A merger has been agreed upon between two Arlington, VA-based associations: the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and GAMA: An Association of Appliance & Equipment Manufacturers. The ARI and GAMA boards of directors voted unanimously in mid November to approve the merger.
Both organizations are seeking the approval of their respective memberships. If the memberships approve, ARI and GAMA would be dissolved and replaced by a new, combined association incorporated in Virginia. The new association would be named the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). With more than 370 members representing more than $27 billion in sales, AHRI would be in the top 15 percent of trade associations in the United States.
"I, personally, am very excited about the possibilities that this merger could bring," says C. David Myers, ARI chairman. "There has never been a more important time for us to interact with policymakers here and abroad, and with a larger association, we can have the lobbying clout commensurate with our manufacturing prowess."
Myers, vice president at Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls Inc. and president of its building efficiency unit, would serve as the first chairman of AHRI. Current GAMA president Jack Klimp would serve as CEO of AHRI during a 2-year transition period. Current ARI president Stephen Yurek would serve as president of the new association.
ARI is the trade association representing manufacturers of more than 90 percent of the air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment installed in North America. An internationally recognized leader in developing standards for and certifying the performance of these products, ARI is also a major advocate for the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry both domestically and abroad.
GAMA is a national trade association of manufacturers of residential, commercial, and industrial appliances and equipment, components, and related products. GAMA's members account for over 90 percent of U.S. sales of gas and oil-fired space heating equipment and gas, oil, and electric water heaters. GAMA's membership reaches beyond the United States with members in Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Australia, and South America.
Both organizations are seeking the approval of their respective memberships. If the memberships approve, ARI and GAMA would be dissolved and replaced by a new, combined association incorporated in Virginia. The new association would be named the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). With more than 370 members representing more than $27 billion in sales, AHRI would be in the top 15 percent of trade associations in the United States.
"I, personally, am very excited about the possibilities that this merger could bring," says C. David Myers, ARI chairman. "There has never been a more important time for us to interact with policymakers here and abroad, and with a larger association, we can have the lobbying clout commensurate with our manufacturing prowess."
Myers, vice president at Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls Inc. and president of its building efficiency unit, would serve as the first chairman of AHRI. Current GAMA president Jack Klimp would serve as CEO of AHRI during a 2-year transition period. Current ARI president Stephen Yurek would serve as president of the new association.
ARI is the trade association representing manufacturers of more than 90 percent of the air-conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment installed in North America. An internationally recognized leader in developing standards for and certifying the performance of these products, ARI is also a major advocate for the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry both domestically and abroad.
GAMA is a national trade association of manufacturers of residential, commercial, and industrial appliances and equipment, components, and related products. GAMA's members account for over 90 percent of U.S. sales of gas and oil-fired space heating equipment and gas, oil, and electric water heaters. GAMA's membership reaches beyond the United States with members in Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Australia, and South America.
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