Members of the Northamerican Industrial Representatives Association (NIRA) recently voted to support the recommendations of its board of directors to discontinue operations as an industry trade association. At a meeting of members held on September 9, the membership approved the board's resolutions to dissolve NIRA, in conjunction with a negotiated package of services to be provided to NIRA members by the Industrial Supply Association (ISA - www.isapartners.org).
The actions were based on the board's determination that NIRA's future potential to adequately serve its member rep firms and manufacturers had become untenable. It was deemed that the interests of its rep firm members would be better served through an alignment with ISA, the industrial product industry's key trade association, under the condition that ISA would commit to expanding benefits and voting privileges for its Associate (rep firm) members.