are you a PWNA member ?

are you a PWNA Member

  • yes

    Votes: 11 12.4%
  • no

    Votes: 53 59.6%
  • I would not join

    Votes: 22 24.7%
  • I may consider it

    Votes: 15 16.9%

  • Total voters
    89
Will join when they can show me something tangible that I will receive for my $$$. Got to build VALUE. As of right now, you get a LOGO for your $$$. Logo alone not woth the $$$. If that logo had meaning or wasn't sold to just anyone, it would be worth alittle more.

Logo not worth much if they will sell it to anyone that can manage to pawn wedding band and pay member dues. Needs to have some sort of accountability to have/keep membership. Also, needs to directly affect my bottom line. If I join and can't track any leads or sales directly back to the membership, then it is an expense that comes out of profit versus gaining sales.
 
In their Defense, they do require proof of Insurance to join, so that weeds out some. They also required a BOD vote to approve my renewal membership as I rocked the boat a few years back asking question that everybody wanted to know and they refused to answer. I was constantly asked to "call me", but I wanted an answer in print so that all could read the same sheet and not get it repeated to them by me, where someone else could say "we did not say that".
They have many secrets that are not public knowledge, such as where does the money go? As a paying member, I was not allowed to know that and neither were all the others. The leadership in the BOD is questionable as to their agenda for the ORG which really sours it for many people.
One of the most asked questions is "What do I get for my money" and the #1 answer back is "Join and you will see". I did join and I did not see anything that warranted sticking around. I did stay another year, which i had to call an Executive BOD and state my case, but that is when I asked to many questions and upon my third year renewal notice, they said it would be voted on before I could join. End of the road was there, as i did not like the fees increase with nothing to show for it. My bill came in for $350.00 when the old dues were $195.00, and no explanation was ever mentioned.

The same questionable people are in control there, so not much has changed except for the money they make from their school.
 
I have been a member years ago. I decided that they were not focused on a single thing except membership and subs for the big players. Every year it was the same old promise of a medical program, discounts, low cost insurance, along with other issues. Lots of talk and no action – new players same speech, new members.
 
I'm still a PWNA member in good standing for aprox 8yrs now. I market my membership and I also write it off. I have landed jobs and made some good friends thru my PWNA membership. I don't have the undying belief in the PWNA like I use to have probably because I'm not sure I believe in the direction there heading.

Recently they lost a rock solid PWNA Secretary in Cujo Cooley. That is a blow to the org. They still have a few rock solid leaders in there such as the PWNA VP Brian Penny but with so many BOD's leaving in the last few years its like there taking one step forward and two steps back.

Maybe there plan for the future can work but it sure is a rocky road getting there.
 
John,
Can you share more details on Cujo's resignation?
 
Grant,
This is the letter that is posted on TGS that came from Cujo. Near the bottom there is a sentence that says volumes but unless Cujo wants to elaborate more about it himself I will only relay what he has sent.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Immediate Release:

During my time as a PWNA Board Member and PWNA Executive Committee Officer, things within the organization have really changed. The current administration could have the legacy of shaping a leaner and stronger organization and ongoing work by some great team members, if adopted and properly administrated, is sure to set the industry on fire with innovative changes and paradigm shifts in thinking and operation. If any moment in history could be defined as ‘pivotal’ for the PWNA, this is it and I am glad to have been a part of it.

As many know, I have traveled near and far this year meeting and greeting as many as possible, spreading the word of the PWNA to those who would listen. I have spent countless hours on the phone with members, non-members, and fellow BOD officers, helping to develop the future of the PWNA. The devotion to the cause shown by the many I have met and worked with does not go unnoticed, I can assure you. I have, unfortunately, not said thank you enough to those individuals. To those whom I have slighted, I want to take this opportunity now to correct this oversight. Without your ceaseless devotion and sacrifice, none of this would be possible. I applaud the selfless efforts of the ones who, giving more than just lip service and doing more than just riding along, are truly participating in helping to change the future.

My work within the Membership and Environmental Committees has been rewarding. With some fantastic support team work by Michael Beaudry and his staff at the home office, renewals and new memberships are soaring due to some innovative and successful marketing programs developed and implemented by the Membership Committee and BOD. At the environmental end, the PWNA has continued the efforts of the founders and is still being actively recognized and awarded by local, regional, and national AHJ’s as leading the way in environmental responsibility and community involvement. As Chair of both, I am honored to have served and proud of the accomplishments made by these committees. To the members of these committees and to those who offered me support and counsel, and most especially to my great friend, confidant, and PWNA travel buddy, Brian Penney, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

With all of this, the really great news is that our own companies are doing fantastic! Pam and I are enjoying a great time with our endeavors. Everyone is healthy and happy, business is great, and opportunities are developing everywhere. It would be tough to have things going any better. The fact is we are truly blessed from God to be where we are and trust me; we are thanking Him every day.

As much as I have enjoyed it all, a recent series of unfortunate events dictate that I now must publicly announce my resignation from the PWNA team, effective July 25th, 2007.

Hey, it’s like they say…. “If you’re gonna go, go out on top!” So...that’s what I’m doing.


Thanks for everything and good luck!

Aaron “Cujo” Cooley
 
I belong to the PWNA. I just renewed membership for another year. There are good and bad points in trade orgs but overall I beleive in them. I wasn't happy that the membership dues were increased but was willing to give it a go for another year.
 
Does anybody know what the "recent series of unfortunate events" were?
How much did the dues go up this time?
 
I belong to the PWNA. I just renewed membership for another year. There are good and bad points in trade orgs but overall I beleive in them. I wasn't happy that the membership dues were increased but was willing to give it a go for another year.

The membership dues needed to go up because they werent raised in like 6 yrs. They actually went down from $250 to about $190 around 6yrs ago so they needed to raise there membership fee's. Personally I thought they should go back up to around $250/yr and work there way to that $350 mark but only if they have alot more to offer to there members. There plan is to do just that which is to offer alot more to its members but as of right now for that price there not. There's also no planned Convention that I know of for this upcomming year and maybe even the next because of the financial difficulties the PWNA was having by trying to put on a show themselves instead of having the professionals that do this for a living planning the big dance.

My only hope for this org. is that they have a few good surprises up there sleeves that they will announce and with these surprises as benefits that justifies that steep membership price increase. Only time will tell this and don't get fooled into thinking the PWNA is making alot of money.,.what really is going on is that there not spending alot of money on Conventions and in turn they may be showing more profit but still less benny's for its members until they come out with something that is a nice benefit which makes others want to spend the $350 membership fee.Like I said-- Only time will tell.
 
Does anybody know what the "recent series of unfortunate events" were?
How much did the dues go up this time?
The first answer was a disagreement that went bad and the second one was $190/yr to $350/yr for general contractors. Vendors went from around $390 to about $750/yr and Manufactorurs went from around $390/yr to $2500/yr which is a huge jump there.


Its all going to come down to can the PWNA show these people benny's that are good enough to keep them on board or will the PWNA go bust?? Well maybe they dont go bust but to not have Conventions etc. people may lose interest at a rapid pace and that would be sign of the beginning of the end.
 
I didnt even see value in paying 190 let alone 350
no membership for me
 
I have said this before and they keep joining, looking for benefits. The problem as I see it, is as follows. The companies that join PWNA and similar groups simply do not buy enough goods to attract the industry that can supply the true benefits.

Take a buying group of 100 drug stores and they agree to buy from one drug wholesale with a low cost of goods. For that all store would buy a minimum of 50 thousand per month. For that contract they will get anything they want-buying power talks. Since we are service our raw purchases are very low and simply don’t get the eye of the people who could get it done.

Ask yourself this, if every member who signs up must buy from Delco at a true discount-who would join. Lets say Delco would sell every member cost plus 10 percent. I might join, then Delco would say no because the sales would be so low that money would not be made. Does Delco offer any discount other than a token trade SHOW discount? They don’t.

PWNA should be looked as a network and way to meet one from the same tribe-nothing more. Two meetings per year and little substance was the reason that I left.
 
I dont see it myself

can anyone give me a good example of how it would benifit me ?

we have been washing for 12 years and PWI has done more for Prokleen than PWNA could andits FREE

When I asked that very question about 4 yrs ago I was told to join and I would find out.Still not a member and a lot of what I predicted back then has come to fruition.I even got email threats from a few people who thought they could scare me into shutting my mouth.
 
Maybe if they had a $250 give away every month it might be worth joining..no wait, we have that here for free!
 
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