The 2022 MSR Workshop will take care of the details – all you have to do is show up!
“From production and grading, to sales and distribution, to end users putting MSR lumber to work on jobsites across North America, the MSR Workshop has always been about getting a variety of people involved in the supply chain in the same room so we can hear from one another, relate to one another,” explains Griff Jones.
As the driving force behind the first MSR Workshop in 1995, and an active leader and participant in the event ever since, Griff gets right to the heart of why to attend: “It’s always beneficial to connect with and listen to others, especially those who play roles in different parts of the process.”
The opportunity to listen and reconnect is right around the corner, as the MSR Lumber Producers Council prepares to host its first workshop since 2019. The event will convene on Wednesday, April 27, at the Courtyard by Marriott in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Making Connections That Make a Difference
The Workshop agenda has always included a well-focused mix of educational topics, tours, and meals together – a format designed to provide something for everyone and “encourage connectivity,” says Griff. “Half of the value of this event is the networking,” he explains. “I’ve always believed that keeping the group together for two days enhances the experience and that has proven to be true.” [For images, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
Kyle Gibbons can attest to that truth based on his first Workshop in 2016 in Minneapolis. “It was a very intimate workshop, not crowded with hundreds or thousands of people,” he remembers. “It was a diverse group of people in a classroom-style environment where you felt like you could get to know almost everyone. There was representation from all facets of the industry – from coast to coast – and the educational seminars were very tailored to what we do every day and shared value with everyone working in the industry.”
Kyle says that networking is the #1 reason he attends the Workshop and encourages others to as well. “I remember getting seated at dinner with people I might otherwise never have had the chance to talk to,” he says. “From my first exposure to the event, it snowballed and led me to want to get more involved in the MSR group.”
Griff and Kyle agree that it’s time to get together as an industry and reconnect in person, and both are looking forward to the opportunity to do so in beautiful Salt Lake City. “This year’s destination is unique – almost like a vacation spot versus a business hub,” says Kyle. “I’m looking forward to seeing the people we conduct business with every day, in person, for the first time in a long time.”
“Some conventions require a lot of work on the attendee’s part to network and maximize their time,” says Griff. “With the MSR Workshop, the whole agenda is laid out for you. Just show up and enjoy some focused time with a group that shares much in common and can learn a lot from listening to one another.”
For more information about the 2022 MSR Workshop, including educational topics and registration information, visit msrlumber.org/workshop. The deadline for early bird pricing is March 15.