MSRLPC President George Hamilton summed up this year’s MSR Workshop in three simple words: quality time together.
“The Workshop has always been centered on networking and education but this year’s event was particularly focused on the opportunity for people to enjoy some casual face time while sharing information with and learning from each other,” he explains. “We held it in San Antonio for the first time this year, and it was the best-attended event we’ve had in over a decade. The response was very positive.”
The MSR Workshop is a three-day event that prides itself on bringing together the right people in the industry for a valuable lumber learning experience each spring. This year did not disappoint.
Dan Uskoski of Metriguard believes the best feature of the Workshop is that “it’s a collection of a wide variety of knowledge, all in one room that slices the industry from every angle imaginable.” A veteran Workshop attendee, Dan knows that “if your question can’t be answered by someone in this audience, at least someone will know who knows the answer.”
The benefit of this type of networking is evident to newcomers as well. Dwight Joslin of Teal Jones, who enjoyed his first Workshop experience this April, observed that “meeting and socializing within the industry and the wealth of knowledge from each other” is what made it worth the trip. Doug Ready from Wick Buildings, another first-timer, agrees. “The Workshop is unique from other events because it’s specific to MSR,” he explains. “Having all of the content focused on a product that I know I’m using and I need to learn more about makes it a really valuable use of my time. Plus, I knew that everyone I talked to would be someone I could potentially do business with in the future.”
After almost 30 years in the industry, CJ Sullivan of Seaboard International Forest Products decided to attend his first Workshop this spring because he had heard so much about the quality networking the event provides. “I knew I would get a chance to connect with customers as well as a handful of others I do business with all in one place rather than having to make several trips across the country,” says CJ. “I really enjoyed that I could do that – and meet new people – in a more controlled, casual setting. I preferred it to a large tradeshow where there is so much going on it can be hard to get anyone’s attention. I definitely hope to attend again next year.”
Phil Staples from Wood Tech, Inc., a component manufacturing plant in Michigan, also enjoyed the more casual opportunity to network. Phil says last year’s Workshop in Salt Lake City was his first and he found it very beneficial. “It was good to see familiar faces this year,” he says. “Networking was the biggest benefit for us – it’s always good to make connections and understand my options.”
Education is a key part to the take-home value of this event as well and attendees have come to rely on the quality information provided in the breakout sessions. John Branstetter of Vaagen Brothers Lumber/Wildwood Trading Group says he likes the format of the workshop. “The diversity of topics and speakers is excellent,” he says. “There is a lot of information packed into a couple of days, yet plenty of time to network.”
“The best part of the sessions was getting to see the broad strokes of the different facets of the industry,” agrees CJ. “We got to hear from economists, foresters, logistics specialists, and component manufacturers. I was a fan of that.”
In addition to the chance to meet with a variety of people in the industry, Bill Nocerino of PotlatchDeltic said his favorite part of the Workshop was learning more about how MSR is used by component manufacturers. “The CM panel was especially helpful,” he says. “It was interesting to see the different applications of the product and the savings that can be achieved. That’s info we aren’t usually privy to.”
This year’s event also included its first official golf outing, a fascinating tour of a Toyota plant, and an informative brewery/distillery tour.
“The Workshop is definitely in growth mode, and we learned a lot this year about how to make the event even better in the future,” says George. “It’s exciting because, ultimately, being a larger group provides us with the opportunity to go nicer places and receive better service. Planning for next year’s Workshop is already underway!”
To learn more about the MSR Lumber Producers Council and its annual MSR Workshop, visit msrlumber.org.