Over the past several years, Eastern Outdoor Reps Association and New England Sports Reps have studied the pros and cons of merging both eastern-based organizations into a new entity. In January of 2017, both memberships voted to execute the merger, and on August 7 the bylaws for the new organization were approved. The new entity is incorporated in the State of Vermont and is awaiting 501(c6) nonprofit approval from the IRS.
The new organization brings together 660 reps into its combined membership.
The overarching goals of merging were to make it easier for reps, retailers, and our outdoor industry partners to do business together. EORA and NESR shared mutual seasonal roles in the New England trade show cycle. By merging our groups, we’ll consolidate the point of contact for everyone involved, work as a unified team across all seasons, and market our trade shows and values more effectively,” said Allison Frazier, president of EORA.
“We, at NESR, are super excited to have completed a 3 year process to merge NESR & EORA into one new group. The opportunities to work as a single entity were very clear from the beginning and we are thrilled it has come to fruition. The timing could not have been better with the current changes in our winter and summer outdoor industries,” said Will Masson, president of NESR.
Nine board members for the new organization were voted in on September 1, made up of three representatives each from New England, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeast regions. Their first board meeting will be held in early October in Washington DC.
The merged organization will maintain two regional offices in Massachusetts and North Carolina, and keep existing staff in place. Debbie Motz will continue as the organization’s southern director in Asheville, and Maureen Bliss will serve as the organization’s northern director in Westborough.
