© 2005 Door & Access Systems
Publish Date: Spring 2005
Author: Tom Wadsworth
Pages 42-46

News From the DASMA Annual Meeting
Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2005
Tucson, Ariz.

DASMA Membership Jumps

DASMA membership is on an upswing. In the latter half of 2004, 14 companies joined DASMA, including seven companies for the new High Performance Door Division.

Attendance at the annual meeting was among the highest in history. In addition, a large group of new and prospective members attended the meeting.

Ken Martin, president of Martin Door, submitted a proposal to organize the process for attracting, assimilating, and retaining new members. He now leads a new committee to pursue the effort.

New members since August 2004 include:
· Albany International (High Performance Door Division)
· ASI Technologies (High Performance Door Division)
· Bircher America (Operator & Electronics Division)
· Carlo Gavazzi Automation (Associates Division)
· Carriage House Doors (Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division)
· Dynaco USA (High Performance Door Division)
· Magic Coil Products (Associates Division)
· Megadoor (High Performance Door Division)
· NCI Building Systems: Able Door (Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division)
· NCI Building Systems: DBCI (Rolling Door Division)
· Nihon Door Corporation (Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division)
· Overhead Door Corporation (High Performance Door Division)
· Rite-Hite Corporation (High Performance Door Division)
· Rytec Corporation (High Performance Door Division

Caption:
Japanese Company Joins DASMA: Nihon Door, the first Japanese company to join DASMA, attended the Annual Meeting in Tucson. From left: Koki Kato, Hiroyuki Takayanagi, Haruyuki Takayanagi, and Tetsuji Nishikawa.

Division to Focus on Garage Door Assemblers

The Commercial & Residential Garage Door Division is working on a program to educate companies that assemble components into a complete garage door system.

The Division plans to develop and distribute information concerning the business hazards of the so-called “assemblers.” Division members have raised concerns about warranty issues, proper labeling, appropriate hardware/engineering, liability for injuries, and more. DASMA is planning to pursue this topic as a joint project with IDA.

In addition, Joe Hetzel, DASMA technical director, proposed a thermal performance strategy to be used with regulatory, testing, rating, and building code organizations. Work on the strategy continues.

Caption: From left: Jerry Hennen of Arrow Tru-Line, Shaun Webb of GADCO (in back), Tom Seymour of Taylor Door, Joe Kee of GADCO, Danny Joyner of Amarr (in back), Michael Meichtry of TKO Doors, LeRoy Krupke of Overhead Door, and John Jellá of First United Door Technologies.

Caption:
DASMA and IDA to Promote Safety: Two International Door Association (IDA) leaders attended the DASMA meeting and reported on IDA activities. IDA President Garry Stewart (right) and IDA President-Elect Jim Lett (left) proposed a joint effort to educate home inspectors about garage door and opener safety issues and to explore other ways to promote safety. The proposal is now being advanced as a joint project. (Center: DASMA President Randall Renne)

New Faces to Chair Committees

Several DASMA groups are now under new leadership. Many appointments became effective at the DASMA Annual Meeting.

Don Mills of Janus International is now chair of the Rolling Door Division. As chair of one of DASMA’s five divisions, Mills will also serve on the DASMA board of directors.

The Rolling Door Division is also led by Dave Monsour of Wayne-Dalton, vice-chair; Lang Greiner of Cornell, treasurer; and two at-large members, LeRoy Krupke of Overhead Door and Joel Bonnell of Raynor.

The Gate Operator Committee has a new chair. Sam Blaney of Byan Systems was appointed chair of the committee, and Brad Hollis of GTO was elected vice-chair.

Caption:
How to Negotiate: Keynote speaker John Patrick Dolan, an attorney and negotiating expert, spoke to an attentive DASMA audience on how to “Negotiate Like the Pros.”