Two of foodservice's major associations announced in April that they have agreed to consolidate into a single organization. It is one leaders of both groups say will bring a unified, national voice and a stronger package of benefits to self-operated healthcare foodservice directors across the country.

The Boards of Directors of ASHFSA, the American Society of Healthcare Food Service Administrators, and HFM, the National Society of Healthcare Foodservice Management,* voted unanimously on April 6 to make the move. The new association will be known as AHF (the Association for Healthcare Foodservice).

To better report on this historic merger, FM jointly interviewed the presidents of both associations just before press time.

Both groups have strong traditions and cultural histories. Why have they decided that a merger makes sense now?

Thomas: “Neither group is looking at this as a merger per se, but as a consolidation, a coming together. We are creating a new organization, and each association is putting significant assets into that creation. The leaderships of both groups have been talking about the potential of this since 2004. At that time, HFM was in the process of transitioning to a new association management company, and the timing wasn't right to pursue it. But we kept talking. And both groups began to work together on educational initiatives and other projects, something they had never done in the past.”

Carlisle: “On the ASHFSA side it was much the same. As we explored the idea internally we became convinced that coming together would offer real synergies that would be in the best interest of our operator members and our business partners. We could see the evidence of this when we worked on joint projects together.

“One stumbling block we had to overcome was that ASHFSA had always allowed contract management employees to become members. Part of this tradition had to do with ASHFSA's historic affiliation with AHA [the American Hospital Association], but that affiliation officially ended in 2008. In fact, there are only a small number of national members in that category, which conflicted with HFM's membership structure.

“After a lot of discussion, the ASHFSA board determined that this one main issue should not stand in the way of the greater benefits a combined organization would bring the overall membership.”

When will this consolidation be effective, or completed?

Carlisle: “ASHFSA members, who needed to vote on this decision under our Illinois state bylaws, approved the move with a vote on April 28. We will be filing our new papers for incorporation in May.

Thomas: “HFM members also had a chance to comment. Our New York state bylaws did not require a vote of the membership, but our board wanted the membership to affirm the decision, and a board affirmation was made on the same day as the ASHFSA vote.

“Both organizations will be in a transition period for the next several months, while legal and financial work is completed to transfer the assets from both organizations into the new one.”

What happens to members of ASHFSA on the contract side?

Carlisle: “Under AHF membership rules, employees of contract management companies will no longer be eligible for membership in the national organization. All other membership categories defined under either existing group will transfer to AHF.”

Thomas: “We want people to look at this in the context of the vision and mission statements we have for the new association. Our vision is an association that works to see self-operated healthcare foodservice recognized as industry best practice. And our mission is in advancing healthcare foodservice professionals by assuring that food and nutrition is broadly accepted as a core competency in the healthcare community.”

Carlisle: “One of our short term goals is to migrate all the local chapters to the new national organization so they operate under the same name and mission as AHF. Because the chapters are separate entities, national affiliation will be a chapter decision.

“To retain full national chapter status, each chapter will have to adopt the same membership eligibility criteria as AHF. Where this presents an issue for existing chapters there may be other affiliation options that will be explored. It is something we will have to work out over time.”

What specific benefits do you see coming from consolidation?

Carlisle: “We are evaluating the initiatives and approaches that work effectively for each separate society and plan to adopt those best practices for AHF.

Thomas: “ASHFSA's strong local chapter structure is a great example. HFM does not having anything that compares with it. The HFM membership will be able to join nearby colleagues for some great networking events.”

Carlisle: “In the same way, HFM has a strong benchmarking program and ASHFSA members will be able to take advantage of that. Plus, broader participation in the program will make it more effective.”