LOUISVILLE, KY — 12/02/09 — The American Cheese Society (ACS) has finalized plans to fully transition the organization’s operations from an outside association management group to a newly formed management structure within the ACS. The move is the outgrowth of ACS’s steadily increasing membership, financial stability and a three-year strategic planning process to secure the association’s sound infrastructure.
The transition, scheduled to be completed by March 31, 2010, will allow the all-volunteer ACS to assemble a management team from within its ranks of cheese industry professionals, including the hiring of administrative and executive director positions.
“This is the natural progression of a successful, vibrant organization to control its direction, priorities and costs,” says ACS president David Gremmels. Following recent growth in the American cheese industry, ACS membership swelled to 1250 in 2009. Its annual conference reached record numbers in attendance and in entries to the popular cheese competition. “We are the leaders in our industry, aligned with a membership that is passionate about cheese and armed with the tools of sound business practices,” adds Gremmels.
In 2001 the ACS board of directors hired FSA Management Group in Louisville, KY to assist with the demands of managing, marketing and events planning for the organization. ACS and FSA will begin an aggressive 120-day transition period to transfer all business functions and records under ACS direction and to move forward with plans already underway for the August 2010 Annual Conference in Seattle, WA.
American Cheese Society (ACS) is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of farmstead, artisan and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas. Over 1000 members strong, ACS provides advocacy, education, business development and networking opportunities for cheesemakers, retailers, enthusiasts and extended industry. ACS strives to continually raise the quality and availability of cheese in America.
Since its founding in 1983, ACS proudly hosts the foremost annual educational conference and world-renowned cheese judging and competition which culminates in the Festival of Cheese, a public event regularly featuring over 1300 competition entries from throughout the Americas.
Source: American Cheese Society