IDA Universal

I DA U N I V E R S A L J u l y -Au g u s t 2 0 1 9 4 EDITOR'S NOTES Nancy Estes, MBA, CAE Executive Director/Editor BREAKING NEWS! Over time, the diff erence in membership benefi ts between IDA Regular Members and Associate Members has become less obvious. At their March meeting, your IDA Board of Directors discussed strategies for creating additional value for existing members and reinforcing the Association's ability to recruit new members. Recognizing that the business model for our industry has changed signifi - cantly over the last 50 years, the Board has proposed a change to IDA bylaws that would eliminate two classes of membership. Here's a quick explanation of the proposed changes: First, in terms of association membership, we would no longer diff eren- tiate between companies that manufacture, distribute, repair or resell. As many companies perform more than one of these disciplines, a single membership category could provide greater clarity regarding who the IDA repre- sents and what it does. Secondly, our annual convention format would change slightly. All members would participate in the full business meeting, rather than Associate Members leaving to meet separately in another room. All members would vote for Board members, and all members would be eligible for an execu- tive role on the Board. There would be no change to our trade show, panel discussions or breakout sessions. The vote is scheduled for Monday, October 7 at the IDA Convention in Boston. Please note: As stated in our bylaws, only Regular Members can vote on this proposed bylaw change. If you have any questions regarding the proposed bylaw change, please feel free to reach out to any of your IDA Board members. Remembering Walter Antonello Walter Antonello – whom most of you know as "Wally" – was born June 4, 1953, in Castello di Godego, Province of Treviso, Italy. At an early age, he moved to Canada, where he completed his educa- tion in metallurgy. Later, he returned to Italy, married and had two sons, Daniele and Alessandro. His work experience included synthetic marble in Singapore, Berco, Italy, in the metallurgical fi eld and founding his own company, IPE (Italian Parts Europe), through which he began collaborating with Trek USA. Toward the late 90s, Walter lost his wife. About that time, he was hired by ERMA-RTMO out of Modena, Italy. is job demanded that he travel worldwide, which he loved, and he was frequently commended for his dedication and professionalism. During his travels, he was o en accompanied by Manuela Marchetto, his great friend for many years. On March 11, 2019, at the age of 65, a heart attack closed the brilliant life and career of Walter Antonello. We will remember him fondly. IDA Proposes Membership Bylaw Change, Vote set for Boston Convention

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