National Automatic Merchandising Association
The National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA) is the American national trade association of the convenience services industry, including vending, micro markets, office coffee service, and foodservice management.[1] Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, NAMA represents more than 1,000 member companies, including hundreds of small businesses.[2]
Christine Cochran serves as the current CEO, succeeding Carla Balakgie in December 2025.[3]
Advocacy
Each year, the organization hosts an annual convention, an event for the unattended convenience industry.[4]
In the summer, NAMA convenes an annual Fly-In, which brings more than 300 industry leaders to Washington, D.C. to discuss calorie disclosure requirements, overtime pay, and other issues affecting the convenience services industry.[5][6] In a 2017 op-ed column published in The Hill, Balakgie claimed Fly-In attendees hold more than 200 meetings with members of Congress to "ensure that the voice of the convenience services industry is heard on Capitol Hill."[7]
References
- ^ "NAMA's 2017 Fly-In Attracts 300 Vending Industry Advocates To Washington | Articles | Vending Times". www.vendingtimes.com. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
- ^ "About Us - National Automatic Merchandising Association". www.namanow.org. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
- ^ "NAMA Appoints Christine Cochran As President & CEO ยป Sterling | Martin". 2025-09-26. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
- ^ Warrick, Andrew (2025-05-08). "This Year's NAMA Show Reflects a Fast-Changing Industry". Trade Show Executive. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
- ^ "How One Ex-Chief of Staff Went From Taking Meetings to Asking for Them". Roll Call. 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
- ^ "NAMA's 2017 Fly-In Attracts 300 Vending Industry Advocates To Washington | Articles | Vending Times". www.vendingtimes.com. Retrieved 2017-08-18.
- ^ Jordan, Chuck (2017-07-24). "Tax reform must include 'death tax' repeal". The Hill. Retrieved 2017-08-18.