year terms. This elected board will select the first official NASF president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer that will all serve one-year terms. These officers will not be those that served in this capacity on the transition board. The elected board will also appoint individuals to serve on an "as-needed" basis to consult on financial and legal matters, such as creation of an annual budget and appropriate bylaws. Another element of the governance structure was the creation of a tiered dues schedule that essentially mirrors the existing dues paid by various members, both corporate and individual. The NASF will include individual, corporate, and institutional memberships. This last category is intended to attract academics, students, and retirees. Additionally, the NASF will initiate a concerted effort to attract members from the captive shop community, an industry segment that has been under-represented in the past.
The myriad existing and often overlapping committees in the current associations will be replaced by seven councils. The councils will report to the board, but will be headed by individuals other than members of the board. The councils will include at least the following: technical/education activities; metal finishers/management; marketing/membership; events; supplier interests; communication and industry promotion; and government affairs. Additionally, the funds that AESF has restricted to be used solely for educational purposes will be used to create a separate foundation to oversee activities that will include, among other things, technical education programs; scientific achievement awards; research and development programs; and publication of the Journal of Surface Finishing. By the time you read this, the transition board will have met and elected transition officers. It will also have begun reviewing drafts of the bylaws, articles of incorporation, and various documents that will define specific steps that will be followed to create the single association from the existing individual associations. Once these documents are finalized, each association will vote in a manner prescribed by their respective bylaws as to whether they favor continuing the consolidation process, or not.
Review & Forecast compiled by Greg Valero, Editor and Publisher.
