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8 PalletCentral • January-February 2023 palletcentral.com INSIDENWPCA NWPCA Announcements and Upcoming Events Where's the Pallet? B e one of the first five to respond with the correct answer, and we'll send you a $10 Starbucks card. All you have to do is find the pallet (NWPCA logo) image inside this edition. Drop an email to aferri@palletcentral.com with the number on the image and which story inside this edition was your favorite. That's it! We'll share our winners in the next edition. Thanks to last month's winners who found the pallet image labeled "2007" on page 39, hiding in ice: Jimmy Wilson, PalletOne; Joe Movic, Pallet Alliance; Elaine Yoder, Walnut Grove Packaging; Marlin Kauffman, Pennyrile Pallets; and Jason Kaiser, Palleton. The stories on "Workplace Cold Stress," "Forward Thinking-Member Forecasts," and "The Pallet Foundation's Amazing Race" were their favorites. Registration On Record Pace; Exceeds 600 for Upcoming ALC T he NWPCA 2023 Annual Leadership Conference (ALC) is almost here, and we're excited to announce that, at press time, over 600 people have registered for this year's conference, and the exhibit hall sold out in December. is year's ALC theme is "Embrace Uncertainty, Supercharge Results." We hope you'll join us in Fort Worth from March 1-3 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel. Watch your email for conference updates, or visit PalletCentral.com. Barford Talks Nature's Packaging to Appalachian Lumbermen's Club N WPCA's Senior Director of Business Partnerships, Mark Barford, spoke to the Appalachian Lumbermen's Club in Greensboro, NC, during their monthly gathering with over 100 in attendance. Mark updated on the industry and emphasized the strong demand for pallet lumber and hardwood lumber. e pallet industry consumes about 40% of the total production of hardwood lumber. Mark highlighted the work of the Pallet Foundation's Nature's Packaging® program and how it promotes wood as the most environmentally friendly packaging material. is effort corresponds well with the hardwood industry's new Real American Hardwood campaign to reach customers about the many advantages of using hardwood. Mark emphasized in his presentation the ongoing efforts for the lumber and pallet industry to continue working together and to promote wood. NWPCA Participated in CMA Conference I n January, the Council of Manufacturing Association (CMA) winter conference took place in Baltimore with NWPCA staff attendance and participation. Brent McClendon, President & CEO, participated on stage for a Family Feud game on leadership. Brent said, "It was a fun and creative way to help train association executives on the importance of strategic board meetings." e CMA brings together 200 manufacturing trade association executives for discussion and presentations on disruptive trends and technologies impacting the manufacturing industry. NWPCA Welcomes Carr to Staff; Celebrates Mexico Expansion W e are thrilled to announce that Hilary Carr, PhD, has joined NWPCA as Senior Director, Mexico & LATAM. Hilary will be responsible for strengthening communications and further growing the sector in Mexico. Hilary was previously an independent contractor for the Pallet Foundation and the Softwood Export Council (SEC), where she worked on the "Wooden Pallet Industry in Mexico" for the SEC during her time with the Idaho Trade & Investment Office in Mexico. Hilary was the staff lead for the NWPCA Mexico conference in Monterrey and is the primary staff liaison for the association's Chapter (Capítulo) in Mexico. "I'm excited to join NWPCA," says Hilary. "e organization is at a crucial point in its growth and expansion into Mexico – I look forward to helping it continue its success." After a record-high membership year in 2022 (724 member companies), we began 2023 with renewals in full swing. Thank you to those who have already renewed their memberships. We look forward to continuing to work for you and your business in the coming year. Our "Year in Review" on the following pages highlights some achievements and milestones, and provides a look into the coming year. We appreciate you and your trust in us! Please get in touch with our staff any time you need additional assistance.

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