Lincolnwood, IL, USA-Following record voter turnout, the ISSA announces that the recent proposed amendment to the association bylaws opening membership to Facility Service Providers (FSPs) in North America has been approved by a majority of members casting votes. The bylaw change creates a new membership category for U.S. and Canadian FSPs, which include building service contractors and in-house service providers.

Welcoming FSP individuals and organizations to ISSA's current membership of 4,700 members-including distributors, manufacturers, wholesalers, manufacturer representatives, and international providers of cleaning services in more than 83 countries-the new provision provides an opportunity to bring the industry together and elevate the professionalism and image of the cleaning industry worldwide.

"We believe that the greatest need for our industry and our members is to bring all channel partners together to work toward common goals," said ISSA Executive Director John Garfinkel. "We believe this decision will do that. It also will help ensure ISSA's long-term survival and growth. At the same time, it will provide the opportunity for an even greater voice on state and federal regulatory issues, facilitate the collection of more complete and accurate industry information and benchmarking, create more comprehensive research and business opportunities, improve education and training, and expand the possibilities for marketing the industry."

Many FSPs already are familiar with ISSA, having attended the annual ISSA/INTERCLEAN® tradeshow and educational conference in the United States, in addition to shows held in Mexico, Asia, the Netherlands, and Poland. In fact, the U.S. show draws an average of more than 16,000 attendees annually, and since it was opened to FSPs in 1999, they have accounted for an increasingly large percentage of the show's repeat attendees.

Many FSPs also look to ISSA for seminars, workshops, and training materials. On average, more than 30,000 times per month, FSPs sign on to the ISSA Website, issa.com, to obtain industry information and link to member Websites.

To provide information and expand resources for the cleaning industry, ISSA has worked with a variety of FSP organizations over the last decade, including IEHA (International Executive Housekeepers Association); IFMA (International Facility Management Association); APPA (Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers); ARCP (Association of Residential Cleaning Professionals); and IICRC (Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification) as well as several other FSP organizations based around the world. ISSA will continue to work with its alliance partners to help participation with their own membership offerings and to improve the overall professionalism of the cleaning industry.

"The primary goal of ISSA is-and always will be-to help members with their business needs," said Garfinkel. "We will continue to forge a path to help all members meet their business objectives and to lead the industry in the 21st century."