NGA‐GANA Combination Finalized

The National Glass Association (NGA), Vienna, VA, and the Glass Association of North America (GANA) are now one, united voice representing the flat glass and glazing industry.

The associations embarked on the combination quest in Spring 2017 with the NGA and GANA memberships voting to approve the deal in less than a year.

The newly combined association will be known as the National Glass Association a name change will be considered within two years of the Closing Date. The GANA name will remain on technical documents and related materials during this period.

A Joint Task Force worked for several months leading up to the vote on an Agreement which preserves the important work and contributions by both organizations, their memberships and volunteers.

More recently, a separate Integration Task Force (ITF) was formed to outline the new association’s technical document development plan, refine the voting and approval process, and determine the advocacy process, among other tasks integral to the success of the combined association. 

The ITF met for the first time on January 24 and recommended that the legacy GANA Division committees continue to operate as they have up through the Annual Conference, April 23‐26, Napa, focusing on activities, deliverables, and documents in process.   

Previously generated GANA documents will be maintained and offered. The ITF meets again in February and at the BEC Conference, March 4‐6, Las Vegas, to continue its review of the technical process and structure.

The end product of its work will come before the newly composed 13‐member NGA Board of Directors as recommendations.

The NGA has formed a new Technical Services & Advocacy Department.  Urmilla Jokhu‐Sowell joins the NGA staff today as Advocacy & Technical Director, reporting to NGA President & CEO, Nicole Harris.  

Code consultants, Tom Culp, Birch Point Consulting, and Thom Zaremba, Roetzel & Andress, will continue their work monitoring and representing the association and the industry’s interests at building code hearings. Other consultants will be retained as needed. 

Sara Neiswanger also joins the NGA today as Senior Manager, GANA Member Services and will report to NGA Membership & Marketing Director, Michele Nosko. 

The NGA leadership will continue to update members and the industry as the integration evolves.