Help yourself. (The Way we See it).(role of trade associations and members)(Brief Article)

People like to let writers know what's wrong with the industry--off the record, of course. I can't tell you how many razor sharp comments are dulled by tactful "that was off the record" afterthoughts. Still, these non-printable statements help us learn what industry issues people consider the most troublesome.

I understand that censored complaints must he taken with a grain of salt; one opinion does not make a consensus. But when one complaint is repeatedly echoed in others, you have to investigate. A common (and often unquotable) refrain I've heard over the last year has been the idea that our industry associations don't really do anything for us. The "us" varies--sometimes it's the owner of a small shop, other times it's the vice president of a large public company. Regardless of position, these people question if the work associations do is worth the money they're shelling out.

Questioning the value of association membership is by no means confined to North America. European and Asian company leaders also question the value of their respective associations, often citing "networking" as the best advantage of membership. Everyone respects the importance of networking during a three-day trade show, but that can't be the primary benefit of membership.

During the APEX exhibition held last January in San Diego, I got a good glimpse of what our associations here in North America are doing to ensure that networking is an added value rather than the only value. But they can't do it alone. Following is what I learned at APEX, but I also encourage you to read IPC President Denny McGuirk's column (page 22) for his perspective.

CCA Crafts New Legislative Approaches