FENCETECH 2016: AFA Picks Up the Tempo in Nashville

Music City was the place to be Jan. 12-15, 2016, for fence professionals interested in the latest and greatest industry products and eager to improve their business’ bottom line. The American Fence Association’s premier event, FENCETECH, was a fun-filled, fast-paced program from start to finish. Members attended top-shelf educational sessions, cruised a busy and active trade show floor, and enjoyed a dose of good music and food to boot.

The AFA University schools (Automated Gate Systems Design School, Operator Installer School, and Sales Training School) brought together a band of excellent fence educators willing to share best practices and tips with individuals eager to advance their careers, grow professionally and differentiate themselves in today’s competitive marketplace.

Other educational sessions included "Profitability in the Fence Business," "Proven Sales Techniques," and "Digital Fencing in Today’s World." Industry experts covered key topics and answered audience questions regarding sales tactics, customer service, equipment management, employee training, marketing, and much more. Panelists shared tips on reigning in a sales team, finding labor, dealing with callbacks, and managing a company’s inventory. Implementing any one of these key takeaways would impact a contractor’s bottom line.

LiftMaster and Country Estate sponsored the opening party, "Pickin’ Up the Tempo," on Wednesday evening at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It was a night filled with great music by Nasvhville Crush, a fun photo booth and free admission to the Country Music Hall of Fame, where Elvis’ Cadillac, the Smokey and the Bandit 2 Trans Am and numerous other country music collectibles still reside. 

At the annual meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, AFA bestowed its highest honors on several key players. Hall of Fame, Distinguished Service, Ambassador, Fence Project of the Year, Fence Contractor of the Year, and Manufacturer of the Year awards were all doled out to well-deserving individuals and companies. See article on Page 28 for more details on these impressive recognitions.

Following the annual meeting, economist Roger Tutterow, Ph.D. captivated fence professionals with his targeted insight on industry trends at the event’s Opening General Session.

Another well-attended event was the State of the Industry session. Panelists Brad Howard, Security Contractor Service; Scott Neal; Doug Rutledge, Foster Fence LLC; Dave Cochenour, ALTA Forest Products; Bill Schenke, Ameristar Fence; Sam Williams, Homeland Vinyl Products; Dan Dombkowski, LiftMaster; Jim Lema, Controlled Products System Group; Matt Warner, Empire Netting and Fence; Tom DeSilvia, LiftMaster; Todd Thomas, International Door; and John Eckhoff, C.E. Shepherd Co. reported on their areas of expertise and fielded audience questions. Any topic remotely connected to the fence industry was covered at this jam-packed session: vinyl certification, different species of wood, durability, gate operators, ornamental irons, perimeter security, workforce development and software. Attendees walked away from this presentation armed with the tools and knowledge needed to tackle challenges back home.

But all the hustle and bustle could be found at the exhibit hall. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place early in the afternoon on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016. From door open to door close, traffic filled the aisles, demonstrations ran consistently, business cards were exchanged and business was conducted. From chain-link fence and accessories to gate components — from farm/ranch materials to technology solutions — if it involved the fence industry, you found it at the Music City Center.

There’s little doubt that the 4,200 fence professionals that attended FENCETECH 2016 went home on a high note. AFA definitely picked up the tempo in Nashville.