General Assembly meeting to include new "council" representatives.

On December 2, 2001, PIMA's first General Assembly meeting will be called to order in Williamsburg, Virginia. For the first time, the governance structure of the association includes input from various "councils" that make up the majority of PIMA's members.

These new councils consist of 8-12 representatives from the five major member groups within PIMA: mill management, regional divisions, professional specialist groups, affiliates (suppliers), and students. The councils were formed to provide these groups a forum to discuss common problems and challenges and to promote the exchange of ideas and solutions. In addition, the councils will allow for continual assessment of the needs of the customer groups as they relate to the association and allow the Board of Directors to better understand and fulfill those needs.

The decision to alter the association's governance structure was not one that came lightly. PIMA's Executive Committee discussed the particulars of the reorganization over the course of several meetings, finally voting to accept the system now in place on March 22, 2001. The full Board of Directors finalized the decision at their meeting on June 26, 2001.

Each of the new councils has specific membership requirements. For example, the Student Chapter Council is made up of the presidents from each of PIMA's Student Chapters from pulp and paper schools around the country. Similarly, the Division Council consists of the Chairs from each regional division within PIMA, and the Specialist Group Council is the Chairs from each of the professional specialist groups. The Mill Management Council and Affiliate Council are only partially filled by individuals holding specific positions within fine association; their remaining members are from the general population of PIMA members.

Councils will elect their own leadership from within the council and develop a schedule to meet several times each year. Each council has been assigned a liaison from the Board of Directors to oversee the creation and the ongoing work of the group.

With the new governance system in place, PIMA is now better positioned to fulfill the mission of the association: to deliver value by creating thrums that address current issues and develop management and leadership skills in a way that is both customer focused and driven.