victoria.kickham@reedbusiness.com

Thomas Associates announced in December it would end its engagement with the Industrial Supply Assn., effective May 31, 2006.

One of the nation's oldest trade association management companies, Thomas Associates had served that organization and its predecessors for 57 years. Founded more than 90 years ago, it is one of the country's largest trade association management companies focusing on the industrial marketplace.

Thomas Associates is based in Cleveland and has been providing contract management services for ISA since the group was founded in July 2004 in a merger with the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Assn. and the Industrial Distribution Assn.

Prior to the establishment of ISA, Thomas had managed ISMA, formerly called the American Supply Machinery Manufacturers Assn. for more than five decades.

"Though we were selected by ISA earlier this fall to provide multiple services for the organization in the future, the inability to arrive at a definitive contractual arrangement going forward in a timely manner ultimately resulted in our resigning at the end of the current contract,'' said Charles Stockinger, chairman and CEO of Thomas Associates.

Stockinger said that he and Thomas Associates told ISA of its intentions late in November.

"While we regret ending a relationship that spanned more than a half century," Stockinger said, "we felt it was necessary to take this step to assure that our talented staff can be directed to servicing other clients in a timely manner and that we can move forward with other developing opportunities."

While disassociating itself with ISA, Thomas Associates will still be heavily involved in the industrial supply arena. The company currently manages a number of other organizations whose members provide products for the MROP marketplace.

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