SCL and PMAC merger approved

TORONTO, Ontario—The Supply Chain and Logistics Association Canada (SCL) and the Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC) have announced that members of the two associations voted overwhelmingly in favour of amalgamation at respective annual general meetings held on Wednesday, June 12. The positive vote paves the way for the organizations to become the Supply Chain Management Association (SCMA), effective September 3, 2013.

“This is an exciting time for Canadian supply chain professionals,” said SCL board chair Al Norrie. “SCMA will offer its members the best features of both associations and provide their employers with a one-stop shop for strategic supply chain management education and professional development.”

The votes, which were held concurrently at separate locations in Toronto and Ottawa, required a 50 percent plus one approval by a quorum of SCL members, and a minimum 67 percent approval by PMAC members in attendance or voting by proxy.

As an amalgamated entity, SCMA will retain its commitment to delivering education and training in supply chain management, while also expanding its focus on research and advocacy, hosting a national student case competition, and staging the largest annual supply chain conference in Canada.

“We are very pleased with the result of today’s votes,” said Mike Whelan, chair of the PMAC national board of directors. “Members of both organizations have recognized the significant opportunities that an amalgamated association can bring to them and to the field of supply chain management, and we are eager to move forward as the Supply Chain Management Association.”

Through its 10 provincial and territorial institutes, SCMA will continue to grant the internationally-recognized Supply Chain Management Professional (SCMP) designation, provide tactical training through the Supply Management Training program, engage in peer-to-peer education and provide forums for industry networking.

As both organizations prepare for a September 3rd amalgamation date, together they will implement an integration task force to support the transition phase. “We’ll be very busy over the summer preparing to launch the new association, and come September SCMA will roll out a new look, a refreshed strategic plan and a strengthened ability to provide members and their employers, top-quality education and leading-edge supply chain solutions,” said Cheryl Paradowski, who will transition from PMAC into the role of president and CEO of SCMA in September.

SCL’s executive director Alison Toscano, who will take on a strategic consulting role with SCMA, noted, “Although this is the end of an era for both associations, it marks the start of an exciting new chapter for supply chain management in Canada.”