Our Success is No Accident

The Casting Industry Suppliers Association is two years away from being a 100-year-old organization. It is no accident that CISA member companies are stronger, better-performing metalcasting-industry enterprises than those who do not belong to our strong organization.  Our members are committed to making significant contributions to the casting industry, because we believe the casting industry can thrive. 

CISA members will continue to be integral parts of that effort because they represent proactive companies that are concerned with producing positive results.  Every year, all the leaders chosen for the Association are volunteers from member companies, who manage and guide the organization, and demonstrate why CISA is still a very active organization.  These talented people are the “best of the best” that the industry has, and serve the membership selflessly — helping to make all of us better suppliers to the foundry industry. 

Lew Fish, who will finish his two-year term as the CISA president in November, is one of these individuals and we take this opportunity to thank him for his dedication to the organization. His example will be invaluable to the next team of CISA leaders.

CISA members have the opportunity to share the breadth of knowledge available among the group of engaged business people, who can act as a resource to those who are interested in entering new and, hopefully, lucrative markets. The membership also enjoys benefits through a group focus on the market statistics and trends, credit, quality, safety and management education and ideas. 

Our “Code of Ethics” gives CISA members a true advantage over non-members when selling equipment, materials and/or engineering services.  The interface with other industry associations around the world benefits the casting industry while fostering rewarding professional and business relationships.

The needs of CISA members are compatible with a thriving industry. Just as the contributions of individual CISA members strengthen the Association, the Association equally strengthens the industry as a whole.

The CISA membership offers most sincere thanks Roger and Marlene Hayes for their work managing the organization for the past 14 years. Roger’s dedication to CISA — as a past President and a member for over two decades, having missed just one meeting in that time — will be missed by all of us. They retired July 31, and we send them our very best wishes, always.

We also like to thank FM&T for its support of CISA over the years, and for providing a forum for our members to relate their new technology and management ideas. 

Mark Ziegler has been active in the metalcasting industry for over 39 years, starting at with International Harvester foundry in Indianapolis as Sand Process Engineer, and in various quality and production functions related to core and mold processes. He worked with Unimin Corporation for over 30 years in quality and technical service positions.  Mark is the past chairman of the AFS Division 4 Executive Committee (Molding Methods and Materials), and twice chaired the Green Sand Additives Committee.  He has been awarded the AFS Service Citation and Ezra Kotzin Award. He is a past president of CISA, FIRST (Foundry Industry Recycling Starts Today) and the Cope & Drag Club.  Mark is a member of the Advisory Board for the University of Northern Iowa Metal Casting Center.  Contact him at [email protected]