Business View Magazine | March 2018

29 tion,representing the interests of those same types of companies.The industry,of course,has changed over thosemanygenerations,and yet,at its core,it remains very similar towhat it was back in 1910,when the Associationwas formed.” The coremembers of the DSAare direct selling com- panies that are based here in the United States or have activities in the United States,inwhich theymarket their products.There are 165 full,activemembers,as well as another 15 to 25“pending”companies who are currentlyapplying for membership.“We are selective in terms of the companies that we solicit and bring into themembership,”saysMariano.“In order to go forward in the process,a companyhas to ascribe to the DSA Code of Ethics,which has some very specific,precise, and rigorous requirements.Once theyare in apparent compliance with those requirements,it can take at least another year for the company to be reviewed and presented to the Board of Directors for acceptance and membership.Inadditionto thosecategories,wehave in- ternationalmembersandsubscribermemberswhomay nothavebegunfull operations intheUnitedStatesyet, but are lookingat theU.S.market,”Marianoadds. “We have other categories of membership,too,