AWC’s Education Work Powers Industry Credibility
Jackson Morrill
President & CEO of the American Wood Council
Behind every code victory and legislative win, there is quieter work that makes those outcomes possible. The American Wood Council’s (AWC) education and outreach efforts rarely make headlines, but they are a driving force behind our effectiveness as an advocate, and behind the reputation of the entire U.S. wood products industry.
That reality came into sharp focus recently, when a building inspector attending one of our webinars shared that it was “hands down one of the best and most important” presentations he had attended. He went on to say he wanted to make watching it mandatory for all general contractors seeking permits for larger structures in his city. More than a compliment, this is a signal that AWC’s technical credibility is translating directly into the real-world planning, permitting, and building of wood structures.
AWC staff across our codes, standards and fire service engagement teams regularly conduct education and outreach alongside their core responsibilities. This work is targeted and strategic. We are reaching the audiences where education can move the needle, whether that means training building officials on mass timber provisions, equipping fire service professionals with the latest data on wood’s performance in wildland urban interface regions, or building relationships with environmental NGO partners around wood’s sustainability story.
The stakes of this work extend well beyond AWC. When our staff stand in front of a room of code officials, fire inspectors, or architects, they are representing the 465,000 men and women who work in mills and manufacturing facilities across the country. The credibility we build with technical experts and decision-makers is the same credibility that opens doors for wood products in green building projects, resilient community rebuilds, and affordable housing developments nationwide. A trusted industry voice does not materialize overnight; it is built, carefully and consistently, through exactly this kind of engagement.
Education also reinforces our advocacy in ways that are harder to measure but no less critical. When AWC staff are known as authoritative, reliable sources of technical information, our positions carry more weight in code hearings, legislative testimony, and policy conversations. We are not just making arguments – we are recognized experts whose analysis policymakers and practitioners can rely on.
The comment from that building inspector is a reminder of why this work matters. Every webinar, every training, every one-on-one conversation with a code official is an investment in the long-term standing of wood products in the market.
