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The International Ombudsman Association (IOA) was officially formed in July 2005 following the merger of the University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA) and The Ombudsman Association (TOA). IOA is the largest international association of professional organizational Ombudsmen practitioners in the world, representing more than 500 members from the United States and across the globe.

The Association supports organizational Ombudsmen worldwide working in corporations, universities, non-profit organizations, government entities and non-governmental organizations. Building on the traditions of TOA and UCOA, IOA offers a full roster of professional training and education programs for the practicing ombudsman professional and those interested in learning about our practice. In addition, the association works to support and promote the profession through strategic partnerships and communication with government agencies and other professional organizations as appropriate.

 

Chronology of Organization Names – COA, TOA, UCOA and IOA

1982-1986: Corporate Ombudsman Association (COA) founded in 1982 and incorporated in 1986 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Source: IOA Board Handbook, History of TOA (2006).

1984: University and College Ombudsman Association (UCOA) incorporated October 24, 1984 in the state of Illinois.
Source: Carolyn Stieber, UCOA: “Some Historical Highlights,” Ombuds News, February 2002.

1992: UCOA voted to change its name to University and College Ombuds Association “for the purposes of gender neutrality.”
Source: Carolyn Stieber, UCOA: “Some Historical Highlights,” Ombuds News, February 2002.

2005: International Ombudsman Association was formed in July 2005 following the merger of the University and College Ombuds Association (UCOA) and The Ombudsman Association (TOA).
Source: IOA website, last visited April 22, 2008.

The Board determined that it was an inopportune time to explore a name change for IOA given the fact that the newly merged organization had just been formed and the Board needed to help IOA navigate a transition after the dissolution of its management company. As such. IOA distributed a survey to its members in early 2006 to gather feedback on the topic.
 

Those who completed the survey expressed a preference for a name for the Association that included :

Ombuds - 54%
Ombudsman - 46%

Those who completed the survey preferred that the organization be named as follows:

International Ombudsman Association - 47%
International Association of Organizational Ombuds -15%
Association of Organizational Ombuds - 21%
International Association of Ombuds Professionals - 18%

The results of the survey were thus inconclusive.

In March 2006, the Board decided to retain the current name and to present the survey results at the April 2006 Annual Business Meeting at the Annual Conference. This occurred and a discussion with membership of the survey and name was held in a Town Hall format at the Annual Conference as well. The Board determined in October 2006, given IOA’s numerous priorities and the flawed survey, not to reconsider the name of IOA.