| Two Founding Members of DMIA Celebrate Diamond Anniversaries
DMIA FOUNDING MEMBERS
C.E. Cooley, Cooley Business Forms Inc., Rochester, N.Y.
R.K. Clark, McGregor & Werner Inc., Washington D.C.
W.R. Harris, W.R. Harris & Co., Washington D.C.
Dan C. McKay, Business Forms Service Inc., Detroit, Mich.
Roy S. Flesh, The Flesh Co., St. Louis
Earl Easly, Better Business Forms Inc., Cleveland
William Ashby, Consolidated Business Forms, Pittsburgh
Fred Ferguson, Buffalo Business Forms Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.
Edward Pfeiffer and F.J. Rusty Ring, Modern Business Forms, Chicago
 The Flesh Company and Cooley Group Inc. were among DMIA'S eight founding companies. Today they reflect on their longevity with DMIA and their continued success.
In 1946 a small group of independent forms distributors were fed up. Powerful players such as Moore Business Forms, and to a lesser extent, Standard Register and Uarco, were making it increasingly difficult for independent business forms distributors to succeed. These major print providers were consistently undercutting independents' prices and forcing paper providers not to sell to small forms distributors. Court cases ensued as independents cried foul, fearing Moore had a monopoly.
Distributors from eight companies decided to take action. In July of 1946, they met at the old Bismarck Hotel in Chicago for the first annual meeting of the Independent Business Forms Dealers of America. They elected F.J. Rusty Ring of Modern Business Forms, Chicago, as their president. No. 1 on the list of purposes of the association was to exchange ideas of mutual value to all members, and to be of mutual helpfulness to further the progress of each member.
In 1947, the organization changed its name to National Business Forms Associates. Headquarters were in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. In 1961, NBFA formed the NBFA Manufacturers Section. In 1963, an eventful year for the organization, the name was changed to National Business Forms Association, headquarters moved from Florida to a rented desk in an office building in Washington D.C., and the Informer, a member newsletter that would later become this magazine, was published.
As membership continued to increase, NBFA moved to new headquarters in Alexandria, Va., added educational programs, created a certification program, introduced the Information Central Source Hotline and expanded its trade shows. To reflect the ever-changing industry, NBFA changed its name to Document Management Industries Association in January 1996.
This year DMIA celebrates its 60th anniversary and the 60 years of membership of two of its founding companies that remain active members: The Flesh Company, St. Louis and Cooley Business Forms Inc. (now Cooley Group Inc.), East Rochester, N.Y.
Kara Gebhart Uhl |
