The fact my picture is on this page and I am filling this space with my thoughts is a great honor. As your president and a member of the AWCI Executive Committee, I have worked with four association presidents and have had the pleasure of interacting with many other of our (and the industry’s) leaders over my 20-some years of involvement with the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry. So I am writing this because I became engaged in this great association, through this exposure and the influence of many other involved members.
On page 40 is our annual interview with the new president, “Clarion Call.” From reading the article, you will understand my steadfast position on education and the benefits I and others have gained from the opportunities in the association. I issue a challenge to our membership to also become engaged.
We all have many, many challenges ahead, but by becoming engaged as a group we can collectively overcome these challenges, and AWCI provides this platform.
A good opportunity to get involved, of course, is at AWCI’s Industry Executives’ Conference & Committee Week in Tucson, Ariz., in the fall, and in the spring at AWCI’s Convention & INTEX Expo 2011.
While the program for the fall conference is under development, we anticipate having two great general sessions: one will focus on how to document and recover loss productivity caused by the actions of the general contractor or others, and the other one focuses on financial benchmarking.
I am also pleased to announce that AWCI’s Convention & INTEX Expo 2011 has been relocated to the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. We have had great success with this venue in 2004 and 2008.
I look forward to my upcoming duties and travels, especially because I will get to know more of our members. My wife Cassie and I look forward to seeing you this fall in Tucson, Ariz., for the AWCI Industry Executives’ Conference & Committee Week and, of course, in Las Vegas in the spring. I am especially hopeful to see some renewed participation in the numerous activities offered through the AWCI.
In addition to being AWCI’s 2010–2011 president, Brent Allen is vice president of Compass Construction in Columbus, Ohio.
