Consolidation talks between the three leading industry trade associations are
heating up following the historic "Chicago Retreat" held in late September.
There, a "blackjack" committee of 21 members—seven each from the
American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers (AESF), Metal Finishing Suppliers'
Association (MFSA), and National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF)—
attended two days of facilitated meetings to create the framework for a single,
unified trade association.

This task was monumental to say the least. Not only does each association have its own set of bylaws, diverse interests and philosophies, but each maintains its own views on what it would take to create a single trade association it could live with.The group was challenged to exchange ideas and reach a consensus on key issues in just two days.And throw in the fact that the consolidation issue has been widely debated in industry circles for more than a decade, and it would be fair to say that our founding fathers had their work cut out for them.

But work they did.The group agreed early on that 18 votes were required to
reach a consensus on a specific proposal. The facilitator broke the committee
up into sub groups to tackle the initial brainstorming on the big issues or tasks
at hand. One by one, the group addressed just about all of them.
When the meeting concluded after more than 18 hours of deliberation, the
group came away with a business model for a structure it felt confident addressed the present and future needs of the current association. More importantly, it created the framework for what promises to be a more viable vehicle for advancing the interests of the North American surface finishing industry in the long term. To top it off, a new organization name—National Association of Surface Finishers (NASF)—was proposed and approved by the group.

AESF, MFSA, and NAMF are in the process of sharing details of the business
plan and background discussion with local affiliates and branches.The objective
is for the three organizations to unite under the NASF banner, a name deemed
appropriate to reflect the integration of association cultures while preserving
their individual identities and traditions.The mission statement conveys a simple yet direct message: "The promotion and advancement of the North
American Surface Finishing Industry globally."

Whether you agree or disagree with the proposed merger, you have to
applaud the tremendous amount of time and effort that went into creating this
structure for NASF. From what I’ve been told, all 21 participants had an equal
say in providing input for the group’s consideration. It’s a credit to the dedication and open-mindedness of the group that they were able to reach a unanimous consensus on nearly every proposal.

You all have a vested interest in our industry, which is why I encourage you to
contact your local branch or affiliate to learn more about what the proposed association consolidation means to your business.