The Cutting Edge™ - WIC 2004 in Review

WMMAŽ Business Session Jam-Packed with Member Benefits

The 2004 WMMAŽ Business Session on Friday, April 23rd presented members with three hours of tangible, cost-saving benefits, designed to help the bottom line and keep members competitive in this changing marketplace.

In addition to the election of Officers and the presentation of the Baldwin Award of Excellence, members were treated to the details of three ongoing WMMAŽ programs. The demonstrations showed how these programs, and others, are making a real difference at WMMAŽ member companies.

Alan Beaulieu of The Institute for Trend Research (ITR) was the keynote speaker, and he outlined the services now available to all WMMAŽ members at no cost - services that can keep your company ahead of the economic curve. All members can access the Quarterly Trend reports, posted on the WMMAŽ website at http://www.wmma.org/members/efreports.cfm. And for $400, members can submit five years of sales data to receive a customized analysis, which can help track where your company should invest, spend, and cut back over the near term.

WMMAŽ members who are already signed up for this customized service (14 members and counting) attest to the benefits they have derived from their report already. From building a new plant, to refinancing, to hiring personnel in anticipation of a sales increase - the results are in. This is a major member benefit that all members should act on - today. See http://www.wmma.org/members/efreports.cfm for details to subscribe.

Alan's exciting presentation was followed by an overview of a new, member's only cost-saving plan. Tim Foy of CommonWealth Professional Group (CPG), told members of a new partnership between WMMAŽ and CPG, which makes cost-savings available to Association members, for the first time. Worker's comp, product liability, health insurance, and property and casualty insurance are just some of the areas of savings for WMMAŽ members. In the near future, an entire package of savings offerings will be rolled out to all WMMAŽ members.

Finally, three recipients of WMMAŽ Scholarships over the last year traveled to Tucson to enlighten members about the benefits of the Education & Scholarship program. Bryan Kearse and Tim Horn from North Carolina State University, and Phil Huss from Tennessee Technological University, sat on a panel and fielded questions from the members and from Todd Herzog, Chair of the Education & Scholarship Committee. All WMMAŽ members can create their own scholarship program using WMMAŽ dollars, to help with their human resources needs. See http://www.wmma.org/members/edu_comm.cfm for details.

Said Michael Burdis, President of James L. Taylor Mfg. Co., "This year's Business Session was the best in recent memory. Our shift away from Committee Reports towards economic trend analysis is very valuable. It helped me to solidify Taylor's three-year plan for expanding in our growing economy. The presentation by CPG gave me a one-stop way to look at all of our insurance costs with potential to save tens of thousands of dollars. WMMAŽ members would find value in this (3) hour Business Session."