The spring season is always a busy time at the California Moving and Storage Association (CMSA). We are preparing for our 105th annual convention, May 16 to 21 at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, in beautiful Rancho Mirage, California. Hopefully, we will see you there to thank current Chair Shiree Hammer, CFO of California Relocation Services, Inc,. for her leadership and welcome incoming Chair Jesse Chabot, president of Golden West Moving Systems, Inc., as he starts his own journey as CMSA chair. There are also many chapter meetings and events as well as other industry events. Please don’t forget that our scholarship and charity programs are the best in our industry, success is dependent on a long history of hard work and successful CMSA chapter fundraisers, so register and support.

As I traveled to the ATA Moving and Storage Conference (ATA MSC) 2nd annual meeting in Orlando Florida, I was thinking about how significant a role CMSA members continue to play in our industry. Our strength, not only within our own association and California but nationwide, is a point of pride, but our reach is not limited to our own extensive and powerful state. The incoming chairman of the ATA MSC is CMSA Member Bill Lovejoy, president of Republic Moving and Storage. Senior CMSA Chairman John Chipman Jr., executive vice president of Chipman Relocation & Logistics, is a member of the Executive Committee and chair of the always important Government Affairs Committee. Additionally, CMSA Board Member Griselda Gonzalez, contracts manager for CG Moving Company, Inc., and former CMSA Chairman Chris Higdon, president of California Moving Systems, sit on both the ATA MSC and MSI boards with me. Incoming CMSA Secretary-Treasurer Jeanette Homan, president of Lambert Enterprises, is also an ATA MSC Board Member. The current vice chair of the International Association of Movers (IAM) Board is CMSA Member John Burrows, president of DeWitt Move Worldwide, and Jeff Nadeau of DeWitt sits with me on the IAM DAB Management Board.

As we have stated many times, we operate in an industry that is dependent on change. In a world that is changing ever more rapidly year after year, being a part of a proactive association with leadership that includes the individuals listed above is critical to the success of your organization. Our upcoming Convention will include participation by HomeSafe Alliance, the US TransCom selected operator of the Global Household Goods Contract. They will present their upcoming program and have an exhibit booth, where members can make their own contacts. To many, this should be incentive enough to sign up for the convention. If you haven’t participated in military business in the past but have always wondered how you could get involved, this could be your opportunity.

March 2023 - CMSA Communicator