(Fwd) IAQA, AmIAQ, IESO Unification & Consolidation

[Guest guest]

Group,

Please read the copy of the press release immediately below. The

three organizations are the major ones in the industry. Together they

have the potential to become a powerhouse of leadership.

FYI, I am Vice-President of IAQA. Also, as an active member of this

group and others I will be requesting your input and opinions as the

AmIAQ arm begins updating the training and certifiations for

inspectors, consultants, water damage restorers and mold remediators.

The IESO arm will be charged with writing standards, which I will be

pushing to specifically acknowledge the hyper-sensitive among us. To

see how serious I am and the intent of the IAQA, go to www.iaqa.org

and read the mission statement. Then read my web site (primitive to

say the least!) at www.habitats.com.

We aren't perfect, we have a long way to go and I'm not in control.

But I am dedicated to a leadership structure that I have and will

continue to challange to benefit all of us. " All " includes not just

the professionals, the industry, the manufacturers and the

researchers, but those of us that have been victimized by exposures

and preyed upon by " The Pretenders. "

Carl Grimes

Healthfy Habitats LLC

Vice-President of IAQA

------- Forwarded message follows -------

AmIAQ, IAQA and IESO Announce Unification and Consolidation Plan

 

Contacts:

AmIAQ, Charlie Wiles, charlie@..., 1-800-942-0832

IAQA, Glenn Fellman, iaqglenn@..., 1-301-231-8388, ext 11

IESO, Fetveit, info@..., (800) 406-0256

 

The three leading trade organizations serving professionals in the

indoor environmental quality industry have announced plans for the

consolidation and unification of their programs and activities.  The

move is a milestone for the industry because it will result in the

creation of a powerful, membership organization with more than 5,500

constituents, an independent certification board for IAQ

professionals and tradespersons, and a separate standard-setting

organization to create long-needed standards for indoor environments.

 

A proposal jointly written by the presidents and executive directors

of AmIAQ, IAQA and IESO to realign the specialized programs and

activities of the three organizations received unanimous approval by

their respective boards of directors.   The American Indoor Air

Quality Council (AmIAQ), Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), and

Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO) are non-profit,

501©(6) corporations offering membership, certification and a

variety of related benefits to people working in the IAQ market. 

 

AmIAQ, IAQA, and IESO have approximately 2,800, 2,400 and 1,000

members respectively.  Recognizing that significant duplication in

programs and activities existed, the leaders of the three

organizations began meeting late last year to discuss cooperative

ventures.  " Those meetings led us quickly to the conclusion that we

needed to do more than just cooperate, we need to consolidate

programs to more effectively serve our industry, " said IAQA's

president, Baker.

 

It has been agreed that the three organizations will retain their

unique identities but redefine and specialize their scope of

activities.  AmIAQ will serve as the industry's certification body;

IAQA will be a membership association; and, IESO will be a standard-

setting body.

 

AmIAQ - the Certification Board for the Industry

 

AmIAQ will continue to award IAQ-related certification designations

and to coordinate associated training programs.  " The industry needs

an independent certifying body with board-awarded credentials based

on experience, education and testing.  AmIAQ has the knowledge and

expertise in place to continue that role, and we will now revise our

goals, mission and bylaws to reflect our new duties in serving as the

industry's premier certification body, " said Charlie Wiles, AmIAQ

Executive Director.

 

AmIAQ will no longer offer a membership or provide member benefits. 

Current members of AmIAQ will become members of IAQA.  IAQA's and

IESO's certification programs will be transferred to AmIAQ, and those

certified by IAQA or IESO will either retain their existing

designations or be awarded the corresponding AmIAQ designation.

 

After the unification and consolidation plan is implemented,

additional representatives in AmIAQ's leadership will be elected by

their certified peers. In the interim, members of the certification

committees of IAQA and IESO will be appointed to key positions within

AmIAQ and assist in the transition.

 

IAQA - An Industry Association 5,500+ Members Strong

 

IAQA will serve as a membership association and will continue to

provide all of the member benefits it currently offers, as well as

benefits offered by AmIAQ and IESO it does not currently offer.  IAQA

will administer AmIAQ's chapter program and foster growth in the

chapter network.  IAQA will no longer function as a certifying body.

 

After the consolidation of AmIAQ, IAQA and IESO memberships under one

organization, IAQA will emerge 5,500+ members strong.  " Those are the

kinds of numbers an industry association needs to gain credibility in

the marketplace, with legislators, and with consumers, " remarked

Glenn Fellman, IAQA Executive Director.

 

IAQA will retain its same leadership structure and democratic

election procedures.  IAQA will expand its Board of Directors and

appoint AmIAQ and IESO leaders to serve on its Board.

 

IESO -- Setting Standards for the Industry

 

IESO will serve as an industry standard-setting body, with the sole

purpose of promulgating industry standards and working with other

standard-setting organizations.  IESO will no longer offer

membership, training or certification.  IESO members will become IAQA

members, and IESO certifications will be transferred to AmIAQ.

 

IESO will be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a pre-

determined number of AmIAQ representatives, IAQA representatives, and

additional representatives from government or academia as may be

selected by the IESO leadership.  Procedures for a democratic

succession of new Board members, as well as standards committee

members, will be created.

 

IESO will be funded by contributions made by IAQA, AmIAQ and other

organizations that may be invited to participate in its standard-

setting programs.  " We view the evolution of IESO into a purely

standards-setting body as a natural progression for the association. 

IESO was created to write standards and we have already shown success

in this area.  By transferring our membership and certification

programs to IAQA and AmIAQ, IESO will free up tremendous resources

and have access to a broader base of expertise and talent needed for

standards-setting  work, " said Fetveit, IESO President.

 

Next Steps

 

Now that the Boards of Directors of AmIAQ, IAQA and IESO have

approved the proposal, the next step is to gain membership approval. 

IAQA and IESO have bylaws that will require their members' approval

of the proposed unification and consolidation plan.  Their members

will be asked to vote on the matter at the combined AmIAQ-IAQA-IESO

national convention scheduled for October 6-9, 2005 in Orlando.  If

approved, the associations will assume their redefined roles and

responsibilities on January 1, 2006. 

 

IAQA will retain its Rockville, land headquarters office and

staff, and AmIAQ will likewise continue to operate from its Phoenix,

Arizona office with the same personnel.  IESO, which is also

currently based in Rockville, land, will retain its location and

key staff members as well.

 

For more information about AmIAQ, IAQA and IESO, visit

www.iaqcouncil.org, www.iaqa.org, and www.iestandards.org.

 

# # #

 

Contacts:          AmIAQ, Charlie Wiles, charlie@..., 1-

800-942-0832

                        IAQA, Glenn Fellman, iaqglenn@..., 1-301-

231-8388, ext 11

                        IESO, Fetveit, info@...,

(800) 406-0256

 

IAQA Headquarters

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