This is a message from GAMA President Rick Loomis to the GAMA membership explaining the results on the recent vote regarding full member voting for retailer members. We reprint it here to provide background for the dispute (see 'GAMA Membership Dispute Continues') and the direction the organization is taking to attempt to resolve it.

 

I'm afraid I have to report that the recent vote on new bylaws did not pass.  However, there were a significant number of 'yes' votes, and at the last minute some technical questions were raised that some members felt needed to be resolved.  Therefore on the chance that enough people voted 'no' just for technical reasons, I am asking the bylaws committee to give it one more try. 

 

People will, of course, say what they will about this result.  But it's not a rejection, just a difference of opinion.  Some people feel that GAMA should not ask retailers to join, or for any money. They say we should just offer whatever services and benefits we can to retailers, without regard to membership. Others say that both manufacturers and retailers would be better served if they each had their own organization to look after their special interests.  It's possible, but I'm not sure this industry is big enough to support two such organizations. Some of us feel that anyone who wants to put up the money to be a voting member ought to be allowed to do so. If you feel that strongly about the industry, you should be allowed to participate fully. I do want to point out that no one who has sent in full voting dues so far has been turned down. There are retailer voting members now, and there have been others in the past. My view has always been that if you think of yourself as a manufacturer, you are. 

 

Likewise I'd like to point out that there have been as many as four retailers on the board of directors. Right now we have two (Chris and Rondi) plus two more who are wholesaler members now, but were retailers when they first joined the board (Brian and Brad).

 

But regardless of all that, it is completely true that the direction the organization will move depends entirely on the volunteers who do the work. If you feel there is something GAMA should be doing that it is not, then volunteer to chair or join a committee to do it.  (Like Steve Jackson did with the Worldcon committee for instance). At our annual membership meeting at Origins this summer, we will discuss this issue, and the bylaws committee will report on their progress.  GAMA started out as the Small Game Companies Association, and eventually evolved into the Game Manufacturers Association. The question is what do we do next?  No matter what we say or do, some people will be mad at us. And some people will volunteer enthusiastically to help. I'm trying to help. I hope you will too.