New Year, New Benefits!

The change in ALA leadership in 2023 presented a unique opportunity for the association. Since the appointment of Larry Lauck as President & CEO last spring, ALA staff has made it their mission to drill down to the fundamentals that make the organization the premier lighting resource for the residential lighting community.

Staff and the Board of Governors examined every aspect of the association, asking members for their input on the types of benefits that would provide even greater value to them in 2024 and beyond. Since then, staff and the board have acted on those insights, creating a 3-Year Strategic Plan for success and launching an assortment of new benefits that enhance each category of ALA membership.

Beginning on Jan. 1, ALA is offering a nationwide healthcare plan that is available to all members — from individual members who are purchasing their own healthcare coverage as well as for companies providing coverage for their employees. Developed in collaboration with Next Level Insurance Agency and Health Cooperative Strategies, the plan leverages the purchasing power of the association to provide healthcare benefits at competitive and affordable rates, with premiums as low as $306 per month. You can contact ALA's dedicated agent Danny O'Connell at doconnell@nextlevel.agency to learn more. 

In addition, to maximize members’ educational opportunities, ALA will now be offering all Live Webinars free of charge to members in 2024. By waiving the registration fee, ALA is enabling more members to expand their lighting knowledge without incurring additional cost. You can find a list of upcoming webinars on the ALA website. 

In 2024, ALA will also be offering all categories of membership the ability to come together throughout the year in a travel-free, convenient virtual format. ALA will host regular forums via Zoom featuring guest speakers discussing best practices and other relevant topics. These virtual forums will also be free of charge for members. Stay tuned for details. 

Another exciting new benefit for showroom members is a program designed to increase engagement between ALA showroom members and end-users looking for lighting expertise. Developed by Lit Living and provided by the ALA’s Advertising and PR Program, Lit Connect is a new automated marketing platform that simplifies the process of answering online interactions coming into a showroom through the showroom’s website or social media platforms. Through a series of guided prompts, Lit Connect is able to gather information from potential customers in a timely manner and then supply those leads to the showroom staff quickly for follow-up.

These are just some of the exciting new changes available to ALA members starting in 2024. Plans for the 2024 annual Conference are already underway to present a robust roster of expert speakers who will help inspire and guide members to reach even greater heights in their businesses. Mark your calendar for Sept. 22-24 and plan to join hundreds of industry leaders at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., for what is promising to be an unforgettable industry networking and educational event. 

ALA staff looks forward to seeing members at Lightovation in January. If you would like more information on any of these new programs, stop by the ALA booth on the Fourth Floor of the Trade Mart next to the ALA Hall of Fame or visit the new ALA headquarters next to the SMART Center on the Fourth Floor of the Trade Mart (TM 4826).