National Hardwood Magazine - July 2014

NHLA NEWS DYNAMIC

NHLA NEWS DYNAMIC KEYNOTES SECURED FOR THE 2014 NHLA ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXHIBIT SHOWCASE The National Hardwood Lumber Association is pleased to announce that William “Bill” Taylor, Founding Editor of Fast Company and best-selling author, has accepted the invitation as Keynote Speaker and will address convention attendees during the Opening Session at the 117th Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase to be held October 8-10 in Las Vegas, NV. Bill Taylor has a passion for the new ideas and tools driving today’s business. Having made his name as a hugely successful editor and entrepreneur who co-founded and took Fast Company magazine from start-up to a 0 million sale in less than six years, Taylor speaks with authority and experience on embracing people-centric approaches to leadership, a network approach to cultivating ideas and a relentless focus on being extraordinary all in the name of creating market dominance. The author of the New York Times best seller Mavericks at Work: Why the Most Original Minds in Business Win, Taylor’s new best seller, Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your Company, Shake Up Your Industry, and Challenge Yourself, is based on his in-depth access to 25 organizations that are making deep-seated changes under the most trying circumstances imaginable. These organizations (from hard-charging technology companies to long-established non-profits, from hospitals to automakers to banks) are mastering a set of strategies and practices that define the work of leadership in turbulent times. During the Thursday, October 9 Keynote Address, Taylor will offer firsthand accounts of how game changers are transforming their companies and shaking up their industries—and insights into how you can do the same in your own organization. In addition to Taylor’s address, the 2014 NHLA Convention will also feature an Enhanced Chinese Culture Workshop led by Marco Chan, CEO of AmAsia3 Corporation. A former FedEx senior executive of more than 20 years, Marco started up the Business Logistics Services in Asia and when FedEx started flying into China, he was appointed as the first General Manager in China. The Friday, October 10 Cultural Workshop will help attendees understand key Chinese cultural values that significantly influence behaviors of Chinese consumers and business people; and offer up some proven business practices that will help you to engage in trades with Chinese successfully. Registration is now open and can be accessed at www.nhlaconvention.com. For a full list of events and more information about the 2014 NHLA Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase, visit www.nhlaconvention.com or call 901- 399-7560. ■ RENEE HORNSBY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, NATIONAL HARDWOOD LUMBER ASSOC., MEMPHIS, TN 901-399-7560 r.hornsby@nhla.com About the National Hardwood Lumber Association The world’s largest and oldest Hardwood industry association, NHLA represents more than 1,200 companies and individuals that produce, use and sell North American Hardwood lumber, or provide equipment, supplies or services to the Hardwood industry. It was founded in 1898 to establish a uniform system of grading rules for the measurement and inspection of Hardwood lumber. Since 1980, its headquarters have been in Memphis, TN. To learn more about NHLA, please visit www.nhla.com. 12 JULY 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

HARDWOOD FEDERATION UPDATE Although Washington, DC has the reputation of moving slowly and making incremental change, there are times when major shifts happen quickly and have significant impact. The November elections could prove to be the catalyst for swift changes as the 114th Congress is seated in January of 2015. While political pundits generally agree that the House of Representatives will remain under the control of the Republicans in 2015, the Senate is definitely still up in the air. Although it is an uphill battle according to many, there is a chance that Republicans could win a slim majority in the Senate, bringing new leadership to priority committees for the Federation. In fact, change is already happening. There have been several changes at the leadership level of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee that could resonate with the goals and objectives of the Hardwood Federation during the balance of 2014. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) a strong ally of the Federation has stepped down as Chair to become the Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, replacing Senator Max Baucus who left Congress to become the Ambassador to China. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) has stepped into the role of Chair of the ENR Committee, and although she supports the Hardwood industry in many ways, her focus for the short term will be on oil and gas issues. These changes are only a taste of what we may see after the November elections. We already know that there will be plenty of new faces. As of the end of May, 25 members of the House retired, including some long-time friends of the Federation, including Howard Coble (R-NC), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Mike McIntyre (D- NC), Tom Petri (R-WI), and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA). Seven Senators have also chosen to retire or move on to other duties. More announcements are anticipated over the next several months. New Members of Congress will mean new committee leaders and committee members. Doc Hastings’ departure will leave a big void on the House Natural Resources Committee. The Chairman of this Committee is an important position that can influence policies that impact us the most. Who will replace him? What do they know about the Hardwood industry? How soon can we meet with them? Who is the key player on the staff focused on our issues? How can we be heard? And how many other industry groups will be asking the same questions and making the same plans to get to the new members as soon as possible? The competition will be fierce. The point is that there are a lot of voices out there calling for attention. New members will have to be educated. And returning members will have to be reminded of our industry and why it is so vital to the national economy. The cycle of communication and education is unending. We are already planning our strategy for introducing ourselves to new members of Congress in 2015…but we also have to continue to work with those that are still here in Washington and those that will return in January to continue their work. The Hardwood Federation is privileged to have many dedicated members of our industry who lend their voice and are actively engaged in communicating with those who represent us in Washington, DC, about the issues that impact us most. But the more voices we have, the louder our message will be. And the most effective voices we have are those that work in the industry, that build Hardwood businesses, that employ members of their community and that deal with the impacts of federal legislation every single day. Members of Congress tell us time and again how important it is to hear from real live constituents – people who have united around a common cause, taken time away from their loved ones and day-to-day responsibilities – to come to Washington to share their knowledge and experience. It’s invaluable for them to hear from you and be able to ask you questions, and it’s vital for our industry to be able to make those personal contacts. The annual Hardwood Federation Fly-In is just around the corner. We invite you and your employees to come to Washington, and tell your story of your business, its impacts on the local economy, how you create jobs and how federal policies have consequences…and not always positive ones. Please join us in Washington, DC, September 8-10 to visit with your Senators and Representatives, with Committee Chairs and Ranking Members, with key staff, and with representatives of the Obama Administration. The impact you can have is tremendous. You can access more information about the Fly-In at our website: www.hardwoodfederation.com. If you would like to get more involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Dana Lee Cole, Executive Director of the Hardwood Federation 202-637-2075. ■ BY DANA LEE COLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARDWOOD FEDERATION WASHINGTON, DC 202-463-2705 www.hardwoodfederation.com JULY 2014 ■ NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 13