Our new name will better describe who we are, what we do, and how we serve the American people, NPRA President Charles Drevna said during a news conference call Oct. 4. We are going to be just as vigorous as NPRA was and is, in educating Congress, the regulatory officials and the American people about the vital role our members play in everyday American lives. Were doing this to emphasize more than ever what we stand for — American manufacturing and jobs.
He noted 2012 will mark the associations 110th anniversary. The name change in January will be its fourth since its founding in 1902 as the National Petroleum Association. In 1961, it became the National Petroleum Refiners Association, and in 1998, the Washington, D.C.-based group gained its current National Petrochemical & Refiners Association moniker. This was done to reflect the important role that petrochemical manufacturers have in our association and in America, Drevna said.
According to Drevna, the renaming process took a little over a year, including the use of focus groups in cities in Texas, California, Ohio and Illinois. While he did not disclose the cost of the renaming, he emphasized, we dont spend our members dues haphazardly. We were very frugal.
NPRAs International Lubricants & Waxes Meeting takes place Nov. 10-11 at the Hilton Post Oak hotel in Houston. Visit www.npra.org/lw to register and make hotel reservations.
The Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association, which includes the Truck Manufacturers Association, represents members on a wide variety of issues related to engines used in nonroad construction and farming equipment, locomotives, marine vessels, lawn, garden and utility equipment, trucks and buses, and stationary generators worldwide, and on medium- and heavy-duty truck issues related to safety, noise and fuel efficiency.
Our board recognized the importance of combining our identity since we have integrated engine and truck issues in our activities, said Jed Mandel, president of the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association. As demonstrated by the recently completed EPA and NHTSA greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency rulemaking, engine and truck regulatory issues are becoming increasingly intertwined, and the name Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association better communicates the scope of our activities.
In keeping a link to its past history and tradition, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association will use a modified version of the ema logo and will continue to use the initials EMA.