The Limos.com Forum Has Moved!!!

JHJ on January 6, 2001:

Anyone interested in becoming a founding member of the North American Limousine Association (NALA), and in getting a copy of the proposed by-laws and other information, please e-mail me. Your response will be held in strictest confidence (except among other founding members) pending organization of this association on or about February 15, 2001.

And on the same date:

OK, OK, since I'm getting bombarded by private e-mail from people asking questions about what an NALA would look like, here are some preliminary and totally random thoughts about what the structure would be like and what it might do.

• Seven directors, elected at large from the industry
  
  
• No vendor representatives on or near the board of directors
  
  
• No endorsements of products or services
  
  
• A strict code of ethics, not only between members but between members and customers, with arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in each major metropolitan area
  
  
• Basic Membership category for those companies who only want to identify with the association, promote a code of ethics and provide for arbitration of disputed - this category would be non-voting, few services would be provided and dues would be commensurate with the level of service provided to this class of member
  
  
• Industry Membership category would be companies, including industry vendors, that desire to participate in industry groups (about which, see below), and would pay a higher level of dues tied in some way to size, and would vote for directors and on all other business matters that affect the members
  
  
• Association Membership would be available to local and regional associations, dues based on size, and would be non-voting. However, there would be etablished a Council of Associations that would elect a chairman who would sit ex-officio on the board. The Council of Associations would serve in an advisory capacity to the board of directors.
  
  
• The NALA would do its principal work through Industry Groups that would have their own Chairman or co-chairman, and chairman-elect (to, provide continuity), elected by the industry members who subscribe to a particular Industry Group. Each Industry Group would determine additional dues to belong to the Industry Group. An Industry Member can select one or more Industry Groups to which it may belong. Each Industry Member has one vote on business requiring a vote of the members of the Industry Group. Industry members would annually select the Industry Group(s) they want to belong to when dues are assessed.
  
  
• Dues would be assessed as of January 1 of each calendar year. Industry Members joining in a particular year would have their dues pro-rated for the number of months remaining in the year from the time they become members.
  
  
• Associate Membership would be available to chauffeurs for reduced dues, which category would be non-voting. The better part of the Certification Program, i.e., recognition of achievement in the career-field would be built into this membership catgory. Special recognition would go to Industry Members who have 100% chauffeur membership in NALA.
  
  
• Industry Groups would be organized around subject-matter of specialized interest to the Industry Members. Initial thoughts for Industry Groups are (1) Governmental Relations; (2) Technology; (3) Education and Training; (4) Advertising & Marketing, with sub-groups for (a) Corporate and (b) Entertainment; (5) Industry Economics; (6) Equipment and Logistics, and (7) Legal Affairs. There can be others, and these Industry Groups will succeed or fail based on whether they do anything productive.
  
  
• Participation in industry groups,including Chairmanships, would not have to be by the owner or CEO of an Industry Member. For example, a larger company might designate it IT manager to participate on the Technology Industry Group. Another company might designate the person responsible for training to participate in the Education and Training Industry Group (E&TIG). This will broaden the base of participation in the association.
  
  
• Industry Groups will compete with one another for the Industry Member's dues dollar (who would pay to belong to a IG that doesn't do anything useful), and may structure themselves however they desire, may have their own newsletter and their own publications.
  
  
• The board of directors will defer policy issues to the IGs and devote themselves to the fiscal management of the NALA and to broad questions of industry policy as to which they will be advised by the IGs and the Council of Associations.
  
  
• A prerequisite to qualify for election as a director will be service for one term as the chairman of at least one Industry Group, or as chairman of the Council of Associations. This way, only those truly interested in serving and with a visible track record in NALA activities will end up on the NALA board.
  
  
• The additional advantage of the IGs is that those who do not want to be bothered with the demands of board membership will have a place to participate where they can make the greatest contribution consistent with their talents, skills and interests.
  
  
• The IGs should be able to offer services to the members which will result in greater membership interest, and in Basic Members deciding to become members of one or more IGs and pay more dues and become voting, participating Industry Members.
  
  
• As an example, the Technology Industry Group (TIG) wuld be expected to identify technology vendors and interface with them to express industry interest in their products, changes in their products, evaluation of their products. I'd like to see the TIG set up a facility where members can come and evaluate software and other technology products, and could buy the products with a NALA-contracted discount an with a NALA developed warranty that the vendor would subscribe to, or not be permitted to participate in the TIG.
  
  
• The Legal Affairs Industry Group (LAIG) would gather industry consensus as to the form and contents of contracts customarily used in the industry, such as independent contractor agreements, transportation service agreements, etc., as well as providing assistance to members whose independent contractor status might be challenged. These forms would be gathered into a compendium or book, with explanations as to their use, and made available for low cost to the LAIG members, and at a higher cost to non-members of the LAIG.

There is no limit, other than imagination, as to which Industry Groups might have viability and what they might do based on input from the IG members. Members would vote with their dues dollars as to how these IGs are performing. If they don't do anything useful or valuable, members will move their dues dollars elsewhere and the IG will whither and die. If enough Industry Members are interested in an industry segment for which there is no IG, they can form one, establish a dues structure, elect a chairman and go into business. If they are successful in offering something the members want, they will thrive.

Other ideas are welcome! Initial volunteers to head up an IG are also welcome. Persons of stature in a particular segment of the industry would be particularly welcome to kick-off the NALA.

Vendors would be undifferentiated from other Industry Members, except by their dues based on some measure of size (as yet undeveloped) and would participate in one or more Industry Groups, just as other Industry Members would. They would, therefore, have input based on their segment of the industry, rather than interjecting themselves into board matters. The time and economic demands on board members would be vastly reduced, thereby opening the board to greater interest in seeking board positions and bringing better people to the board.

There are a lot of details, but this is the broad brush picture.

Why can't NLA to any of this? It can, but it hasn't and won't. These ideas have been developed in discussions among the "good guys" on the NLA board, but they won't go anywhere in the NLA, so why fight the ruling junta?

Special Note: The answer to the obvious question - I got talked out of this to give the "new" directors a chance to reform NLA.

Wisdom of the late Jon Chester, San Diego, CA, honored and eulogized after his untimely death:

In my mind new by-laws would be appropriate. However, new by-laws will solve absolutely nothing if the membership ever again allows a self-perpetuating clique of directors to pursue their own venal interests.

Written here at limos.com on November 23, 2000.