Rachel Wimberly

Associations Are Getting Cozier

There were two recent announcements of associations that decided working together and sharing information made sense.

The first announcement was made June 24 by UFI, The Global Assn. of the Exhibition Industry, and the Society of Independent Show Organizers.

Both associations agreed to not only start sharing information between its members, but also allow SISO and UFI members to go to each other’s meetings at member rates.

The second announcement the next day from the Professional Convention Management Assn. and the Assn. of Corporate Travel Executives involved plans to “develop a progressive and innovative Strategic Alliance,” according to a press release posted on PCMA’s Web site. “This Alliance will uniquely leverage the strengths of both organizations to benefit their respective memberships while expanding their global brands and enhancing services.”

Granted, it’s great that everyone has decided to work together now in order to benefit their members, but I’m wondering if it ever would have happened in the absence of an economic downturn.

Lew Shomer, SISO’s executive director, said there had been talk of forging some kind of alliance with UFI as early as the 1990s, but it just didn’t happen.

Britton Jones, SISO chairman, said a few years ago when he was on SISO’s education committee, no one was even interested in having a general session on expanding internationally.

Now, there will be general sessions at SISO’s CEO Summit and the UFI Congress on opportunities in the alternate organization’s sphere.

Discussions have been taking place on and off the past few years on getting SISO and UFI together, Jones said, and he didn’t think the recent agreement had specifically to do with the downturn in the economy.

Even so, when companies are losing their traditional sources of revenue, such as attendance, exhibitors and sponsorship dollars, to name a few, it makes sense there would be more interest in looking to new markets.

Likely, that’s the same thinking behind PCMA and ACTE’s decision to start sharing resources. The more information their members have at hand to be able to succeed, the happier they will be.

Posted by Rachel Wimberly on July 1, 2009 | Comments (0)