The American Bakers Association (ABA) announced a comprehensive reorganization designed to align the organization’s structure with its recently launched strategic plan. The enhanced organizational structure positions the association to optimize its operations and effectively advance the interests of the baking industry through focused and innovative strategic initiatives. 

Industry leaders emphasized the need for ABA to focus on three strategic goals: creating an industry-wide workplace that is second to none, positioning the industry for category growth, and delivering high value impact through its programs and services. ABA’s reorganization aligns association resources with the strategic vision to ensure success in achieving these goals. 

“These organizational shifts are a pivotal step in our commitment to advancing the baking industry and empower ABA to deliver on the strategic plan,” says ABA President and CEO Eric Dell. “We are now poised to have a laser focus on ABA’s goals – promoting baking as the destination workplace, driving category growth, and delivering a higher-level impact for the members.” 

The reorganization aligns both external and internal initiatives around the plan’s core objectives, including:

Enhancing government relations: ABA will intensify its efforts in government relations, with a particular focus on nutrition and workforce issues through expanded in-house expertise and engagement strategies. This enhancement will achieve greater representation of the interests of the baking industry in legislative and regulatory matters, ensuring that the voices of ABA’s members are amplified with policymakers.

Bolstering communications and marketing prowess: An elevated communications and marketing strategy will be implemented to enhance the impact of ABA’s outreach and engagement on behalf of the commercial baking industry. This initiative will increase the visibility of baking manufacturing, promote its community contributions, and foster a deeper connection with stakeholders.

Strengthening workforce, research capabilities: To address the evolving industry workforce challenges and advance industry research, ABA established a dedicated workforce and insights division. This team will focus on developing workforce recruitment and retention resources and research on topics pertinent for industry businesses to ensure members remain competitive and innovative.

Ensuring high value programming and events: To create a more impactful experience for members, ABA established a reimagined events and programming division. The integration of these teams will result in the development of more comprehensive and engaging executive level content throughout the year, providing greater value for the members’ investment.

Streamlining and innovating educational offerings: ABA will engage in strategic partnerships to continue offering members access to educational and training offerings through a streamlined and innovative approach. Collaborating with partners allows ABA to make educational resources more convenient and accessible for the broader industry.  

Elevating the member experience: The membership division of ABA will ensure the association is delivering high value impact for its members, while intensifying its strategic campaign to be the conduit for trusted business connections and services. With their thorough understanding of both baker and supplier business needs, this division will enhance the member experience and continue the growth and diversification of the member community it serves.         

Reflecting industry culture and values: With its commitment to high quality member service through the development of a professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated association team, ABA will secure an organizational development specialist to build a strong association culture and core values reflective of the industry. The association will also maintain a steadfast focus on serving as responsible financial stewards of members’ investments with the singularly focused expertise of the new finance division.        

“ABA remains unwavering in its mission to support and promote the success of the baking industry,” says ABA Chair Bill Quigg, president of Richmond Baking. “This reorganization is a testament to the association’s proactive approach to addressing industry challenges and reaching the new strategic goals for the benefit of all baking businesses.”

Related: ABA hires senior director of government relations