FESPA Looks To Extend Services With New Manager

In a move to broaden the services it offers to its members, non-profit organisation FESPA has appointed Chris Smith as new projects and member services manager.

In a move to broaden the services it offers to its members, non-profit organisation FESPA has appointed Chris Smith as new projects and member services manager.

Based at FESPA's Reigate (UK) office, Smith will report to the general secretary, Nigel Steffens and he will be responsible for co-ordinating, planning and managing new projects and membership services for FESPA's 27 national associations.

FESPA said that it already provides considerable support to its national associations by financing seminars, exhibitions, roadshows, research, membership, special projects and other membership services.

However, with the successful organisation and development of FESPA exhibitions in house, FESPA believes it is now in a position to feed back in to the industry by way of investment in new projects and services for the benefit of all FESPA members.

Thus, it has established a dedicated position of manager to co-ordinate the new activities for its national associations.

Smith has joined FESPA from the Digital and Screen Printing Association (DSPA), where he held the position of executive secretary for the past eight years.

His responsibilities included all communications with members regarding member services, the organisation of national council and annual general meetings and the production of association budgets.

Prior to the DSPA, Smith spent 30 years at the public service union, Unison (formerly NALGO), latterly as personnel manager, when he was responsible for the effective functioning of the personnel department of the 1,200 strong, national, multi-site organisation, with direct line management of nine staff.

Nigel Steffens commented: "Being a not-for-profit organisation, we're committed to ploughing back our generated revenues in to the industry for the benefit of our members, who now number over 5,000 worldwide.

Having already put in place long-term plans to reduce the costs of exhibiting at FESPA exhibitions, as demonstrated by the lower prices announced for FESPA World Expo India, FESPA Digital Printing Europe and FESPA 2007, we decided that the appointment of a manager to identify and drive the development of new services would be of considerable further benefit to our members.

We're delighted to have recruited a manager of Chris's calibre and are confident that our members will quickly feel the positive effects of his expertise." Chris Smith remarked: "My involvement with the DSPA and with other national associations at secretaries' meetings and general assemblies, has given me a real understanding of the issues that associations face.

I'm very much looking forward to working closely with FESPA's national associations and to using my experience to support FESPA's members by promoting existing services and developing new member initiatives.".

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