Working for you, your business, your industry — NFBA
/ By Larry Edema, chair, NFBA board of directors
The NFBA Board of Directors exists to serve you, our members, and to advance the post-frame construction industry. Whether you are a builder, manufacturer, supplier, distributor or code and design professional, your efforts to promote and expand our industry are strengthened through participation in NFBA’s programs and initiatives.
Every year at this time we have a transition on the board of directors. We would like to thank these retiring board members for their service during their term as directors: Craig Covell of Everlast Roofing Inc., Sam Lamberth of National Barn Company LLC and Bruce Nystrom of MWI Components Inc. Their dedication, hard work and commitment to NFBA are greatly appreciated.
We would also like to welcome two new directors joining us for their three-year term on the board: Randy Lang of Precoat Metals and Neal Shunk of Weyerhaeuser. Randy will be serving on the Membership Committee, and Neal on the Post-Frame Market Initiative Program Development Committee.
We are excited to announce that John Ryan has joined NFBA in the role of director of market development. John brings an extensive background in marketing and will be responsible for setting the direction for the Post-Frame Market Initiative. He most recently served as manager of marketing, eastern region, for RSM McGladrey Inc., developing strategic marketing platforms to increase brand recognition and drive growth of key markets. Prior to working with McGladrey, John spearheaded analysis to determine effective targeting and led creative agencies to develop successful marketing communications at Morgan Stanley and Discover Financial Services. John joined the NFBA team on April 16. Welcome aboard, John!
The Technology and Research Committee is hard at work on two projects of great significance for post frame:
▶ Design data for steel-clad, wood-framed diaphragms and shear walls: This two-phase project is intended to develop the code-recognized standard design methods, detailing and data necessary to bring post frame into the structural engineering mainstream. In phase 1, five commonly constructed shear wall assemblies are being tested. In phase 2, the shear strength and apparent shear stiffness of five common constructions of steel-clad, wood-framed diaphragms under monotonic loading will be experimentally measured. When we have values for both shear wall and diaphragm assemblies, we will be in a position to develop tables to be used in building design specifications.
▶ Post-frame fire-wall variations: NFBA will be contracting with Underwriters Laboratories for engineering studies to assess the impact of design changes on the current 3-hour-rated fire-wall assembly. The objective is to develop clearly defined alternative assemblies that maintain the existing 3-hour rating so wood-frame fire-wall assemblies can be used more widely.
Planning is under way for our 2013 Frame Building Expo, “Building Opportunity: Advancing Your Business,” to be held February 20–22 in Memphis, Tenn. The Convention Planning Committee expects to provide members with rich opportunities for education in three tracks: construction practices, sales and marketing and management, leadership and operations.
We listened to the feedback you gave us in the NFBA Member Newsletter Satisfaction Survey conducted in January and are pleased to announce significant improvements to the NFBA member e-newsletter. The newsletter in its new format was launched April 19 and is distributed to members weekly (instead of biweekly), arriving in members’ in-boxes every Thursday.
The newsletter is now managed by MultiBriefs — an association-branded, electronic news publisher with more than 150 association clients, many of them trade associations. A content specialist identifies the most relevant industry news items for NFBA. We now offer, in addition to NFBA updates, enhanced focus on the areas you identified as of greatest interest: construction trends, wood and lumber, building products and technical and research projects. The newsletter remains an exclusive member benefit. In addition to being e-mailed to members, issues are posted and archived in the Members Only section of the NFBA website. If you are an NFBA member and are not currently receiving the newsletter, please e-mail info@nfba.org or call NFBA Member Services at 800-557-6957 to subscribe.
Members’ submissions to the newsletter are encouraged. E-mail photos or news items (about a business accomplishment or a chapter event, for instance) to info@nfba.org. In addition, MultiBriefs sells advertising for this publication. If you would like to have your business or products featured with links to your company’s website, please e-mail info@nfba.org for a media kit. NFBA members receive a 10 percent discount on any ad space they purchase.
Please watch the newsletter and website for announcements of upcoming events through the summer and fall at your local chapters. Executive director Jeff Henry and I will be attending as many of these events as we can.
Strategic plan
I also wanted to give an update on NFBA’s strategic plan. The strategic plan has four primary areas of focus: the Post-Frame Market Initiative, membership, the accreditation program and technical resources. The second half of 2012 will see high activity in these areas.
▶ The Post-Frame Market Initiative: The program will continue to build on the momentum established during the past two years. Efforts will focus on education of architects and engineers. Harvey Manbeck, Ph.D., P.E., will continue to conduct the highly successful webinar series, including his informative presentation “Introduction to Post-Frame Building Systems,” and NFBA will maintain its presence at industry trade shows. Our research arm will continue to develop the tools and information required to bring post frame to the masses.
▶ Membership: Advances have already been made in the area of member benefits. In March 2012 NFBA partnered with Avenue M, an association market research firm, to conduct a membership assessment survey among post-frame builders. Avenue M surveyed builders on their “awareness of,” “satisfaction with,” and “utilization of” NFBA member benefits; their expectations of NFBA membership; and ways that NFBA can better help their business. In addition, Avenue M surveyed nonmember builders to gauge their understanding of NFBA and their business needs. The information obtained from the survey will be used to explore ways to deepen NFBA’s relationship with prospective and current members. New programs and services will be evaluated and we will launch new vehicles to build engagement and value for our members. We are grateful to all who participated in this survey. As a result of your feedback, we have the data required to enhance our offerings to better serve you and continue to advance the post-frame industry.
▶ Accreditation: The accreditation program is an important part of NFBA’s offerings. Being an accredited builder proves one’s professionalism and demonstrates a commitment to key areas of corporate responsibility, including ethical business practices, safety and education. The NFBA Accredited Builder Program will undergo a thorough assessment in the coming months. The board will review the criteria for achieving accreditation as well as the program’s marketing strategies.
▶ Technical Resources: We will be working hard to reaffirm NFBA’s position as the industry’s source for technical information. We aim to develop a comprehensive set of standards and specifications for the materials, design and construction of post-frame buildings. The first step, the identification and cataloging of existing standards and specifications, will be completed in the fall of 2012.
We are proud to announce that The Post-Frame Advantage: An Engineered Wood Building System, which NFBA released in the summer of 2011, won a Bronze Award in the Association Media and Publishing 2012 EXCEL awards program in the category of special reports.
This promotional publication, part of the Post-Frame Market Initiative, serves to educate architects and building decision makers on the benefits of choosing post frame. The guide features a colorful photo gallery of commercial, institutional and residential buildings and covers these key advantages of post-frame construction: versatility, cost-effectiveness, durability and sustainability. Members may receive a free copy of the guide by visiting NFBA’s Online Store at www.nfba.org or by e-mailing info@nfba.org. This is a great marketing tool that demonstrates the value and beauty of post-frame construction to your customers.
We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and honored to be your partners in the important work carried out by NFBA. Thanks, as always, for your efforts.
Edema is chair of the NFBA Board of Directors and assistant sales manager for Wick Buildings.
