ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The inaugural United Motorcoach Association "20 Group" is off to what might be called a record start.

"I think they are going to be the fastest starting 20 Group we have ever put together," said Duane Spader, who has been involved with the innovative business development program for more than 30 years, and who has partnered with UMA to spread the concept among its members.

Spader, who operates Spader Business Management of Sioux Falls, S.D., said he was surprised at how quickly the 17 motorcoach operators from throughout the country -- who formed the first UMA 20 Group -- grasped the logistics of the program.

"It usually takes a year for people to really get their reports up and running, but with this group their reports were probably the most accurate I have ever seen from any new group on just the first day," he noted. "This is going to be a very good group."

The member head of the new group shared the same observation.

"They are really a good group of people," said Gladys Gillis of Starline Luxury Coach in Seattle and chair of the group. "They came prepared and were not afraid to share their opinions or reach consensus."

And, she said, they followed through with their homework as well, noting that all of the members have already sent in their newest reports. "You know sometimes people can make meetings and then not deliver after that," she said. "This group certainly did follow through and I think you can expect to see good things from us down the road."

Developed by Spader for the International Motor Coach Group, the program involves non-competing coach operators getting together several times a year to review each others financial reports, develop benchmarks for performance, and discuss all aspects of their businesses. IMG members involved in the program say it has helped them improve their businesses immensely.

The UMA-sponsored group, which met in Sioux Falls for three days, put together 50-page reports on their companies that were used as the basis for opening discussions and will be used at future meetings. The way the data is set up, members not only can carefully analyze their own businesses, but compare their numbers and business decisions to others.

"We can do overviews or be specific and pick out certain topics and zero in on them," said Spader.

Future meetings will be held in Seattle in June, Phoenix in November, Bristow, Va., in February and Cleveland in June 2007.

Meanwhile, UMA is working with Spader to modify the 20 Group concept so it can be adapted to and used by much smaller operators.

Initially dubbed 20 Group Lite, the program is likely to consider virtual meetings or Web-based meetings, eliminating the travel costs that conventional 20 Group meetings require.