OPEI's 2011-2012 officers and board members
equipment, OPEI created a Stewardship Plan in 2012 to help OPEI manufacturers comply.
OPEI Canada interfaces with Canadian
authorities on extended producer responsibility programs, which require product recovery and recycling, and will also be working with Health Canada on consumer product safety issues.
Strength in membership OPEI's 2012 annual meeting will be
one venue, in addition to GIE+EXPO 2012, where the membership can come together and celebrate OPEI's 60th anniversary. Rather than rest on its laurels, Kiser is pushing OPEI to engage its members more than ever and make the annual meeting an event where real business gets done, and members leave feeling enthused about where the industry is going.
"The organization's strength is in its
membership, and my job is to harness that expertise and knowledge, and put it to work for the industry at large," added Kiser. "Almost half our members are Associate members, so we have added an Associate member to our Board, who will be recognized at the annual meeting luncheon. Then, we have retooled the meeting to have more of a business format with members delving into and engaging with industry issues and formulating solutions and policies." In the end, when OPEI members come
together, you get the feeling you might be at a family reunion, of sorts. "While in practical terms, OPEI members compete against each other on the open market, they also have mutual respect for each other," said Kiser. "We get a lot done at our meetings, but we also like to have fun and renew enduring friendships."
OPE OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT MAY 2012 19