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Managing the impact of mergers between association members

Industry consolidation can hit group budgets, relationships and more The American Gas Association looked ahead and saw a big hole in its budget—one that would grow even larger over time. The problem: AGA's dues formula had not kept up with mergers in the industry. "The companies that were paying separate rates are now combined," said Kevin Hardardt, AGA's chief financial and administrative officer. "We end up with less in dues from one very large company than we had with two companies." Industry consolidation is an all-too-familiar challenge for many trade groups. Mergers fell sharply during the recession but have since rebounded. Across all sectors, 2015 set a record for… Read More