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Team Networking, Partnerships and Camaraderie: Register Today for WIC 2009

Marriott's Sawgrass Resort & Spa will host WIC 2009 April 29 - May 2.

The 18th Annual Woodworking Industry Conference is set for April 29 - May 2 at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. WIC 2009 provides thought-provoking ideas, trends and industry information for the delegate to use in the everyday world of running a business. That world, however, is constantly changing. All of this means that your business and you need to adjust to a changing landscape. And, WIC 2009 will focus on many of those changes through:

• Team networking in educational workshops, industry forums, roundtables and panels

• Partnerships formed during contact table programs

• Camaraderie with old friends and new acquaintances under the perfect marriage of sun and a relaxing meeting environment.

Here is everything you need to know about the conference.

Distributors: Send Topic Suggestions for WIC Forum

WIC 2009 will once again feature a distributors forum -- time set aside for distributors to discuss common issues with their peers. Discussion topics will include stimulating business in today's economy and changing relationships with manufacturers and importers. If there are specific questions you would like addressed, please send them in advance to Carol Hannan.

Scholarship Application Deadline March 3

WMIA recently distributed posters, brochures and applications to promote the WMIA Educational Foundation Scholarship Program for 2009. We would appreciate you distributing these to your customers who might wish to display a poster in their plant. We suggest that you do not distribute the applications but rather have people contact Foundation Headquarters for the materials. If you would like additional brochures or posters, call (410) 628-1970. This is an opportunity to prove to your customers the active role your company is taking to improve the industry. All applications must be returned to WMIA headquarters by March 3, 2009.

PROFIT Survey Due March 1

By now you should have received a copy of WMIA's PROFIT Survey. The PROFIT Survey helps members benchmark their financial performance against industry averages. Participating firms receive an individual critique of their operation which lays out a specific plan for improving company financial results. This unique opportunity to get valuable information is available free of charge to WMIA members. Surveys must be returned by March 1, 2009. If you have questions, contact Carol Hannan.

Time to Pay Your Membership Dues

Your 2009 WMIA membership dues have been invoiced and are due upon receipt. Please make sure to pay promptly to insure your WMIA membership benefits are not interrupted. If you have questions, contact Carol Hannan.

Learning from Failure

To this day, I can recall with vivid detail the events of my most humiliating failure as a salesperson. It was early in my career, about three decades ago, and I had made the mistake of speaking badly about the competition to a customer. The customer was a personal friend of the competitive salesperson, and was personally affronted by my comment. The dressing down that I received at the hands of that customer remains painfully with me today. I don’t believe that I have ever made that mistake since. DETAILS

Never Again! Until the Next Time of Course: Thoughts on Recession-Proofing the Business

In the current economic environment, firms are placing much more emphasis on financial integrity than ever before. However, the vast majority of potential actions are ones that should have been taken before a recession hits. DETAILS

MEMBER NEWS

WMIA Member News

Click here to read the latest from WMIA members. DETAILS

INDUSTRY NEWS

Mark Your Calendars for IWF 2010

IWF 2010 will be held August 25-28 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The largest trade show for the industry in the western hemisphere with exhibitors from around the world, IWF consistently attracts top level management and key decision-makers from the material processing industry. Click here for details.

News from NAW Executive Summit

We all left the presentation by Institute for Trend Research’s Alan Beaulieu feeling more than a little pessimistic. This is not surprising, given that Beaulieu’s economic forecast did not see any sort of recovery until 2010. What’s more, he forecast that things would get worse before they get better. DETAILS

FROM THE TRADE PRESS

Market Leaders
contributed by Wood & Wood Products

Smart executives are those who take advantage of a down economy and use it to their benefit. They are willing to explore new opportunities in an effort to steer their companies through uncertain times. They think beyond current circumstances and plan a course for their company’s future. They don’t just react — they stride ahead. DETAILS

2009 Design Portfolio Awards
contributed by CWB

In its 16th year, the entrants in this year’s Design Portfolio Awards competition have once again impressed and amazed the judges with their complex designs and expert craftsmanship. All the projects were beautiful, and it was a tough call for the judges to choose winners. But in the end they awarded the coveted top honors to seven companies and Honorable Mention awards to 15 companies. DETAILS

CARB Confusion Continues
contributed by Modern Woodworking

As of the first of this year, the world’s strictest formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products are now in effect. All particleboard, medium density fiberboard and veneer core hardwood plywood manufactured in California or manufactured or used in products destined for California must comply with Phase 1 emissions standards of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) composite wood products formaldehyde regulations. DETAILS