Surface Finishing Education now in the hands of NASF

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I must confess, the publication of this month’s Southern Metal Finishing newsletter has been delayed in part because I’ve personally had a difficult time coming to terms with the results of last month’s vote at AESF’s Council of Delegates meeting.

As many of you should know by now, the vote to preserve AESF as an independent, educational association fell short by 9 votes.  These 9 votes are the difference of votes from 3 AESF Branches.

Now the AESF, NAMF and MFSA have a huge challenge ahead of them to finish creating a structure that was very loosely defined by the Transition Board.  While trying to create this structure the leadership must also find volunteers to fill the multitude of positions for the various boards, councils and committees.  This will be especially difficult as I have first hand knowledge of several branches that want to disband, and some that are currently seeking to form new organizations.

We were not entirely unsuccessful in our campaign – 4 out of 4 of our candidates for the Board were elected.  Ira Donavan, Mike Faulman, Jerry Phillips, and Steve Candiloro all candidates who stood tall on the platform of “Education, Fellowship, and Tradition.  Now these board members will need our support as volunteers more than ever to ensure that the promises to preserve our core values during the creation of the new NASF are upheld. 

With that said, and in spite of the questionable tactics employed to pass the consolidation measure, I feel obliged to follow through on my promise to help ease the transition ahead by supporting Jolie Zak and her new AESF board in their reconstruction efforts.

Southern Metal Finishing will remain a member of the AESF and become a member of the soon to be formed NASF trade group.  I will personally seek a seat on the new NASF board and would like encourage all of you who supported and campaigned with us over the past year to immediately seek leadership roles in the NASF as well.  Let’s continue working together to protect the Future of Surface Finishing Education for the benefit of those who will follow in our footsteps after the majority of us are retired in the next 10 years.

To the many loyal AESF members and their Branches who supported our campaign over the past year, I would like to say this in closing:

Let’s not look at this as a loss; instead I would like for you to see it as a Victory.  Together we succeeded in burning into the minds of future NASF leaders, the important role “Education” in metal finishing plays in our industry. 

Remember the wise words of Mr. Mooney that still apply to this date, “The potential reward is to thrive rather than survive” and I’m sure we can all agree that survival is not enough.

Congratulations Metal Finishing Professionals. Now let’s get to work!

Sincerely,

Paul E. Fisher
Editor / Publisher
Southern Metal Finishing
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