Retail Observer

RETAILOBSERVER.COM APRIL 2024 46 T he Professional Service Association (PSA) announced that they will add the National Electronics Service Dealers Association (NESDA) to their organization, which will continue to operate under the PSA banner. This integration, which officially took effect January 1, 2024, joins two long-standing leaders in the service industry and provides a solid cultural fit with the new organization. "This is a big moment for PSA, NESDA, and the entire service industry," said Mike Callahan, PSA President. "The combined team is looking forward to getting together for the betterment of our members and the entire industry." NESDA President Pete Rattigan concurred. "Together, PSA and NESDA will create an organization that will be better, stronger, and more agile than ever – the possibilities are endless." The Integration teams will include members from the PSA and NESDA Boards of Directors who will work in the months ahead to bring the associations together. A main tasks will be to identify the relative strengths of each organization and leverage them across the new organizational structure. It is already anticipated that the annual PSA Convention, to be held September 23-26 in Portsmouth, VA, will include electronics training and vendors from that segment of the business in addition to the long-standing appliance service training and support. Both organizations also proudly tout industry-leading certification programs in both appliance and electronics service that will remain strong segments of the blended association. NESDA's history dates back as far as 1947, and NESDA has supported the electronics industry under a variety of organizational names over its long life. Most recently, NESDA has been led since 2002 by Executive Director Mack Blakely. Blakely said, "Combining forces and expertise from both PSA and NESDA is a great step toward creating a stronger, more innovative entity that is poised to lead and make a lasting impact on the industry. The synergy resulting from this merger promises exciting opportunities for growth, development, and success. "As retiring executive director of NESDA / ISCET for the past 22 years, I commend the vision, dedication, and hard work of everyone involved in making this merger a reality. I have no doubt that this union will bring about great achievements and advancements in the future." PSA was formed in 1989, during a time of huge market changes, economic pressures, and corporate dictates that brought heavy financial burdens for the independent appliance service industry. Those frustrations gave birth to the idea of forming an organization that could act as the "Voice of the Independent Service Industry." The concept began with an amazing individual, Ron Sawyer, who invited a group of service providers to get together to discuss the issues they were experiencing. That meeting sparked a movement that ultimately led to the formation of the Professional Service Association. PSA has continued to be a leader in promoting professionalism in the appliance service industry in technical training, business management, and technician certification. PSA also added the North American Retail Dealers Association to its members in 2017, featuring the industry standard CFC Recovery Certification testing. For additional information on the new organiz- ation, please visit www.psaworld.org, or contact us at 888-777-8851. S E R V I C E D E P A R T M E N T Randy Carney- Executive Director, PSA PSA & NESDA TO JOIN FORCES RO

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