POSTED: Monday October 15th 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SGMA Membership Approves Name Change to Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA)

Association Begins Implementing New Member Initiatives

SILVER SPRING, MD - On October 5, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) membership formally changed its bylaws to officially change the name of the association to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). The new SFIA will focus on executing its refined mission statement, core services and communication platforms to promote sports and fitness participation and industry vitality.

“The support we received for the name change within the industry has been tremendous. We view the unanimous ratification to SFIA as a mandate that the association is on the right path to follow through the initiatives laid out within the rebranding process in our Strategic Plan,” said Tom Cove, SFIA President & CEO. 

“This is a historic day for our industry’s association,” said Larry Franklin, SFIA Chairman and President of Franklin Sports. “The name change to Sports & Fitness Industry Association is an important piece of the larger rebranding initiatives the Board of Directors and organization staff have developed.”

Several new initiatives are planned including (for details please visit the link):
• A new “member friendly’” website: http://www.sfia.org
• Innovative Thought Leadership programs including the 2013 SFIA Industry Leaders Summit, scheduled for September 25-26, 2013 in Baltimore, MD. http://www.sfia.org/ils
• A national campaign to grow sport and fitness participation: PHIT America
• A comprehensive SFIA Supplier Directory http://www.sfiasuppliersdirectory.com
• A groundbreaking new “Grassroots Sports Participation in America” research report http://www.sfia.org/reports/295_The-Journey-of-Sports-Participation-in-America
• Content enhancements and design updates to our e-newsletter, SFIA Weekly http://www.sfia.org/memberservices/sfiaweekly
• Major upgrades to our Product Testing member benefit http://www.sfia.org/memberservices/productintegrity

“The process of rebranding the association has been a calculated, thorough and well-executed exercise tied closely to our long-term strategic plan. The new name strengthens the SFIA staff’s ability to deliver the products and services companies like Mizuno seek in its trade association,” said Bob Puccini, SFIA Vice Chairman and Mizuno USA President. “Beyond the new name, I am especially looking forward to the inaugural SFIA Industry Leaders Summit in 2013. Our community will benefit when industry leaders, who share the same challenges, will participate in a thought-provoking, educational conference on the future of the sports and fitness industry, while networking with other executives,” Puccini added.

“The SFIA name change is a definitive statement about our inclusion of brands connected to fitness and active lifestyle products. This is not a change in philosophy for our organization as we already have many members, like Life Fitness, in these categories. However, we all believe that Sports & Fitness Industry Association is a more accurate and transparent indication of the industry segments that we serve, now and in the future,” said Chris Clawson, SFIA Board Liaison to the Rebranding Committee and President of Life Fitness.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the #1 source for sport and fitness research, is the leading global trade association of manufacturers, retailers, and marketers in the sports products industry. SFIA seeks to promote sports and fitness participation as well as industry vitality through research, thought leadership, public affairs, public policy, and member services. More information can be found at http://www.sfia.org. Frequently Asked Questions addressing the rebranding process can be found at FAQ's.

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http://www.sfia.org  8505 Fenton Street, Suite 211, Silver Spring, MD 20910   p: 301.495.6321 f: 301.495.6321

Ron Rosenbaum
rrosenbaum@sfia.org
301.495.6321

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Keywords · SGMA · SFIA · Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association · Sports and Fitness Industry Association · Larry Franklin · Tom Cove

Name: Mike May
Organization: Sports and Fitness Industry Association SFIA
Email:
Phone: 15613176111
URL: http://www.sfia.org

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