Well, I just returned from the SBCA Open Quarterly Meeting in Las Vegas. It was almost historical. This was the first time that I can remember the OQM being in Las Vegas. It seems a place that has a way of drawing greater attendance for any event and this was true for the OQM.
A great time was had by all and a lot of solid discussion occurred. We had all of the regular attendees in addition to several first time attendees. I arrived early on Tuesday for a round of golf with a few industry leaders. It was a bit windy, but we all had fun and had the chance to speak in a less formal atmosphere. The discussions were wide ranging…..as were many of my tee shots. It was all good and primed us for the meetings to come.
The dinners were also fantastic. SBCA President, Jack Dermer, arranged for the group to enjoy wonderful meals at wonderful restaurants. Some of us might have over consumed. TPI members split the tab for the drinks and we all learned something. The bar tab grows with each meal in Las Vegas.
The meetings were insightful and the many first timers remarked about how much they learned from the discussions. Most were happy to hear that the committee for the new bracing standard is going to pause and enter discussions with a broader group before continuing. This is important to everyone in the industry. The wrong direction could impact component manufacturers, plate suppliers, and installers alike. Jack Dermer led the charge to slow the process and gather more input. In the end, everyone lined up with Jack and we now have a direction that we can move toward…together.
First time attendee, Apex Industries from Virginia, provided a lot of input. There are is a group of bright, young people in our industry. Jared Dix of Apex is one of them and has shown his desire to be a leader in getting more young people into the industry. His ideas are thrilling to everyone. Jared is going to produce videos to entice and enlighten young people. His thought is that we have to reach out to young people in a different way. This was reinforced by others stating that we need to change the format of the meetings to keep younger people engaged. Josh, from California TrusFrame, remarked that all of the statistics and line items should be sent electronically and not reviewed in monotonous detail at the meeting just to fill time. BRAVO! Someone finally said what many of have thought for a long time. We must figure out a way not only to get more young people involved but also to keep them engaged.
First time attendees from Utah and Texas, A Truss and Longhorn Truss, engaged in the conversations almost immediately. Everyone felt comfortable and everyone’s views were respected and discussed as valid ideas. There were a number of discussions about regional issues that turned out to be similar problems occurring in other parts of the country. These are the kind of things that we need to know about as an industry. Individuals think something might be a local issue until the discussion begins and we learn that something similar is happening in another area. It was great!
One of the highlights for me was the announcement of a new award. With the recent passing of Dwight Hikel and in remembrance of his altruistic nature, the association created the Dwight Hikel Humanitarian Award. It may not be an annual award. It is going to recognize a member who exhibits the values that Dwight lived by his entire life. Someone who gives back to the community and never does so for self-gain or recognition. This is how Dwight lived. He gave a lot, not only to his community but many others as well. Dwight is the guy who got me, SBCA, and many others involved with Operation Finally Home. It has been extremely rewarding for all. It will be a high bar to be measured against, but Dwight set a standard that we should all try to achieve and this award is a small way to honor a great man.
Another award that I didn’t know existed is the Barry Dixon Award. Apparently, I set a new indoor world record and received recognition. If you want to know more about this award, you will have to attend the next OQM in Baltimore, MD.
It was by far one of the most interesting meetings we have had in a long time. Many of the attendees stayed over for another day or two either for recovery and to complete the Las Vegas Experience. In my opinion, Las Vegas should become a permanent location for one OQM each year. High attendance, lots of discussion, and lots of fun. Those sound like good reasons to return.