Lumberman’s Convention with EVP Dix
Hi Members & Industry Supporters –
In February, I had the opportunity to attend the South Dakota Retail Lumber Association’s Convention in Sioux Falls. Last Fall, SDHBA was contacted by the Lumberman’s Association and invited to attend and we were asked to help promote their continuing education opportunities. President Tony Kneeland and I attended on behalf of the South Dakota Home Builders. It was great to see several familiar faces and meet so many new friends!
The gathering began on a Tuesday evening with a social event at Great Shots, a golfing experience. What a fun time! I was pleasantly surprised to walk in and see a handful of our SDHBA members also attending the event. I was quickly introduced to Lonnie Lambertus, who had originally reached out. It was a treat to finally meet him after only email and phone calls for several months. I spent much of the evening rotating among the crowd and growing connections. At one point, Tony and I did join a group to take a few golf swings…. I will stick to the passing beverages from the drink cart out of the golf course!! I think Tony had a pretty good time!
At the convention, the Tri-State Association of Building Material Suppliers hosted a vendor fair, primarily for lumberyard professionals to meet and connect with the suppliers and materials dealers. I enjoyed a little time walking through the vendor event and chatting with several vendors. The South Dakota Home Builders Association did not host a vendor booth space, so in essence, we didn’t “pay to play.” Because of that, my goal was much more to connect and learn about the event versus pushing membership. I did have a few individuals’ inquiry about joining the opportunities available. There were three individuals that I spoke with directly about membership. All three of their companies were connected with the HBASE office due to the location of their businesses.
After walking the vendor floor, I sat in on the contractors education continuing education course led by John Miller of Minnesota. The first part of the class focused the room on thinking about working on their business, and not only just in it. They went through individualized SWOT analysis and discussed several aspects related to small business marketing.
On the second day of the convention, my morning began by listening in on the professional panel discussion for students from across the tri-state region. There were two sessions held for students. The one I sat in on had roughly 80 students, and the as the second group came in, it seemed to be about the same number of students filling the room. It was refreshing to listen to the students’ questions – they were eager and excited to be there. I met with one group from Iowa Lakes that were gearing up to attend the International Builders Show! We had a fun chat about what ways their students can be more involved with their area HBA. During the luncheon, several of the students received scholarships as they continue their education. It was a fun celebration to witness.
Also, during the luncheon, the SD Retail Lumber Association celebrated members who have been involved in their industry for 40 years. I was delighted to be able to celebrate Dave Viall reaching this milestone in his career! Congratulations, Dave!
The South Dakota Home Builders have been invited back next year for their 105th Annual Convention in 2025.
