We are transitioning to a new Association Management System (AMS) and website launching this March 2023!

As you may have heard on committee calls, during a recent NAFTZ event, or in a previous Zones Report article, the association is migrating its content to a new platform built by GrowthZone from its current platform, Impexium.

The change comes after receiving feedback from members like you in our annual membership survey for ways to improve the membership experience. Many of the comments we received revolved around difficulty locating resources on the website, registering for the conference. Members have also expressed interest in improving ways to connect and network with other members.
With the transition to the new AMS there are a few things that we are certain the membership will enjoy:

• Committee engagement – with the new platform, members will have the ability to write in a forum specific to each of the committees and monitored by the chairs of each committee. This will allow members to easily ask or answer questions, start a discussion, and engage with other members of the committees.
  • This is the perfect time to join a committee such as the Operator/User committee, Grantee Committee, or others to be a part of those conversations now and once the platform launches
• Directory – the new AMS system allows us to create both public and private directories which will make it easier for members to search for connections made at our events or for services needed to improve
  their zone
  • These directories will pull directly from members’ individual profiles making it easier to update information on our website and eliminating the need to contact staff and waiting on responses for example: The active Grantee Members of NAFTZ section on our website which is currently stagnant and difficult to maintain. Soon, by simply keeping your profiles updated, the website will also update automatically.
• Member portal – similar to the NAFTZ website, the member portal will also get a makeover! Additional changes are coming which will improve members ability to locate resources provided exclusively to members ex. locating previously recorded webinars, the Grantee Handbook etc.
• And much more!

As it relates to the website, please get in touch with me to identify the specific pages for which you experience the most difficulty. What might be easy to understand for me may not be easy to understand for you. If there is a page on the website that you can’t seem navigate due to its current complexities, send me an email at kwells@naftz.org. We do not want to simply copy/paste the content from our current website to the new, instead we want to improve the appearance of the website and make it easier for you to retrieve the resources you need for your work as an FTZ professional. Without knowing exactly where we fall short will make this a little more challenging. And so, if there are pages on our site you’d like to see revamped, contact me directly and provide some suggestions.

We will continue to provide updates to the membership including additional details and what to expect on new website and member portal the closer we get to launch. Thus, keep checking the Zones Report for more announcements!

Our goal is to make the NAFTZ website your go-to source for all U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones related content, resources, and NAFTZ’s
advocacy efforts. We appreciate the feedback we’ve received from you all. Our emails and phones are always open if there is ever anything else we can do to continue to make NAFTZ your professional home.

By: Kristine Wells
NAFTZ Senior Manager of Communications & Member Services