January 27, 2003 -- This coming spring the membership of PIA-MidAmerica and the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast (PIGC) will vote to approve the merging of PIGC into PIA-MidAmerica. The special election will approve the adding of 225 companies plus two full-time staff members into the PIA-MidAmerica organization. Although PIGC's members are located on the entire Texas Gulf Coast (Beaumont to Corpus Christi), the majority of the members are located in Houston. "We've been in a variety of discussion stages for quite a few months," stated John Snyder, PIA-MidAmerica's immediate past-chairman, who has been involved since the initial discussions. "Because many of the unique services provided by PIGC to its members, it took us a bit longer to put everything together. But we now have a structure that will be in the best interest of all our members." Because the Associations are both not-for-profit organizations, it will require the approval of both boards of directors as well as the approval of both memberships. The PIA-MidAmerica board of directors will expand by three seats to permit Houston representation, and a Houston office will be kept to serve the membership in the Gulf Coast. A variety of special services including 401(k) administration, temp staffing, and extensive support in human resources will continue to be provided to the Houston membership, with the plans of expanding these services to the entire PIA-MidAmerica membership. The merger will be accomplished without adding any additional staff (other than Houston's two employees -- Patty Eldridge and Bill Schieffer). "One of the true strengths of any Association is its personnel, and PIA-MidAmerica has industry professionals who truly have the industry at heart," said PIA-MidAmerica's president Joe Polanco. "Bill and Patty are two exceptional individuals who have handled a tremendous challenge in restructuring the Houston office this past year, and they will be a welcome addition to the PIA-MidAmerica staff." For over ten years, a variety of services and programs have been shared between both organizations with two of the most notable being the Graphic Excellence Awards Competition and the annual wage and benefit survey. The merging of PIA affiliates has been an ongoing process over the past ten years as the industry – and the associations serving it – continues to restructure. Where twelve affiliates once served PIA members in Florida, Ohio, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, there are now four. Other affiliates have worked unique arrangements to operate more effectively as well as efficiently – Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana now operate under one management team as does the Printing Industries of Northern California and the Pacific Printing and Imaging Association (the US northwest and Hawaii).