ALEXANDRIA, Va. The most successful and innovative program in the motorcoach industry for improving operator profits and business management will soon be available to members of the United Motorcoach Association.

UMA is teaming up with one of the nations foremost business development companies to offer the "20 Group" total business management system to its members.

In the bus industry, the 20-Group system is best known for helping members of the International Motor Coach Group boost their profitability and grow their businesses.

"Participation in 20 Group is the single-biggest factor for the success of my company," says David Brown, president of Holiday Tours of Randleman, N.C., and a member of IMG.

"We were doing well when we joined but the assistance of that group helped me weather the storm of 9/11 and grow profits -- while building the company infrastructure to sustain growth and quality. I simply cannot speak highly enough of 20-group participation," adds Brown, who also is chairman of UMA.

"This is truly a bar-raising undertaking," says Victor Parra, president and CEO of UMA. "Participation in this program will help our operator members run their businesses better, leading to a higher level of profitability."

The same organization, Spader Business Management Inc. of Sioux Falls, S.D., that has helped produce dramatic results for IMG operator members will be partnering with UMA to work with its members.

UMA members that participate in the program will join what are called Spader Management Groups that consist of up to 20 noncompeting coach companies. No UMA members that compete with each other on a daily basis will be in the same group.

The 50-member IMG has two 20 Groups operating within its membership.

Each 20 Group thats formed from among UMA members will meet from two to four times annually to discuss their businesses and exchange ideas. Most meetings are held near a member business so the group can visit the host member's facility.

Additionally, each member submits monthly financial information thats then provided to all 20 members in a consolidated report.

The opportunity to compare results with industry peers is a distinctive feature of 20 Groups. The Spader approach accommodates all accounting systems and the company provides participants with custom software that makes the monthly reporting requirement automatic.

Discussions about practical business challenges and solutions in each 20 Group are based on the facts and figures that come from the member business.

A primary benefit of membership is learning how the monthly figures can be used to support individual business decisions and increase company profit potential. "It helps each member be more successful," says Milton Ellis of the Spader organization.

Companies are assigned to a group based on sales volume, location, personal preference and a "personal fit" with other members of the group. There is no size-of-revenue requirement for participation in a 20 Group.

UMA members interested in possibly participating in a 20 Group should watch the association newsletter, The Exchange, for information, or call UMA at (800) 424-8262. For additional information about the Spader company go to www.spader.com.