Hardwood Floors June/July 2018

RESOURCES

EMERGING LEADERS Take Root at Expo

James Zielke of Zenon, Emerging Leaders Council Chair Allie Finkell, and Emerging Leaders Board Liaison Jesse Joyce welcome a packed room of young professionals at the Marriott Hotel in Tampa, Florida.

In the coming years, the millennial generation will emerge as a dominant demographic in the business arena, becoming the majority of consumers and employees. While some industries are slow to accept the changes necessary to attract and retain talent, market to younger consumers, and just generally stay relevant, the wood flooring industry is fortunate to have a trade organization focused on adapting and equipping us for success in these fast-changing times. In an effort to foster a connection between generations, make newcomers feel at home in the industry, and to prepare the next generation of board members, the NWFA debuted the Emerging Leader Network at the 2017 Wood Flooring Expo in Phoenix and held a networking reception to gauge initial interest. Though it’s not overly hard to convince young people to show up for a free cocktail, it can be difficult to generate engagement with millennials after “last call.” The attendance was overwhelming, and the large number of sign-ups after the event reinforced the need for a group within NWFA that speaks to members of the youngest age group. A second networking reception, sponsored by Zenon, was held at the 2018 Wood Flooring Expo in Tampa and was met with equal enthusiasm as the prior year. The Emerging Leader Network is open to industry members under 40 years old and is managed by the NWFA and a council of 8-10 members. After the 2017 event, the council has been meeting via conference call every quarter and held the second in-person meeting at the 2018 Expo. Since inception, a council chair and board liaison have been appointed to facilitate the group and to relay network activities to the NWFA Board. Additional committee chairs will be appointed to lead the implementation of the 2018 network objectives.

MISSION

To connect individuals under the age of 40 from different business segments of the wood flooring industry through friendship, career development, and recruitment. Together, the group will communicate the interests of the younger generation as it relates to setting association agendas, consumer outreach, and succession planning.

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