Another year has passed and while some of us experienced good times throughout 2004, others had a tough go of things. The important thing is that we survived, and we should be a little smarter for our experiences during the last 12 months. My congratulations go out to all of the members of the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industry for your hard work last year.
This year the economic experts express a fair bit of optimism about our industry. That was certainly the viewpoint at the McGraw Hill “Outlook 2005”executive conference that I attended with Steve Etkin, AWCI’s executive vice president and publisher of AWCI’s Construction Dimensions. The 2005 economic forecasts are related in the story that starts on page 42.
But while promising economic forecasts are nice to hear, that doesn’t mean we should just sit around and wait for them to come true. AWCI members should seriously consider creating a formal business plan, if they haven’t already.
Furthermore, members should check out their local AWCI chapter, and consider joining one of the association’s committees. It could help you learn what goes along with a business plan to becoming a better contractor.
At the same time, I hope you consider attending the AWCI Expo March 29–April 3 in Tampa, Fla. With 350 booths and 2,500 attendees, is a great opportunity to meet fellow members and learn more about our industry.
The staff at the AWCI, the executive committee and the board of directors wishes all of you a prosperous new year.
