Industry associations are facing po...

Industry associations are facing possible extinction if they don't learn to deal better with their dwindling membership and anemic assortments

For instance, apply the mind at the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. The association's member ship has fallen to 73000 down 50% from the 145000 members it had 10 years ago, when it was known as the National Association of Life Underwriters.

Most other industry associations also are struggling for membership, as well as survival. Companies and individual members are feeling the pinch of a difficult economy and are not renewing memberships or participating in various