December 23, 2023

The International Surface Fabricators Association (ISFA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marissa Bankert as its new executive director. Bankert replaces Nancy Busch, who resigned in August.

Previously the executive director of Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) of Pennsylvania, Bankert has been an innovator in continuing education, apprenticeship and workforce development. She is passionate about driving organizational growth and building momentum by enabling financial solvency through dynamic partnerships while increasing member engagement, developing resources and creating new training programs.

Bankert is the immediate past president of the central Pennsylvania chapter of The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). She serves on the boards of Partnership for Career Development and Big Brothers Big Sisters of York & Adams Counties, in addition to working on committees for various workforce development organizations.

“I am delighted to join and lead the ISFA team,” said Bankert. “The association is positioned to achieve amazing things in the coming years, and I look forward to building upon its foundational successes. Just in the short time I’ve been with the association, I’m impressed to discover the enthusiasm of everyone involved, from the board of directors to each member — all of whom are fervent about driving success across the entire manufactured surfacing industry.”

Throughout her career, Bankert has grown to love organizational leadership after entering association management as a community ambassador and working through several roles before becoming an executive director. She is dedicated to improving and implementing structure and alignment, thereby increasing the success of all stakeholders, from the membership to the staff. Before joining ISFA, she increased membership, engagement, funding, the association’s reach, staff and partnerships. She has implemented new governance and policy, created a pre-apprenticeship program for high school students and others interested in the electrical trade, and thereby increased the overall visibility of the association.

In 2023, Bankert was named Executive Director of the Year by IEC National, and her chapter was also named Chapter of the Year. In 2022, she was awarded STEM Advocate of the Year by the Whitaker Center. In 2021, she was named one of Central Penn Business Journal’s Women of Influence and an Emerging Leader by the NAWIC.

“Marissa comes to ISFA with a wealth of knowledge and expertise that will drive growth and opportunity for the association and its membership,” said Austin Maxwell, ISFA president. “In just a short time, she has proven to be an adept leader and strategist, and there is no doubt that she will advance ISFA to achieve great things in the coming years.”

Photo credit: International Surfacing Fabricators Association