AWI Development Council

For most of the folks at Häfele America, this week is all about the Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago.

I, on the other hand, am conducting training with a new sales rep and am preparing for a neat new task next week.  I’ll begin the week traveling with yet another new-ish sales rep in Dallas, TX, but at the end of the week will don my new “AWI Development Council representative” hat for the first time.  (Actually, I believe that the hat is symbolic, but I’ll know for sure next week.)

AWI Chapter members have a representative to the Development Council from their chapter which is tasked to carry information both to the Council from the members, and back to the chapter; but my task as an “at large member representative” is to do the same for a small group of assigned “at large members”.     I’m trying hard not to that the “at large” title personally, but as a large man I’m a little sensitive about it.

Anyway, apparently “at large” members are members of National AWI but are in a geographic area where there is no AWI chapter, so as one of the “at large representative” I get to solicit comments and concerns from the at large members about AWI, so that I may communicate on their behalf at the upcoming Development Chapter meeting in Dallas Texas.

I’ve asked them specifically what things that they think that AWI can do to help them, and additionally I’d like to know how are familiar they are with the various AWI learning opportunities.  Yes, it’s a Trainer thing, but AWI has some awesome educational programs to help the members in the architectural millworkers business, but they have AIA approved Continuing Education Units that the members can conduct for the local architects in their area.

I sincerely look forward to the opportunity to learn more about the issues and concerns these AWI members have in regard to the value that AWI can bring to them and their business.

FYI: The Development Council meeting is in Dallas on May 3 & 4 and yes, there is brisket in my future.

Day two at the AWI convention, Charlotte NC

Today was another full and fun day at the convention. The first presenter was Dr. Henry Quesada-Pineda, and as I mentioned before, I am Emceeing this event and I’m reading Dr. Quesada’s name from a script, AND I’m dyslexic! Henry was kind enough to simplify his last name for me, and help me with the pronunciation. I’m not sure, but I think I mispronounced it anyway. Dr. Quesada is an assistant Professor at Virginia Tech and presented his ideas on both incremental and radical innovation as a strategy for change.

Following Dr. Quesada the next speaker addressed the topic of Green Manufacturing. Environmental Strategist Andrew Winston challenged us by sharing the strategies and tools that several top companies use to innovate and dare I say PROFIT in the greening of business. As Andrew shared some of the business benefits of sustainability I was inspired to drop a quick post on Facebook paraphrasing Gordon Gekko’s famous words: “Green is Good!”. Andrew is the author of “Green Recovery” and the co author of “Green to Gold”.

Following lunch, which featured the Standards of Excellence Awards to the creators of some outstanding architectural woodwork projects that were featured in issues of Design Solutions Magazine.

Following the awards lunch we enjoyed a panel discussion from three companies who have been brave enough to experiment with new ways of doing business. The panel was moderated by Stiles Machinery Inc’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Steve Waltman. Steve has been with Stiles for 29 years and has been actively involved in the woodworking industry since 1974 and actively involved with AWI since 1996. Steve is one of those guys that you know you’re going to like from the first handshake, and I’ve always been impressed by his calm and effective moderating style.

The panel itself consisted of:
Robert Pirrotti, President of Hollywood Woodwork, Inc. www.hollywoodwoodwork.com

Andrew Campbell, President of Eastern Millwork Inc.
www.easterncompanies.com

Greg Profido, Chief Operating Officer of Mark Richey Woodworking.
www.markrichey.com

The projects that these gentlemen shared with us were SPECTACULAR, and wouldn’t you know it, they are all utilizing green manufacturing strategies.

Our last stop of the evening was the President’s dinner at Charlotte’s Mint Museum, which oddly enough didn’t feature money. Well, I suppose indirectly it did. Special awards were given by AWI President Robert Stout, for everything from outstanding service within various chapters and to individuals for their contribution to AWI national activities, projects and councils. The winners of the Richard Petty Driving Experience were giving an award as well, and it was especially rewarding to see a special honorary lifetime membership award presented to Dan Snider. Seeing the honor and respect that is shown to the senior members of AWI by the other members is inspiring, and unfortunately something that is all to rare in our culture.

This was a very good day, and I know that Mike, John and I all had a wonderful time, and we are already talking about what we need to do over the next twenty or thirty years to earn one of those sweet lifetime memberships…

Here’s a few more pics from the Mint Museum.

Team Häfele tears up the track at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Häfele America Co. is one of the corporate sponsors at this years AWI convention, which is being held in Charlotte NC. If you know little else about North Carolina you should know three things:

1.) We eat sandwiches for breakfast made with biscuits, yet we never call them a breakfast sandwich.

2.) Though the Wright Brothers designed and built their airplane in Dayton Ohio, we still take credit for their first flight.

And 3.) We love NASCAR.

It’s with this understanding that you’ll get a sense of the excitement that we all felt when we learned that the team building event at this years AWI convention would be a night at the Richard Petty Driving Experience (RPDE) at Charlotte Motor Speedway!

One interesting fact about this evening was that this was the largest group ever to drive at the RPDE, with 20 cars on the track! They even had to fly in drivers and haul in cars just for our group. Normally they have eight or so cars on the track at a time, so obviously this was a big deal for them too.

Team Häfele consisted of Häfele’s own Mike Brewer and John Winslow, as well as Joshua Browning of Genbrook Millwork, Inc, Greene NY; Eric Henderson of IBM, Virginia Beach VA; Martin McCarthy of Precision Veneer, Brantford, ON; Bobbi Pelnar and Barry Schoening of Eggers Industries, Two Rivers, WI; and Deborah Sullivan of Creative Dimension Group, Fredericksburg, VA.

As Crew Chief Mike was asked to draw a number from a hat to determine the position our car would begin the race. Out of 20 positions Mike drew #20. The good news was there was no way we could finish the race any further back in their field!

Each team member took a turn in the car speeding around the track for five laps at over 100 mph! Our driver was a local driver who had a lot of recent wins under his belt, so we were confident that if we could get the car in and out of the pit quickly, the driver could hold our position on the track.

In the pit the team members had several responsibilities. When the car pulled in one team member used a brush to clean the bugs out of the front grill. One member cleaned the driver’s side of the windshield, another added water from a fuel can in a simulated refill, while another member used another container to capture overflow. The other team members focused on removing and reloading their team members from the car.

There was so much going on in the pit, and there was quite a learning curve to get the passengers latched into their five point safety harness. Obviously safety was the most important thing, so until everyone was back over the wall and the passenger was secured in place, the driver kept the car off.

Through all these efforts our car moved from 20th, to as far up as 9th place, before finishing in the 19th position.

Everyone had a great time, and in the end it was clear that the teamwork that was established in the pit made all the difference on the track.

We all look forward to the balance of the meeting as things move back indoors at the Westin in Charlotte, but memories of the track will stay with us for years to come.