All 140 agents in the Arpin Van Lines family across the U.S. will join the American Moving & Storage Association in 2011, the two organizations announced.


"This decision tracks with AMSA's strategic plan to both increase our membership and to better serve the entire professional moving industry," said Linda Bauer Darr, AMSA president and CEO.

The agreement is the result of discussions between AMSA and Arpin management based on proposals raised within the framework of AMSA's Membership Advisory Task Force, chaired by Greg Hoover, CEO and president of Bekins Van Lines.

The new arrangement is designed to spread the benefits of AMSA membership more uniformly through Arpin. Arpin Van Lines Inc., the oldest division of the family-owned Arpin Group, has been moving individuals, families and businesses since 1900.

"Many of our agents were already AMSA members," said David Arpin, president and CEO of the Arpin Group. "But as AMSA transformed itself to become even more effective in this new regulatory environment, it became clear to me that all our agents would benefit from the association's expertise in everything from government advocacy to promoting the industry's image through the ProMover certification program."

AMSA's MATF sought to review and re-shape the value AMSA members receive. The process, which began in 2010, included subcommittees focused on specific industry segments (van lines and agents, ancillary markets, independent movers, suppliers, international movers, and individual members) and will continue in 2011 when a new dues schedule is expected to be announced commensurate with the newly revised range of member benefits.