SCIP Merges With Frost & Sullivan Institute

May 19, 2009   WRITER:         Terrence Nowlin, +1.703.739.0696, ext. 102, tnowlin@scip.org CONTACT:      Ken Garrison, +1.703.739.0696, ext. 105, kgarrison@scip.org   Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) MERGES WITH FROST & SULLIVAN INSTITUTE   ALEXANDRIA, Va. ― The Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals has agreed upon a merger with the Frost & Sullivan Institute, another nonprofit organization. The SCIP membership concluded its vote on the opportunity to partner with the Frost & Sullivan Institute on May 15. The merger was approved by 94 percent of voting members.   Unanimously approved by the SCIP Board of Directors, the merger with the Frost & Sullivan Institute will create financial security for the association, and will provide it the ability to maintain and grow its membership, value to members, and expand the visibility of competitive intelligence to a larger audience.   “This merger not only allows the SCIP brand and organization to thrive, but it also allows the organization to implement many of its strategic goals and objectives in furtherance of both the CI profession and the professionals,” explained Martha Gleason, Chair of the SCIP Board of Directors.   Frost & Sullivan CEO David Frigstad says the merger will enhance SCIP’s current operations. “The partnership between Frost & Sullivan Institute and SCIP provides a powerful opportunity to enhance the benefits SCIP offers its members and to provide some needed financial stability,” Frigstad said. “We will focus our collective energy on leveraging the resources of the partnership to bring career development and globalization to the SCIP membership, and expanding SCIP membership globally through newsletters, training, and events.”   Frigstad and Frost & Sullivan Chairman of the Board Wyman Bravard will fill two of the 13 potential seats on the SCIP Board of Directors. Strategic Plan Goals and Strategies The merger will build upon the association’s Strategic Plan’s goals and strategies under its existing three categories: the competitive intelligence profession, competitive intelligence professionals, and organizational governance.   The Competitive Intelligence Profession The merger will:   Increase the marketing and advocacy capability for CI by providing access to an expanded global constituency. This broadens SCIP’s membership reach immediately. Implement and deliver certification courses to improve the identification of competitive intelligence as a valuable discipline in corporations. This process will be accelerated immediately after the merger is finalized. Enhance corporate decision maker recognition of competitive intelligence as an essential resource. The merger provides increased visibility to C-suite managers at 20,000 corporations globally. Competitive Intelligence Professionals The merger will enhance best in class career development opportunities throughout the world by:   Providing members with increased access to career-expanding education and developmental opportunities in related disciplines. Creating a marketing base to expand the competitive intelligence network outside of traditional markets and reach new vertical and horizontal groups immediately. Expanding current educational offerings in North America, Europe and in 2010 Asia. This includes additional opportunities for face-to-face meetings and electronic delivery of education and information on more efficient platforms with a dramatically larger base of network participants. Enhancing membership support to develop information, networking and communication opportunities.  Organizational Governance The merger provides synergistic opportunities to increase the Society’s effectiveness through: Implementing a shared services structure to reduce the overall cost of operations. Establishing financial stability that provides for membership growth and builds financial reserves. Developing new revenue streams from related service opportunities, which would be unavailable without this merger.   The Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals is a global nonprofit membership organization for everyone involved in creating and managing business knowledge. Its mission is to enhance the success of our members through leadership, education, advocacy, and networking.   A non-profit institute dedicated to providing research into planet health. The Frost & Sullivan Institute leverages all of Frost & Sullivan's extensive research databases, brand name, and 360 degree visionary model to bring new insight, influence and strategy to global health.   More information on the SCIP/Frost & Sullivan Institute merger will appear on the SCIP website at www.scip.org as merger operations move forward. - 30 -