IWFA executive director Darrell Smith and Steve Capoccia tell the audience the industry tools the association has to offer its members.

As a member of the window film industry, there are inherent tools at your disposal. Are you using them?

International Window Film Conference attendees got a crash-course in what’s rightfully theirs from the executive director of the International Window Film Association (IWFA), Darrell Smith and the association’s independent public relations consultant, Steve Capoccia.

Part of IWFA Education Day, the seminar explained what the association does for the window film industry—particularly in terms of educating consumers.

The Budget

“The total operating budget for the IWFA,” is about $1 million, Smith said—about $83,000 of which comes from dealer members and $62,000 comes from distributors, with the rest coming from the seven manufacturer members.

Media Matters

A portion of that budget goes to contracting out the public relations firm Capoccia works for, Warner Communications.

Capoccia explained how the association got window film information to the general public over the last year with some key metrics, including:

• An article on Time magazine’s website;
• 12,000 pageviews a month on the IWFA’s website (up from 5,000 in 2013);
• 15,000 visitors to the association’s dealer locator; and
• Local media and trade publication coverage, among other things.

Power Distribution

Though manufacturers represents around 85 percent of the association’s funding, they only hold 60 percent control, Smith said.

“On the board of directors, there are 12 members with 7 manufacturer members. There are 5 dealer/distributor members, which gives the manufacturers 60 percent of control,” he explained.

And since the association is headquartered in Virginia, manufacturers can’t vote to take over power due to a state clause that says they’d have to have 66 percent ownership to usurp power.

“But they do have the most control,” Smith said.