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 trades, he had to keep moving, which was quite an adjustment, even for a military brat.
Norm first glimpsed his life’s work, like many more should today, on a high school field trip to Vaughn & Sons lumber yard and component plant in San Antonio, TX. Later, after trying college, he landed his first real job there in 1978, as an estimator, supporting the lumber salesmen. He was often asked to estimate materials from sketches drawn “on butcher paper,” requiring Norm to redraw plans, or base estimates on stock home designs. As he became more technically proficient, Norm was asked to move to the truss plant in the back of the Vaughn property, but he didn’t want to leave his customer-facing role. However, he accepted the challenge, quickly excelled in his design role, and mastered his use of the On-Line Data software.
In 1984, recognizing his technical expertise and sales potential, On-Line’s owners, Dan and Camilla Hurwitz, lured Norm away from Vaughn to promote the On-Line software nationwide, and that began Norm’s 40 highly successful years selling on the road. Norm skillfully helped convert On-Line’s users from remote design onto in-house computers, and greatly expanded it over nearly a decade. After On-Line was purchased by Robbins Engineering, Dick Marriott recruited Norm to lead MiTek sales in the Southwest, where he continued his commitment to serving his customers onsite, which he would do for the next 30 years in increasingly responsible positions. In his last position before retirement, as Executive Director, Major Accounts, Norm was charged with one of the most critical roles at MiTek, which required all his considerable talents, serving Builders FirstSource and its 100+ component plants.
Fundamental to Norm’s success was his continuous devotion to the component industry, which earned him the highest regard from industry leaders. He was honored nearly every year for being the top new member recruiter for the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA). In his penultimate year, Norm was inducted into the SBCA Hall of Fame, the industry’s highest honor. And even after this, Norm joined with seven other industry leaders in funding the SBCA Industry Foundation. Today, Norm continues to be active as a Trustee, and, undoubtedly, Norm will also remain active on the golf course, and will enjoy more time with his three daughters and three grandchildren.
All this great accomplishment came because Norm did something he initially didn’t want to do, he learned a trade, fortunately, in a great and growing component industry.
Norm McKenna (center) plus the other members of that day’s Second Place team at one of the many golf tournaments held by the local chapter, the Truss Manufacturers Association of Texas (TMAT)