WMIA was founded in 1978 by seven visionaries who wanted to make the North American woodworking industry more productive and globally competitive. The founding members of the WMIA were Edwin Bass (Holz Machinery Corp.), Richard Byrnes, Sr. (Richard T. Byrnes Co.), Alvin Corenblum (Woodworking Machinery Imports), Roger Criau (Danckaert Woodworking Machinery Co.), Edward Joel (Allwood Machinery, formally Amersaag), Peter Kleinschmidt (Stiles Machinery Co.), and Bert Lewyn (Lewyn Machinery).
In 1980, these leaders organized and launched the World Woodworking Expo, a trade show created to showcase its members and their imported woodworking machinery. In 1982, that show was consolidated into the International Woodworking Fair (IWF), now the premier woodworking industry event in North America. WMIA co-sponsors and co-owns IWF in conjunction with the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America (WMMA).

Richard Byrnes
1978-1982

Roger Criau
1982-1984

Robert Perez
1984-1986

Peter Kleinschmidt
1986-1988

Ingrid Volk
1988-1990

George Force
1990-1993

John Derda
1993-1995

Richard Bass
1995-1997

Riccardo Azzoni
1997-1999

Rand Robinson
1999-2001

Heinz Schmidt
2001-2003

Scott Twichell
2003-2005

Giordano Checchi
2005-2007

Tom Reisert
2007-2009

David Rothwell
2009-2011

John Benjamin Henderson
2011-2013

John Park
2013-2015