President's Message

January 2012 Newsletter

Twiss Challenges Members to Join the 1-for-1 Membership Campaign

I wish to start the year with a discussion of membership in our industry association. My two companies and I have been members of the MIA since 1988 (24 years). In the beginning, I joined for the same reason as most people; to see what it was all about. Over the years I received support in many areas of my business and I have seen what great work the MIA does to support our industry: education programs, technical support research, safety, and many other areas that are important to all of us. I have also seen our lack of funds hamper our ability to provide even more member services and support.

Look at it anyway you want, but in order to provide membership services and industry leadership, support from companies that directly or indirectly receive benefits is required.

There is no other association that supports all of the stone industry. There are other associations that offer some benefits but nothing as comprehensive as the MIA. The MIA Dimension Stone Design Manual is one of the most used and referred to manuals in the stone construction industry, covering all material and types of installation. In the 30 years I have been in this business I have never seen a stone specification that doesn't use the design manual as a reference. That makes this organization and the things we do very important to the industry and very important to your businesses.

I want to present a challenge to all current members of the MIA. I believe each and every one of us knows at least one other company in your area that would benefit by being a member; so here is my challenge: it's not the 999 plan but it is the new 1 for 1 plan. I encourage each MIA member company to find one non-member company and then encourage them to become a member of the MIA. This is not a difficult challenge.

If this is accomplished it could make large strides towards accomplishing many of our initiatives such as:

• Continue support of information to the EPA on radon.
• Continue our work on sustainability through support of the Natural Stone Council.
• Continue our work on education programs for members and architects.
• Continue our work on safety initiatives.
• Adding resources to MIA's technical efforts, which are so crucial to members.
• Continue to expand the very important Accreditation Program.

These are only a few of the benefits to being a member of the MIA, and hopefully you see my point. I believe you do, that is why you are a member. So take that passion and understanding and encourage other companies to become an MIA member.

I know many of you believe your competition to be other stone contractors and or fabricators, and to some extent that is true, but the real competition to our industry is other products such as imitation material, concrete product, masonry products, metal look-a-likes, terra cotta, etc. All the other materials have large associations that are well funded by their memberships and can promote their products nationwide. If we want to compete in the marketplace, we need to promote stone on a national basis, and that takes a large membership base. The MIA does an exceptional job with the funds we have available, but with only 1600 members we are too small to compete equally with concrete, brick, glass and other products because of they have large association budgets that can support national advertising programs. Strength comes with numbers. Stone is an incredible diverse product that can be used in many ways. No single member has the advertising budget to take on a task like this, but together (by growing our membership base) MIA can be just as strong as the associations of competing products.

So I ask you to join me to make the 1 for 1 plan successful and be able to promote our products to the level they deserve. For 24 years I have given my support to this industry and, as MIA president I am asking everyone to help support the industry by getting behind this challenge. You must believe in the product or you would be off doing something else, so make your efforts count and support the MIA by recruiting another member.

In each newsletter we will acknowledge the efforts of members that recruit new members. Support your great association of dedicated staff and volunteers. For additional information, visit www.marble-institute.com/about/about-archive/natural-stone-institute-board-of-directors/, and contact the MIA board member from your area.

Let's make this a priority and come out of this recession stronger and more determined to use natural stone in every way possible.