How Effective Communication Led to a Successful Merger Process

In 2019, the staff and boards of NACE International-The Corrosion Society and SSPC: The Society for Protective Coatings began discussing a possible merger. They could not have imagined the hurdle 2020 would throw in their path, but despite the pandemic, this “merger of equals” succeeded.

With more than 40,000 members in 130 countries, the two organizations merged in 2021 to create the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). The new association now unites more than 145 years of corrosion control and protective coatings expertise and member services.

Communication at every stage of discussions and decision-making was seen as instrumental to the successful merger. So, early in the process, the organizations created a strategic communications plan to inform all stakeholders.

“Initially, we used the word ‘combine’ rather than merge,” said Alysa Reich, AMPP’s senior manager of communications. “That was intentional because the word ‘merge’ came with history, as this was not the first time NACE and SSPC considered joining forces. As the launch approached and details were sorted, we could finally say it was a genuine ‘merger of equals.’”

Transparency, Broad Outreach Key

In addition to moving away from the history that came with the word “merger,” the organizations sought to ensure all stakeholders felt involved. “From the start, we had to be completely transparent, accessible, and in constant communication with stakeholders,” Reich added. “Members could ask any question, and if we didn’t have an answer, we would get it.”

Behind the scenes, the boards worked diligently on the effort with support from staff. Informing members became everyone’s job. There were talking points for staff and leaders and FAQs on both groups’ websites.

Communication at every stage of discussions and decision-making was seen as instrumental to the successful merger.

According to Reich, the first announcement about the potential merger came from the CEO and board to staff, then from the boards to members, via a news release to trade press to inform the industry. The information was also shared on websites, social media, and in emails to both memberships and other stakeholders. Additionally, staff and volunteer leaders personally reached out to members and association partners.

One big challenge was certification, since both organizations had similar programs. Staff had to determine how to integrate the programs, while members wanted to know if they would need to pay more or take another test or do something different to renew their credentials.

“To make the process easier for members, we held a series of town halls,” said Reich. “We’d planned for in-person events and managed to squeeze them in at SSPC’s annual conference right before COVID-19, but the lockdown during the pandemic quickly took away all of our additional opportunities to talk to members face-to-face.”

Digital Communication Made Outreach Easier

According to Reich, there were some worries about losing the personal touch, but in some ways, the pandemic made outreach easier. For example, the organization could reach its members who may not have planned to travel to events in 2020.

Additionally, board members were grounded from their typical busy travel schedules making them available—sometimes on short notice, using videoconferencing, and members could join town halls live or view the recorded version anytime.

The result was 80 percent of members voted in favor of the merger.

If your association is looking to communicate difficult new measures with your members, be mindful of the top three top takeaways from AMPP’s experience:

• Communicate early and often. Inform staff first, so they are prepared to assist members. Plot out communications like an editorial calendar. Let members know which topics will be covered when (e.g., benefits, standards, accreditation, etc.). Don’t make them wonder when they’ll receive information.
• Hold town halls. Provide a live forum for members to ask questions. Have volunteer leaders drive these to “cut out the middleman.”
• Be transparent to build trust. Be upfront with your members and share everything you can, when you can. It’s OK if you don’t have an answer to a member question, just be sure to let the member know when they can expect the information.