The Development of the Truss Plate, Part VI: An Industry Established Joe Kannapell, PE On July 5, 1960, in a marathon session, a dozen entrepreneurs set standards for a brand new industry, and, in the process, met a government deadline. These early truss plate adopters came well-prepared and didn’t hesitate to make far-reaching decisions. Fortunately, they left a detailed... Read More January 2023 Issue #15282 Page 10
In Memoriam: In Memory of a Machinery Master Joe Kannapell, PE Pat Linton was a MiTek original, like none other, with his hands on and his arms around MiTek equipment for 44 years. He led by example, with the utmost humility, and was a key player in elevating MiTek machinery from mediocrity to magnificence. And his start, assembling two of the truss... Read More January 2023 Issue #15282 Page 86
The Development of the Truss Plate, Part V: Frenetic First Get-Together Joe Kannapell, PE Twelve competitors faced one another for the first time—but only because they had to. Each of their fledgling plate businesses was threatened by a July 31 deadline from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and they had less than three weeks to put together a design criterion for... Read More December 2022 Issue #14281 Page 10
The Development of the Truss Plate, Part IV: Competition Intensifies Joe Kannapell, PE After Cal Jureit’s impressive debut at the 1958 NAHB Show, lumberyards and builders across America were anxious to start trussing, but they encountered several obstacles. Their deluge of inquiries couldn’t all be answered, and most were far away from the South Florida source of... Read More November 2022 Issue #14280 Page 10
The Development of the Truss Plate, Part III: The Ingenuity of Carol Sanford and Cal Jureit Joe Kannapell, PE Carol Sanford’s invention didn’t equal Cal Jureit’s, but he made up for it with his head start and his aggressive marketing. Sanford had filed for his patent in March 1954, two years ahead of Jureit’s September 1956 filing, and had a plate design that was relatively... Read More October 2022 Issue #14279 Page 10
Building a 100-Year Company Michael Fagan On September 20, A-1 Industries, a leading manufacturer of pre-engineered wood trusses in the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean, celebrated our 45th anniversary with the launch of a new corporate video and a special day of appreciation for our employees at the Fort Pierce, FL and... Read More October 2022 Issue #14279 Page 102
The Last Word: The Last Word on The First Trade Show Joe Kannapell, PE After this year’s BCMC, it’s worth considering how far our industry has progressed since we first went to a trade show. The year was 1958, and the National Association of Home Builders Show (NAHB now IBS) was the only way to reach a national audience. Fortunately, we had one... Read More October 2022 Issue #14279 Page 142
Advertiser Forum: Of Legacies and Emerging Leaders Anna Stamm All industries are filled with a colorful cast of characters — but it is how you remember them and how you learn from them that will make a difference in an industry’s continuing trajectory. In this month’s issue, we are able to remember a legend as we look forward to our... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 6
How to Build Strong Employer/Employee Relationships Don Groom Building a strong employer/employee relationship is probably one of the biggest challenges that leaders face in any organization. I have never met any manager or leader of any company who does not want to improve in this area. There are so many books, seminars, and other resource materials... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 66
In Memoriam: The Lasting Impression of Dickie Vail I am just one of many people who had the privilege of calling Richard “Dickie” Vail my friend. Working with him over the years as a recruiter at TheJobLine.com, while he was at Trussway and then at Panel Truss, I was always impressed with his exceptionally detailed questioning about... Read More March 2022 Issue #14272 Page 76