I volunteer because the association helps shape the direction of the industry and also benefits my business.”

“We should continue to educate our members on the benefits of membership so that they take advantage of our programs. We are all small business owners with common goals and we all compete against the bigger businesses. Binding together in MIRA makes us more competitive against them.

I feel that the MIRA organization is a great way to bring together people in the industry for exchanges of ideas and concepts, and it’s a great way to meet people through MIRA’s various functions and events.

We always call MIRA with whatever problems we may have and they always solve it.  They work very hard.  They always call me and let me know what’s going on and what changes are coming, so it’s very helpful.

It’s unbelievable what MIRA has been able to do.  They’ve done a lot for us but just the CATax alone is the difference between making money and losing money.  And now, with what they’re trying to do for us with the cigarette and tobacco tax is another battle we’re fighting to try to keep it down  where things are semi-affordable for the normal wiring Joe!

MIRA is a good organization, I’ve been with them for 8 years.  They have a lot of programs for many businesses, and we’re able to use the coupon program and get discounts from various vendors.  Most people who take advantage of the programs end up coming back and using them for different things.

MIRA is a great association; if you need health insurance you can get it from them.  They also do a lot of networking and I have found business that I can deal with through them.  I suggest that every small business join them.  They help more that other associations; joining definitely wouldn’t hurt.

MIRA is constantly fighting for retailer rights.  They have a voice in Lansing and are there for any questions or peoblems retailers might have.

I don’t think people take enough advantage of the new programs MIRA offers.  The organization is all about the people now, which is different than it was many years ago.

I believe in the effectiveness and spirit of the staff and members of this organization. I recommend that all members read the MIRA mission statement to get a sense of how important it is for everyone to promote membership.

Quite honestly, MIRA does such a fine job meeting our needs. What I love the most is that when we have a question, they are always ready to answer it or get back to us very quickly.

As MIRA gains more members, we become stronger, and this results in more legislators listening to our voice regarding issues that affect our businesses.

It is important to give back to our great industry by doing everything possible to improve the overall well-being of MIRA members.”

“There is strength in numbers. In 2011, the retail environment will change very quickly, and it is critical that MIRA grows stronger in every aspect of our businesses.

As a member, we receive better prices on wholesale pricing.  MIRA allows me to buy more and sell more product every quarter.  I also receive a rebate check from MIRA each quarter.

There are a lot of cynics out there that say MIRA doesn’t do much for the average member, and I’m here to tell them that they do.  I am on the inside, I know what they do.  People don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes, so I tell a lot of people about the work MIRA is doing and what a fantastic job Auday Arabo is doing as President & CEO.

MIRA is very instrumental in trying to partner with vendors in trying to get better protection on pricing in as many ways as they can.

MIRA truly represents its members well.  Auday does a magnificent job in following through with all the needs of retailers and having created a highly respected organization, and one of the most active.  They are working hard and they involve their members.

I like what MIRA is doing,” “They are very strong in helping the community and working on retailers’ issues.

MIRA is a good organization, very community focused,”  “The biggest benefit is the government relations interface. They lobby for all of us and work for our rights on issues like federal and state taxes,” “MIRA was behind the initiative to spread food stamps out across the month, which has been very helpful, and they are working hard on the bottle recycling issue, which is painful and expensive for retailers to maintain. We couldn’t do it alone.

It’s rewarding to be part of an organization that is trying to pool resources to compete with the chain stores, such as the programs that have been endorsed by our committees. They help bring in savings with companies that otherwise would never have been presented.” “With more voices comes more success, because the stronger in numbers and participation in our organization, the more viable we become with politicians in our states to bring about positive legislation for our industry, as well as having more leverage in the vendor community to help make us more competitive and profitable.