From the Editor

“So whatever happens in Vegas, may it do nothing but fuel us to make the next industry event even better.” What Happens in Vegas

Ijust finished packing for my first trade show in 16 months-AWFS Fair in Las Vegas! Of course, by the time you read this, the show will be behind us. But it’s a little insane to think about what’s happened in the last year, year and a half. As I prepared the regular necessities—comfortable shoes, business cards, a spacious bag for all the swag—one very important word continued to come to mind: relationships. And that has stayed top of mind. This past year I’ve been lucky to learn the ins and outs of the industry from many of our readers and supporters, and I am so grateful for that. I’ve shared calls and

Zoom meetings with professionals who have spent the better part of their careers submerged in this industry, and the one thing they’ve all had in common is how much they value their relationships—with customers, employees and suppliers alike. To be candid, the weeks leading up to the event were full of excitement and a little bit of uncertainty. “What’s the show going to be like? How are people going to respond? What will the turnout be like?” I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. But as we got closer, the feeling of uncertainty began to fade. Perhaps it’s because we just closed up the issue and I had wrapped up a few really awesome conversations, for example, my call with Nathan from MJB Wood. We talked a lot about material shortages and how the pandemic has played a huge part in some of the challenges the industry is facing with availability. But at the end of the day, he explained, “In this industry, partnerships and relationships are so important and that is what will get us through these difficult times.” Read what else Nathan had to say about material availability on page 22. No matter what happens this week, no matter the turnout, I’m confident that relationships will be made and reignited—because that’s just how our industry is designed. We thrive on live events and it’s been way too long.

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is such a familiar saying, but as I crossed state lines into Nevada, my plan was to take away as much as I can from this trip. I want to build relationships that will continue to shape this publication into the industry resource you’ve looked up to for years, and will continue to look up to for years to come. So whatever happens in Vegas, may it do nothing but fuel us to make the next industry event even better. I can’t wait to share my experience with all of you in the next issue and I hope to see many of you as the industry starts looking forward to in-person events again. Safe travels to all of you!!

Stephanie Ornelas, Editor

STEPHANIE ORNELAS | EDITOR | SURFACE & PANEL MAGAZINE SORNELAS@525MEDIAGROUP.COM | 714-486-2735