The Most Rockin' Convention Yet was in Cleveland!

The National Hardwood Lumber Association held its 125th Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase September 21-23 in Cleveland, Ohio. Thank you to the premiere sponsor, Rossi Group. The NHLA Annual Convention is the best place for those in the hardwood industry - and those looking for a future in the hardwood industry - to come together to form new partnerships, strengthen existing business relationships, and discover the future of the industry.

The 2022 NHLA Annual Convention kicked off on Wednesday, September 21, with a welcome reception sponsored by Cascade Hardwood LLC, bringing together 1,000 hardwood industry professionals. The gathering was the perfect time to network with people in the industry and catch up with long-time partners. To give back to the hardwood community, Cascade Hardwood donated 3 guitars to be auctioned off to support three 501c3 organizations. One guitar raised $1,600 for the Hardwood Federation, another raised $1,400 for the North American Forest Foundation (NAFF), and the third raised $1,000 for the Inspector Training School Educational Foundation. (ITSEF).

Day two of the convention began with the Opening Session, sponsored by Classic American Hardwoods, Granite Valley Forest Products, Hardwood Industries Inc., and Mayfield Lumber. NHLA Chairman, Jeff Wirkkala, welcomed attendees and encouraged everyone to donate to the Real American Hardwood Coalition, saying, “The hardwood lumber industry is going to be a big part of the solution to a greener world.”

The keynote speaker was Chester Elton, author of best-selling leadership books “All In, The Carrot Principle” and “The Best Team Wins.” He delivered a rousing address offering solutions to the challenges of hiring quality employees and retaining them in the long run. Chester energized the crowd and said the three main strategies for attracting and retaining staff revolve around company culture, employee mental health, and gratitude.

The welcome reception sponsored by Cascade Hardwood LLC, brought together 1,000 hardwood industry professionals.

After the opening session, the Exhibit Showcase opened, featuring over 100 exhibiting companies. The exhibit hall was the place to be with live demonstrations, Bloody Mary Bars, Coffee Stations, Beer Booths, free lunch, and more.

Day two wrapped up with an after-hours private reception at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame sponsored by NWH. Convention attendees could tour the world-class venue, while networking with industry leaders as they enjoyed the displays, cocktails, and hors-d’oeuvres. NWH led a scavenger hunt at the Hall, offering prizes. They also held a silent and live auction for items like a PRS Private Stock Guitar, a Fender Guitar, an autographed “The Who” album, art, photos, and more. In total, about $30,000 was raised for the Real American Hardwood Coalition.

The third and final day of the Annual Convention featured NHLA Board Elections, where John Syre of Cascade Hardwood became the new Chairman of the National Hardwood Lumber Association.

Outgoing Chairman Jeff Wirkkala thanked NHLA members, staff, his wife, and family. Wirkkala received a standing ovation as he passed the gavel to John Syre.

The NHLA membership also elected as Vice Chairman, Bucky Pescaglia of MO PAC Lumber Company. Two board members officially retired: Bruce Horner of Abenaki Timber Corp and Jason Smith of Westbury Lumber Company.

Friday’s General Session, sponsored by Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance, featured an update from the Real American Hardwood Coalition (RAHC). They shared the latest steps they have taken in promoting North American hardwoods. RAHC showed an outstanding video portraying hardwoods as the healthiest and most sustainable choice. They also shared their new consumer-facing website, discussed how social media content creation will help to build the brand, and provided an update on fundraising efforts.

The Exhibit Showcase featured over 100 exhibiting companies and was the place to be with live demonstrations, Bloody Mary Bars, Coffee Stations, Beer Booths, free lunch, and more.

The NHLA Annual Convention presented a variety of educational topics. The first educational session was hosted by Nate Irby, the Executive Director of the Railway Tie Association. Nate shared an overview of the dynamics of the wood tie market. He also explained the entire scope of the tie sector, a line of sight into tie sawing solutions, and summarized the future demand for railway ties.

Advancements in Hardwood Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) was another education session that stood out. Sponsored by A.W. Stiles Contractors, Inc., the seminar was presented by an expert panel hosted by Dr. Henry Quesada, Assistant Director of Extension and Leader for the Agriculture and Natural Resources program at Purdue University. Panel members included Dr. Brian Bond from Virginia Tech, Tom Inman with AHMI, David Venables with AHEC, and Brant Cobb, an avid believer in CLT. In their session, they discussed how the hardwood lumber industry has excellent opportunities in the Cross Laminated Timber market.

Friday’s education sessions began with “Planes, Trains, and Supply Chains,” sponsored by Carbotech-Autolog. Dr. Tom Goldsby, Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, spoke about supply chain issues affecting the hardwood industry. Dr. Goldsby pointed out that a lack of labor availability and retention plays a significant role in the current bottlenecks we face regarding logistics.

The final education session was hosted by Mike Snow, the Executive Director of AHEC. It was sponsored by Kuehne + Nagel, Inc. Snow’s session, “Enhancing Access to Export Markets in a Time of Global Transformation,” covered the ways global climate change policies offer significant opportunities for hardwood exporters if they are prepared. Mike discussed export trends, outlined what a potential “jurisdictional certification” program might look like for the hardwood industry, and the steps AHEC has taken in that direction.

From exclusive receptions to big parties, everyone attending the 2022 Annual NHLA Convention had fun opportunities to network in a relaxed setting.

The convention ended in style with the “I Love Rock & Roll Gala.” Attendees celebrated three days of making new connections and strengthening existing relationships with top-notch celebrity impersonators, a dueling piano show featuring Elton John and Billy Joel look-alikes, dinner, and dancing. The party was sponsored by DV Hardwoods, Inc. and MO PAC Lumber Company.

During the Gala, the Inspector Training School Educational Foundation announced the winner of its 50/50 drawing. Tickets for the drawing had sold out, providing ITSEF with a $10,000 donation and one lucky winner a check for $10,000. ITSEF will use all of the raised money to improve the School and provide scholarships to worthy students.

As always, The NHLA Convention was a great time to catch up with fellow members, network with clients and potential clients, and learn from peers, speakers, and presenters.

THE 2023 NHLA ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXHIBIT SHOWCASE WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 4-6 AT THE OMNI HOTEL IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.