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NAMF's Tony Alcaro: Man on a mission
Z006 PEOPLE
OF THE YEAi
NAMF's Tony Alcaro: Man on a Mission Dedication, hard work, perseverance, spirit of cooperation pay off for avid proponent of association consolidation. By Reginald Tucker, Editor
beginning of January last year through the end of ooking back at the monumental movement to June and right through SUR/FIN--to get it done. eorganize the AESF, NAMF, and MFSA associa"Even though we had nearly unanimous votes by ions into one body, the National Association for the MFSA and NAMF to approve, we weren't sure it Surface Finishing (NASF), it obviously took a great was going to go through," he said, citing some key deal of effort and energy on the part of many different AESF branches that were opposed or on the fence. individuals. (That's something on which both advo"Personally, I was on the phone calling different cates and opponents of the consolidation can agree.) branches to make sure they got their proxy votes in One such individual is Tony Alcaro, president of Alcaro and that they were given to the right people. In the & Alcaro Plating in Montclair, N.J. For his efforts and end we approved the reorganization." dedication to seeing the reorganization through to To put things into perspective, Alcaro explained the fruition, he is duly recognized by industry peers as historical context of the respective associations and deserving of Metal Finishing's Annual People of the why each felt it was important to preserve their misYear Award. sions while moving forward and evolving as one. "The "Tony's leadership and hard work were very instruAESF has been around for 100 years, NAMF for mental in assuring the NASF became a reality," said Bill approximately 50 years--so Saas, immediate-past MFSA you're talking about a lot of oldpresident, and president of timers who don't like change," Brooklyn Heights, Ohio-based he explained. "So we had to Taskem, Inc. "He was a tireless come up with a format that basiworker in facilitating discussion cally everyone would buy into." and assisting in negotiating resThat essentially entailed, in olution of key issues that were Alcaro's words, "thinking of the stumbling blocks as the three reorganization as a marriage." In associations were exploring the beginning there was "dathow to work together in the i n g ~ o i n g things together, runmost efficient and best coordining shows together." Then nated manner possible." came the "engagement," which Alcaro remembers the chalmeant creating a unified board lenges all too well. "The stru ctu re. biggest one was coming up But in mergers, just like personwith a framework by which )rocess was tough, but Tony Alcaro al relationships, sometimes everyone could live," he said, The reorganizationproce., feels very optimistic about the future of the NASE prenuptial agreements are citing stumbling blocks related involved. "What we told everyto assimilating the various idenbody was, 'This is the way we should get together and tities of the three separate associations. "There are a lot move forward, but if it doesn't work for whatever reaof different things that we each focus on, although son--for example, if AESF decides it was a bad idea and there are some things that we do together. For examdoesn't want it anymore then the AESF is still there. ple, NAMF is management-oriented, while AESF is Same for NAME That was big hurdle to get over." educational. There are a lot of egos involved, and a lot Another big issue for all involved was determining of people were steadfast on who's the 'best' association the representation on the respective boards. Alcaro and who's putting the 'most' into the association." explains: "The AESF always elected its board; with In hindsight, Alcaro recalls the struggles and the NAMF if you had more than 20 members all of the anxiety--even up the point of the historic Council of affiliates got a board seat. Now you're looking at a Delegates vote at SUR/FIN 2006 in Milwaukee. He condensed board of 18. This solution gave the remembers the weekly teleconferences with branch biggest affiliates the chance to have representation; members and affiliates--which spanned from the 14
www.metalfinishing.com
~ 0 0 6 P E O P L E OF T H E Y E A r
they appoint a director, and the rest are elected." SOLUTION: COUNCIL STRUCTURE
Perhaps the most critical element of the reorganization was the creation of the AESF, NAMF, and MFSA Councils, according to Alcaro. This framework allowed the respective members to deal with dicey issues, such as how funds were collected, controlled, and allocated. "With the funds under the control of the councils, that means they can't be spent or allocated arbitrarily," Alcaro explained. That solution, he noted, had some very practical benefits. For example, with the creation of the AESF Foundation, membership funds could be directed to those efforts. Similarly, NAMF has its industry environmental fund, which ensured those funds were not co-mingled with other monies. Another benefit of the council structure was the establishment of a more streamlined approach to putting the slate of officers forward for the purpose of running the NASF board during selection cycles. While Alcaro feels some measure of relief now that the reorganization has become a reality, he believes more hard work lies ahead. "Even after the [approval] there were a few problems. In fact, we just got the last few things solved with NAMF [last month!]" It's also a big relief, Alcaro said, because the reorganization efforts took so much time away from regular business activities--traveling around the country and communicating to the branches and affiliates precisely what was going on. "It was a monumental task, but thank God we had a lot of good people working together to make it happen," he said. Some of those "good people" can be traced back 13-14 years to an industry meeting in Hilton Head,
February 2007
S.C. According to Alcaro, that's where the unification talks began. "There was B.J. Mason (AESF, NAMF), David Marsh (NAMF, AESF), and Mark Lebaron (NAMF)," he recalled. "They got together and started talking about unifying the industry. Back then everyone was doing well and everything was healthy. But there was so much politics and egos involved that they couldn't get it done. But as the industry shrank and time went on, we knew we had to get it approved." Alcaro also cites the efforts of Taskem's Saas, who he called a "brilliant, detail-oriented man. His working relentlessly on this reorganization really helped spearhead things and get it done," Alcaro said. In truth, Alcaro would like to personally thank everyone and anyone who had a hand in pushing the reorganization through. "You can count all the people from Chicago to Southern California, Upstate New York, New England, Philadelphia, Connecticut--all these people involved in teleconference calls trying to get things done," he said. "And then there are all those people who sit on the various boards, working hard as well. There's just not enough kudos to go around to give to all these people." That spirit of cooperation leaves Alcaro feeling optimistic about the long-term health of the NASE "1 feel very good about it," he said. "And as long as people stay open-minded to addressing each other's needs and accommodating all the different associations involved in it, this is probably going to be the best thing that ever happened to the industry. I believe the NASF is going to be stronger than ever a couple of years clown the road. I wouldn't have worked so hard if I didn't believe that in the first place." //If
15
OF THE YEAi
NAMF's Tony Alcaro: Man on a Mission Dedication, hard work, perseverance, spirit of cooperation pay off for avid proponent of association consolidation. By Reginald Tucker, Editor
beginning of January last year through the end of ooking back at the monumental movement to June and right through SUR/FIN--to get it done. eorganize the AESF, NAMF, and MFSA associa"Even though we had nearly unanimous votes by ions into one body, the National Association for the MFSA and NAMF to approve, we weren't sure it Surface Finishing (NASF), it obviously took a great was going to go through," he said, citing some key deal of effort and energy on the part of many different AESF branches that were opposed or on the fence. individuals. (That's something on which both advo"Personally, I was on the phone calling different cates and opponents of the consolidation can agree.) branches to make sure they got their proxy votes in One such individual is Tony Alcaro, president of Alcaro and that they were given to the right people. In the & Alcaro Plating in Montclair, N.J. For his efforts and end we approved the reorganization." dedication to seeing the reorganization through to To put things into perspective, Alcaro explained the fruition, he is duly recognized by industry peers as historical context of the respective associations and deserving of Metal Finishing's Annual People of the why each felt it was important to preserve their misYear Award. sions while moving forward and evolving as one. "The "Tony's leadership and hard work were very instruAESF has been around for 100 years, NAMF for mental in assuring the NASF became a reality," said Bill approximately 50 years--so Saas, immediate-past MFSA you're talking about a lot of oldpresident, and president of timers who don't like change," Brooklyn Heights, Ohio-based he explained. "So we had to Taskem, Inc. "He was a tireless come up with a format that basiworker in facilitating discussion cally everyone would buy into." and assisting in negotiating resThat essentially entailed, in olution of key issues that were Alcaro's words, "thinking of the stumbling blocks as the three reorganization as a marriage." In associations were exploring the beginning there was "dathow to work together in the i n g ~ o i n g things together, runmost efficient and best coordining shows together." Then nated manner possible." came the "engagement," which Alcaro remembers the chalmeant creating a unified board lenges all too well. "The stru ctu re. biggest one was coming up But in mergers, just like personwith a framework by which )rocess was tough, but Tony Alcaro al relationships, sometimes everyone could live," he said, The reorganizationproce., feels very optimistic about the future of the NASE prenuptial agreements are citing stumbling blocks related involved. "What we told everyto assimilating the various idenbody was, 'This is the way we should get together and tities of the three separate associations. "There are a lot move forward, but if it doesn't work for whatever reaof different things that we each focus on, although son--for example, if AESF decides it was a bad idea and there are some things that we do together. For examdoesn't want it anymore then the AESF is still there. ple, NAMF is management-oriented, while AESF is Same for NAME That was big hurdle to get over." educational. There are a lot of egos involved, and a lot Another big issue for all involved was determining of people were steadfast on who's the 'best' association the representation on the respective boards. Alcaro and who's putting the 'most' into the association." explains: "The AESF always elected its board; with In hindsight, Alcaro recalls the struggles and the NAMF if you had more than 20 members all of the anxiety--even up the point of the historic Council of affiliates got a board seat. Now you're looking at a Delegates vote at SUR/FIN 2006 in Milwaukee. He condensed board of 18. This solution gave the remembers the weekly teleconferences with branch biggest affiliates the chance to have representation; members and affiliates--which spanned from the 14
www.metalfinishing.com
~ 0 0 6 P E O P L E OF T H E Y E A r
they appoint a director, and the rest are elected." SOLUTION: COUNCIL STRUCTURE
Perhaps the most critical element of the reorganization was the creation of the AESF, NAMF, and MFSA Councils, according to Alcaro. This framework allowed the respective members to deal with dicey issues, such as how funds were collected, controlled, and allocated. "With the funds under the control of the councils, that means they can't be spent or allocated arbitrarily," Alcaro explained. That solution, he noted, had some very practical benefits. For example, with the creation of the AESF Foundation, membership funds could be directed to those efforts. Similarly, NAMF has its industry environmental fund, which ensured those funds were not co-mingled with other monies. Another benefit of the council structure was the establishment of a more streamlined approach to putting the slate of officers forward for the purpose of running the NASF board during selection cycles. While Alcaro feels some measure of relief now that the reorganization has become a reality, he believes more hard work lies ahead. "Even after the [approval] there were a few problems. In fact, we just got the last few things solved with NAMF [last month!]" It's also a big relief, Alcaro said, because the reorganization efforts took so much time away from regular business activities--traveling around the country and communicating to the branches and affiliates precisely what was going on. "It was a monumental task, but thank God we had a lot of good people working together to make it happen," he said. Some of those "good people" can be traced back 13-14 years to an industry meeting in Hilton Head,
February 2007
S.C. According to Alcaro, that's where the unification talks began. "There was B.J. Mason (AESF, NAMF), David Marsh (NAMF, AESF), and Mark Lebaron (NAMF)," he recalled. "They got together and started talking about unifying the industry. Back then everyone was doing well and everything was healthy. But there was so much politics and egos involved that they couldn't get it done. But as the industry shrank and time went on, we knew we had to get it approved." Alcaro also cites the efforts of Taskem's Saas, who he called a "brilliant, detail-oriented man. His working relentlessly on this reorganization really helped spearhead things and get it done," Alcaro said. In truth, Alcaro would like to personally thank everyone and anyone who had a hand in pushing the reorganization through. "You can count all the people from Chicago to Southern California, Upstate New York, New England, Philadelphia, Connecticut--all these people involved in teleconference calls trying to get things done," he said. "And then there are all those people who sit on the various boards, working hard as well. There's just not enough kudos to go around to give to all these people." That spirit of cooperation leaves Alcaro feeling optimistic about the long-term health of the NASE "1 feel very good about it," he said. "And as long as people stay open-minded to addressing each other's needs and accommodating all the different associations involved in it, this is probably going to be the best thing that ever happened to the industry. I believe the NASF is going to be stronger than ever a couple of years clown the road. I wouldn't have worked so hard if I didn't believe that in the first place." //If
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