Newton, Mass.—Members of the Industrial Distribution Assn. and the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Assn. will vote this month on a proposal to merge the two groups into one association, but already a search is underway for an executive vice president to lead the new organization.

The EVP will be charged with leading the transition of I.D.A. and ISMA into a single organization. The two groups began the executive search process in March to assure a smooth transition process, should the April vote meet member approval.

"The first few weeks and months following the vote will be critical to the success of the new organization, if the consolidation is approved by both organizations' memberships," said Tom Berger, vice president of I.D.A., and president of Fuchs Machinery in Omaha, Neb.

"The vision of the leadership for both I.D.A. and ISMA is to create a new organization that will become the trade association of choice for MROP distributors and manufacturers, by uniting the already closely aligned organizations," said ISMA president Ray Reynertson, president and CEO of Sturtevant-Richmont Div., Reyson Corp., Franklin Park, Ill. "A key component of that vision is finding a strong EVP."

I.D.A. and ISMA assigned a special task force to oversee the EVP search. The task force hired Tryon & Heideman LLC to spearhead the hunt for a leader of the post-consolidation organization. Tryon & Heideman planned to build a list of viable candidates by April 9 and conduct interviews beginning April 26, with the goal of having a new EVP selected by early May.

Ballots are expected to be in the mail by April 15. ISMA and I.D.A. leaders are hopeful the results will be available in time for the groups' joint spring convention, called ISCON, May 23–25 in Orlando, Fla.

I.D.A. and ISMA are run by separate management teams. Steps are already being taken to manage the administrative transition into one organization. The I.D.A. offices in Atlanta are scheduled to close June 30, and ISMA's agreement with Thomas Associates, its Cleveland-based management company, will end, according to an informational Web site on the proposed merger. The site also says it's likely Thomas Associates and some I.D.A. staff will be retained to help with some aspects of the new organization.