West Palm Beach, FL–The 2021 National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) Annual Convention was held here recently at the Palm Beach County Convention Center with approximately 600 members and guests in attendance.
Marketed as “Turning the Tide with Innovation,” the event is where the Hardwood industry comes together to network, trade, learn and discuss important topics and trends.
Keynote speakers were Steve Robinson, former senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Chick-Fil-A, and Dan North, chief economist for North America with Euler Hermes.
Other speakers and their topics included:
- Dr. Henry Quesada, professor and extension specialist, Dept. of Sustainable Biomaterials, Virginia Tech, presentation, “New Markets for Hardwood”
- Dana Spessert, NHLA chief inspector, presentation, “NHLA Rules Change Open Forum”
- Michael Snow, American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), executive director, presentation, “The New Normal? Hardwood Exports in a Changed World”
- Scott Raba, solutions architect with Barracuda Network, presentation, “Check for Knots: Learn How Knot to Be a Cybersecurity Victim”
- Real American Hardwood Promotion Update.
Special events during the NHLA Convention included The North American Forest Foundation golf tournament, the NHLA welcome reception and the NHLA Inspector Training School Alumni reception.
In addition to exhibitor booths open to attendees to view products and discuss services, various associations and organizations held business meetings, such as AHEC, the American Walnut Manufacturers Association and the Hardwood Federation.
The North American Forest Foundation also hosted a golf game consisting of 14 teams. The winning team included Jeremy Howard, Elijah McCarty, Henco Viljoen from Nyle Dry Kilns and Peter McCarty from TS Manufacturing.
The NHLA, located in Memphis, TN, is a membership-based international trade association dedicated to the Hardwood industry and represents the entire Hardwood supply chain at all levels of production.
The NHLA mission is to serve NHLA Members engaged in the commerce of North American Hardwood lumber by maintaining order, structure, and ethics in the changing global Hardwood marketplace; providing unique member services; promoting North American Hardwood lumber and advocating the interest of the Hardwood community in public/private policy issues; and providing a platform for networking opportunities.
