Hardwood Floors June/July 2018

By Allie Finkell

organization and the millennial group, establishing mentor relationships and avenues for career development. In the coming weeks, members of the network will be asked to provide input on what they think the Emerging Leaders’ 2018 objectives should be. Council members are creating a list for consideration, and the membership will ultimately set the agenda via an online survey. While it’s always nice to have a “reason to party,” the Emerging Leaders Network is much more than a social organization. Engaging new members and seeking out feedback from the next generation is critical to the ongoing success of NWFA and the strength of our industry.

So many wood flooring professionals are brought to the industry through family businesses. This multigenerational component of our industry is one that makes us strong, but also can be a tough environment to break into as a newcomer. Given the current shortage of qualified labor, it is critical that our industry recruit, train, and retain the best talent from outside our current group. One of the biggest missions of the Emerging Leader Network is to welcome the newest members and expose them to the vast resources available through NWFA. It also serves to connect them to other people in their age range and stage of career. This social element makes the network appealing to potential members, but is more than just a place to “hang out.” Studies routinely show that job satisfaction is more affected by the people one works with than the job itself. The social event at Expo creates an open environment to new members, providing an opportunity to meet peers from across the industry, and a more fulfilling Expo experience for those who need a way to break into the tight-knit community of wood flooring. The Emerging Leaders Network is also aimed at enhancing professional networking. Since the commonality of the group is age, not sector, members on opposite ends of the flooring spectrum who might not ever have a reason to meet are connected. For example, those of us who are on the pre-finished engineered side would rarely cross paths with a site-finished contractor, but the relationships I’ve made through the Emerging Leaders Network have already had a meaningful impact. Having a liaison to the board, and being sponsored by the NWFA, also creates a connection between experienced members of the

September 11-13, the Emerging Leaders will hold its first stand-alone meeting in Washington,

HARDWOOD FEDERATION FALL FLY-IN SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2018 | WASHINGTON, D.C.

D.C. in conjunction with the Hardwood Federation’s annual Fly-In. The Hardwood Manufacturers Association (HMA) will be bringing its NextGen Leaders Council to the Fly-In as well, providing a unique opportunity for the upcoming leaders from across the hardwood products industry to learn and work together to educate our congressional and senate leaders.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a member or learning more about the Emerging Leaders Network and associated events, please visit nwfa. org/emergingleaders. Allie Finkell is Executive Vice President at American OEM and Emerging Leaders Council Chair. She can be reached at allie.finkell@ americanoem.com.

NWFA Board members Chris Zizza and Jesse Joyce with event sponsor, James Zielke of Zenon.

#nwfaemergingleaders

Attendees networking.

Attendees networking.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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