Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1311385
6 PalletCentral • November-December 2020 palletcentral.com Board Officers Chairman Frank Shean, PLA Holdings – Valley Pallet Chairman-Elect Mike Hachtman, Relogistics Services. Past Chair Jordan Piland, Atlas Pallets/A Div. of Williamsburg Millwork Corp. Secretary/Treasurer Carolyn Beach-Skinner, Westside Pallet Director at Large Nick Wenner, Pallet Service Corp. President/CEO Brent J. McClendon, CAE Board of Directors Peter Berry, Berry Industrial Michelle Blizzard, Pallet Central Enterprises Henry Bowman, C&L Wood Products Dominick Davi, Greenway Products & Services Kathleen Dietrich, Commercial Lumber & Pallet David Grimes, Pallet Resources of NC Bernie Kamps, Kamps, Inc. Bryan Kesting, Madison County Wood Products Jeff Lewis, Atlanta Pallets & Services Steve Mazza, S&B Pallet Joe O'Brien, Industrial Pallet Shane Thompson, WestWind Logistics Howe Wallace, PalletOne International Director Mike Vrugteveen, Niagara Pallet & Recyclers Associate's Representative Randy Panko, Wood-Mizer International Director Emeritus Jan Fredell, Fredells Travaru AB 2020 SEASON SPONSORS Kiln-Direct.com 910-259-9794 | kiln-direct.com Mid Continent Steel and Wire 800-867-6245 | magnumfasteners.com Pallet Machinery Group 540-644-9220 | palletmachinery.com Pendu Manufacturing 717-354-4348 | pendu.com Profile Technology 800-369-4242 | profiletech.com PRS Group 217-291-0009 | prsgroupinc.com Rotochopper 320-548-3586 | rotochopper.com Smart Products 800-401-0099 | smartproductsinc.com Smith Sawmill Service 800-598-6344 | smithsawmillservice.com Universal Fastener Outsourcing 800-352-0028 | 911-nails.com Viking Engineering & Development 800-328-2403 | vikingeng.com W hile the world around us may feel chaotic and divisive, one thing that we can generally agree upon is that sunrises and sunsets can be the most beautiful time of the day. They also turn out to be some of our most contemplative times. As this is my last article as your Board Chair for PalletCentral, I thought I'd use that theme to look back over the year and provide you with some glimpses into the year ahead. One of the great things about being Board Chair is that our service is built on the shoulders of those who came before us. It is also built on the framework of NWPCA's Strategic Plan, which you and all of our members helped develop. I encourage you to review the plan if you haven't in a while at www.palletcentral.com/AboutUs. Here's a snippet that guides your Board of Directors every year: "To assure the benefits of wood packaging are understood, and wood packaging is utilized as the solution of choice for securing and transporting the unit-load globally." This statement is followed by "NWPCA is recognized as the "go-to" resource for supportive research and expertise on the advantages of wood packaging" and that "NWPCA is a unifying voice for the global wood packaging industry." The association's work on COVID-19, getting ahead of a White House announcement on 'essential services,' ensured our members could continue operating. Our industry is a critical part of the supply chain. This designation and the high-profile role of pallets restocking grocery stores and providing supplies to healthcare workers elevated our sector like never before. The ongoing investments in the Pallet Design System™ (PDS) are expanding our unit load design capabilities and are keeping PDS as the cutting edge of industry technology. The Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) launched this year with the U.S. Forest Products Lab, and UL is an accomplishment to celebrate. The results establish wooden pallets as a leader of environmental stewardship and provide a tool for pallet users to measure their impacts. NWPCA had a strong 2020, and we needed the association to fight for us. For 2021, we will remain your advocate, domestically and globally, and will proactively deliver the strong environmental message of wood packaging in the supply chain. It has been my tremendous pleasure and honor to serve as your Board Chair this year. I leave the role even more inspired about our future. We have an amazing staff, active volunteer leaders, and a unified and strong membership. The sun is rising on this great industry. We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Sincerely, Frank Shean, PLA Holdings – Valley Pallet NWPCA Chairman FROM THE CHAIRMAN Sunrise, Sunset – My Year as NWPCA's Board Chair