The association’s board of directors unanimously approved a strategic planning process that includes measurable product for the benefit of the membership and the industry. The draft strategic plan will be made available to the membership for review and comment. Once Vision 20/20 is established, the board will track progress and changes, with constant surveillance from members.

The board has also approved a membership category and structure reorganization to accommodate small and large business interests, to recognize integration elements, and to achieve consistent growth. Dues do not increase for the majority of small-to-medium repair stations ‒ the backbone of the industry and the association. Nor are the increases burdensome to larger maintenance organizations, corporate members, businesses associated with repair and alteration, students and educational organizations.

Deciding to integrate the training and publications into the day-to-day operations of the repair station will decrease the association’s dependency on membership dues. Members can receive substantial benefit from discounted advertising, annual symposium registration, regulatory compliance training and information, associate member partnerships and affiliate programs. Revenue from training and other member service elements will increase the ability of the association to intensify its essential member services and attract human talent.

Essential member services have been stable for many years; the legislative program is now a solid leg of support for the association’s “good-government” programs. At the same time, ARSA’s role of “regulatory watchdog” continues to help individual members, segments of the industry and the overall maintenance provider environment on a daily basis. The balance between issues affecting individual members and overall maintenance provider problems will be standardized through the association’s new member database and compliance library; both of which will be activated in 2014. These efforts will provide further decrease dependence upon dues while enhancing the economic and regulatory compliance positions for members.

The strategic plan will be an active document that ensures stable growth while adapting to threats and opportunities. Change is constant and inevitable; the board is fully engaged and looks forward to managing an ever-evolving, continually successful transformation.