“Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated” -loosely attributed to Mark Twain
By Rob Sexton, POMA Executive Director
I thought of this quote, which I have seen reported in several variations over the years, this past week while reviewing membership numbers with our staff. It has not been uncommon over the year and a half I’ve been with POMA to have someone say, “I heard you guys are going under,” or something to that effect.
If the comment is directed to me, I respond to let them know where we stand and how things are going. The most recent time I went into a bit more depth, asking our staff about our trajectory. Are we trending upward or downward? Are we holding steady? I asked how far we could look back to answer this question.
Our staff, specifically our bookkeeper Courtney, provided quick answers that tell a story of survival and reemergence. Over the last 18 months we have overhauled POMA in every fashion imaginable. Our website and membership processing database were first. These were followed by the relaunch of Insight Sessions and creation of POMA Meet-Ups at trade shows across the country. Most notably, we’re deep in the planning of the 2025 POMA Annual Meeting, hosted by Destination Toledo at Maumee Bay, June 21-23. We’ve redesigned the conference with more fun, more experiences, more content and more exposure.
But the question is whether or not our customers are taking note. Our membership is divided into two distinct segments: our Corporate Partners, who support our association and our events, and our Media Members of all types. Like a lot of non-profits, both segments suffered significantly during and in the aftermath of Covid.
We lost nearly half our Corporate Partners from 2020-2024. Beginning in late 2023, POMA reexamined all aspects of its Corporate Partner program and relationships. And while we have a long way to go, we’ve seen a significant rebound with a 79% increase from 2024-2025.
2018-2024 51% decline in Corporate Partners
2024-2025 79% increase in Corporate Partners
For our Media Members, the Covid-related decrease was similar with a decline of just under half our members from the peak in 2019 through 2023. Media memberships increased 51% in 2024.
2018-2023 48% decline in Media Members
2023-2024 51% increase in Media Members
We’re very grateful for those who have stuck with us and thrilled with those who have come back. And we’re humble. We know we can do even better if we keep our eyes on the value we show our members every day.
You will notice our Insight Sessions are prominently posted on the POMA website. I strongly encourage members to watch them as they are full of useful information. We’re very fortunate to have former POMA President, Michelle Scheuermann, as our host. She has recruited each guest and planned each episode. We’ve also posted the details on our POMA Meet-Ups, with the next one happening soon at the NRA Annual Meeting.
But we’re most excited about POMA 2025 on Maumee Bay. We couldn’t have picked a better location. We’re right on the water, and most of our attendees will spend time on Lake Erie during the conference. Our Range Experience and Content Creation Day are completely revamped and will be an exciting reveal. If you haven’t registered yet, now would be the time to do it. All field trips remain open to new sign-ups. You will not regret your trip to Maumee Bay, but you will be sorry to learn what you have missed!
We’re a grateful but determined group at POMA. We’re committed to seeing this rebuild through. Your memberships and participation in our events and at shows are all part of this process, and we’re grateful for each of you.