Leaders involved in the agreement. (l to R) Front row:Bob Green, ASQ, Bill Helfrich, APICS; Gary Leskiw, ASQ; Leigh Menzel, NAPM.
Back row: Brian Griffin, infoTech Niagara; Bob Richardson, infoTech Niagara; Wayne Forrest, APICS, Mike Lovelace, NAPM
CD contents from first meeting
Buffalo, New York, June 28, 2004. Leaders from four western New York professional organizations are shown above after signing an agreement to conduct joint networking meetings for their members in the coming year.
The combination of these membership groups will total more than 4500 individuals and greatly enhance the interaction of business professionals in the region. Each organization will conduct a meeting and all of the organization's members will be invited to attend. This approach introduces an exciting "cross pollination" of ideas and opportunities.
Rather than just interacting with the same membership, this concept offers the ability to explore several other areas.
Other organizations are welcome to join this group and can contact an officer of any of the founding organizations to start discussions.
The Western New York chapters of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM) and the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) along with InfoTech Niagara, the technology industry association (collectively “Member Organizations”) agree to enter an alliance for mutual benefit. The Member Organizations agree to work cooperatively for the collective gain in areas of events and meetings, marketing and promotion as well as public relations and communication. While each organization will continue to operate in complete independence, the Member Organizations agree to become affiliated with the “Buffalo Niagara Professional Alliance”, the brand by which the collective group will be known.
The Buffalo Niagara Professional Alliance (“the Alliance ”) will continue for one year beginning on June 15, 2004 and continuing through June 15, 2005 . The Alliance may be renewed by mutual agreement of interested Member Organizations. Member Organizations may be added or removed from the Alliance by vote of two-thirds of the Member Organization’s Boards, conducted according to their own bylaws. Member Organizations may withdraw from the Alliance by notifying the coordinator from each other Member Organization in writing but not during the thirty days preceding a Joint Event.
The Member Organizations agree to announce the Alliance and the related event schedule in a press conference to be held no later than June 30, 2004 to be coordinated by InfoTech Niagara. Each Member organization agrees to send an announcement to their members by July 15 th announcing the Alliance and the joint event schedule.