Greetings, everyone! Well, the time is quickly approaching for AWCI’s Convention & INTEX Expo in New Orleans, Oct. 17–20, and I hope you are planning to attend. I am pleased to see the great response from manufacturers and vendors that have agreed to showcase at the INTEX Expo and are ready to meet with you.
As I write this article, AWCI staff and some of our industry leaders just met and completed our first formal strategic planning meeting in several years. CEO Michael Stark and the staff wanted to listen and learn from membership. A group of 12 members, representing voices from all sectors with a variety of association history and experience, worked hard over the two-day session.
Our independent meeting facilitator was surprised how quickly we got to work and came to consensus on the priorities for AWCI. Split into three working groups, the meeting’s members discussed association goals over the next few years, and all three groups came to virtually the same conclusions. Advocacy, raising and advancing our industry, networking (relationship-building) and exposure to innovation and technology were top of mind.
There are several bullet points under each of these objectives. Even though the bigger goal of the association may be consistent year-over-year, tactics can change, and that drove much of the conversation. We also discussed tools to measure our success in each category—important to ensure we “hit the mark” and make necessary adjustments.
I want to point out that this meeting took place because we want to service our industry more effectively, not because the association is broken. It is encouraging to me that we are willing to challenge tradition to advance AWCI in an ever-changing world. We want to build on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. These are signs of a healthy organization.
We still have a lot to do before finalizing this plan, and work on its execution will be a topic of discussion over the next few months. I am excited by how many of these initiatives are advanced by a capable staff and enthusiastic volunteers. Working together, we can make a lasting impact for future generations.
See you in New Orleans!
Shawn Burnum is the 2021–2022 president of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry and vice president of operations at Performance Contracting, Inc. in Lenexa, Kan.
