From the Executive Director

From the Executive Director NAFA Members Value Membership and Guide Strategic Direction Through 2025

by Emily Bardach, CAE

This spring, over 200 members participated in our annual membership survey. It was lengthy, so we were thrilled to see a high level of respondents - the highest in years in fact. Our goal was to better understand our members and get feedback to develop tactical strategies to backfill our strategic plan - see page 7 (nafahq.org/strategicframework) which includes increasing

knowledge, engaging members, raising

awareness, and streamlining operations. The results of the survey gave us exactly what we needed to build our road map through 2025. With so many opportunities, NAFA is primed for growth and success! Here are the top take aways:

Membership - we know our membership well and there is value

a. The number one reason for membership is education and training, followed closely by networking and

business opportunities

Top issues facing member companies:

• Supply chain • Lead times and transportation • Labor shortages • Industry applicable filtration standards • MERV ratings • Efficiency over life, total cost of ownership, sustainability • Energy management, cost management, software tools b. The most valuable membership benefits are professional development and member library which includes past technical and business presentations c. The most valuable resources are the technical manuals followed by certifications and best practice guidelines

Communication and Engagement - members are satisfied and there is an appetite for further engagement

a. The majority of our members are satisfied with the frequency of communication from NAFA - 85% (and the rest want to receive more) b. Members feel engaged in NAFA and want to get more involved c. Overall, members are satisfied with their sense of inclusion and belonging d. The primary groups our members are involved in are ASHRAE, BOMA and INDA

"The educational information and networking resources available only through NAFA have been instrumental to my development in the air filtration industry. I highly recommend NAFA membership to companies and individuals engaged in the business of clean air."

Eric Pearman, CAFS Fiber Bond Corporation

Publications - a valued member benefit a. Members find all NAFA publications extremely valuable with the NAFA

Guide to Air Filtration being the most valuable, also extremely valuable: Users

Guide to MERV, Guidelines and IOM b. Members read Air Media and the majority would continue to read it in electronic format NAFA has significant influence on how we professionals perform and execute our jobs. GulfGeo Exchange is grateful to have an organization lead the way in creating standards and establishing Best Practices for the industries we serve. We look forward to utilizing NAFA as a solid resource for our business.

The survey results gave us the meat for our tactical plan and streamlined our focus:

Members want: 1. More online content and more technical content in all forms 2. NAFA to work with ASHRAE at a higher level, with the goal of being viewed by the industry as the authority on air filtration 3. NAFA to be the voice in air filtration to end users

Our mission is to support our members and create a community of filtration professionals dedicated to providing expertise, education and best practices in air filtration. NAFA is led by a dedicated group of volunteers who make this all possible. If you are interested in getting involved, we encourage you to join a committee, share your expertise and/or attend an event – our Annual Convention will be held October 11-13, 2022 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. A huge thank you to all of our members who took the time to provide feedback about their member experience. We could not do this without you! 

Best,