SAM Magazine-Lakewood, Colo., Feb. 2, 2007-The American Snowsports Education Association (ASEA, doing business as PSIA and AASI) and the National Ski Patrol (NSP) are ending their 17-year agreement for joint management, and will each have their own separate, dedicated management teams by July 1.

Mark Dorsey, currently executive director for both ASEA and NSP, will continue with ASEA and serve as its executive director. NSP will begin a search for a new executive director immediately. The two associations' boards of directors will work together over the next five months to come to an agreement on which services and personnel will continue to be shared in order to best meet the needs of both organizations' membership and the industry.

"NSP and ASEA have successfully worked together over many, many years to create a unique and prosperous relationship," said James DeWeerd, NSP board chair. "We must continue to work as a team to ensure our associations' individual and collective success."

"During the past year, it has become increasingly apparent that the two associations have different emerging strategic objectives, short-term goals, and member needs, although there are significant benefits to both memberships that come from us working together," said ASEA board chair, Ray Allard. "We look forward to ASEA and NSP continuing as strong industry partners."

Each organization will be free to represent its association in a more individual manner to the industry. Those benefits and services that the associations share, such as sponsorships, catalog fulfillment, and back office services, will remain unaffected. Both ASEA and NSP are committed to continuing to improve their already strong member services, and to the ideals their respective organizations represent.