Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1511664
6 PalletCentral • November-December 2023 palletcentral.com 2023 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 | nailscrews.com Vecoplan 336-861-6070 | vecoplanllc.com Viking Engineering & Development 800-328-2403 | vikingeng.com Board Officers Chair Nick Wenner, Pallet Service Corp. Chair-Elect Jeff Lewis, Atlanta Pallets & Services Past Chair Carolyn Beach-Skinner, Westside Pallet Secretary/Treasurer Hinton Howell, Cottondale Wood Products Director at Large LeRoi Cochran, 48forty Solutions President/CEO Brent McClendon, CAE Board of Directors Michelle Blizzard, Pallet Central Enterprises Henry Bowman, C&L Wood Products Kathleen Dietrich, Commercial Lumber & Pallet Justin Hegsted, Challenger Pallet & Supply Alex Jimenez, Jimenez Pallets Justin Kamps, Kamps, Inc. Bryan Kesting, Madison County Wood Products Ben Remmey, Remmey – The Pallet Company Lindsey Shean-Snowden, Pallet Logistics of America Beatrice Vasquez, Oxnard Pallet Company Scott Vipond, Girard Wood Products Associate's Representative Bruce Kennedy, Mid Continent Steel and Wire International Directors Mike Vrugteveen, Niagara Pallet & Recyclers Fernando Lopez Bello, Losifra, S.A. de C.V. T he leaves have come and gone. e temperatures have dropped. ese are signs that the seasons have changed and that another year has come and (just about) gone. I always take time during this season to review the year we've had, taking note of the successes, the challenges, and the lessons learned. is process invariably also highlights the many people whom I want to reach out to and thank for their contributions and show my appreciation. In 2023, NWPCA held a record number of events, each achieving a "sold-out" attendance level. Over 1,600 people attended NWPCA events, from Montreal to Mexico, Germany to Fort Worth, bringing us their ideas, participating on committees or conference panels, and openly sharing their needs, wants, and expectations for what we can do in 2024. We thank every one of you for your active participation and contributions to the success of these events, whether the meeting was a PDS workshop, a Washington D.C. Fly-In, or our large conferences in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. is past year also saw the association achieve a record membership level. More than 760 members in 40 countries now call NWPCA home. We unveiled two new versions of PDS, making it the world's most advanced pallet design system. Our advocacy program is unmatched, with an expanded footprint in Europe. I also use this time of the year to sit down with our staff and take inventory of the year we had, sharing with them my appreciation for their tremendous efforts and accomplishments. We then work as a team to fine tune our plan for 2024. I do not take it for granted that we have a phenomenal staff. Nor that we have a fantastic group of volunteers, a committed Board of Directors, and an outstanding group of Pallet Foundation Trustees, all working together, unified, strong, and optimistic about the future. Reviewing what happened in 2023 is essential as we work on our plans for 2024. e benefit of this review is we see how fortunate we are to have an engaged membership, a staff that is "all-in," and a clear and impactful strategic plan. is review also tells me that our best is yet to come. Happy anksgiving! Sincerely, Brent J. McClendon, CAE NWPCA President/CEO FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Taking Inventory. Saying Thanks. Preparing for 2024.