Truss Tales

Stories and posts on the truss and components industry

Joe Kannapell, PE

Remembering a MiTek Warrior, Michael T. McMahon

Joe Kannapell, PE

Remote workers and road warriors should take a lesson from a master of both, autodidact Michael T. McMahon. Early in his 45-year career, while working in the Indian Country of North Dakota, he was inspired by another master, Chief Crazy Horse. “Hoka Hey” was his war cry at Little Big...

Joe Kannapell, PE

Learning This Building Trade

Joe Kannapell, PE

An industry stalwart has retired, and his journey is worth some reflection. Even though he didn’t want to, Norm McKenna learned component design. Then, he combined it with something he really wanted to do and parlayed that combination into a 46-year career. But, as with most other building...

Joe Kannapell, PE

Winning Partnerships

Joe Kannapell, PE

When Dave Chambers called me his partner in front of a customer 35 years ago, it gave me a feeling of empowerment I still remember to this day. Since then, I don’t recall many other owners extending the same courtesy to their non-owner employees. But, I believe that this concept of a...

Joe Kannapell, PE

Three-Generational Appeal of the Component Industry

Joe Kannapell, PE

That our industry has come of age was illustrated by the carful of its members that I drove to Camden Yards on August 13. We fans of the Washington Nationals ventured into the opposition Baltimore Orioles’ territory, bound for our SBCA Chapter’s annual ballgame meeting. With me was...

Search By Keyword