| April 20, 2020
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Visit AFA's calendar page to stay current on all our latest news and updates.
PLEASE NOTE: Many upcoming AFA events have been postponed, out of an abundance of caution and concern for our members' safety. Please stay tuned for updates on events, and confirm with organizers before registering or making plans to attend.
Coming up online:
• 4/23/20: AFA Webinar: Leveraging Lead Generation Platforms to Maximize Results During COVID-19 — Register here.
• 5/20/20: AFA Pacific Northwest Chapter Meeting — Conference Call. RSVP here.
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AFA’s 2019 Chapter of the Year winner, the Texas Chapter, is leading the charge of virtual engagement by being the first AFA chapter to host a 100% virtual chapter meeting on April 10, 2020. We look forward to more AFA chapters' trail blazing engagement, and furthering the resources a professional association provides its members!
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From the Desk of Tony Thornton, AFA Executive Director
As I had previously mentioned in some recent correspondence, “There is no better time to be part of an association than now,” and this statement has been proven to be creditable and worthy. As we entered into these uncertain and unprecedented times, the American Fence Association took a proactive approach in bringing valuable content and resources to our industry professionals. We didn’t limit this information to members only; we opened our arms and hearts to every industry professional to support them during these times as we realize that we are all in this together.
We have been blessed that in the past few weeks these resources are being utilized by fence professionals and they see the benefit of being part of AFA, and this is a heartfelt THANK YOU to each of you. AFA had a record setting last few weeks of over 50 new and returning members and I have received emails, texts and correspondence stating the “value” that they have received from the research and resources being provided.
As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, let’s stay motivated and positive in our efforts to make something positive out of what we have been handed. We can’t control the situation but we can control our attitude, and I hope each of you will join me in keeping a positive and focused attitude to overcome and adapt.
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We had a blast with you in Salt Lake City. Connections were made between three associations, some of you received a new certification, the Fence Olympic games were fierce, and overall, we had a great time. We hope to see you all again at FENCETECH 2021 in Nashville, TN, February 23-26.
If you attended FENCETECH 2020, this is friendly reminder to fill out the below attendee survey, if you haven’t already. We’d love to get your feedback on how we can make future FENCETECHs better for you. Would you like more education tailored to you? More events? Let us know! Take Attendee SurveyWere you an exhibitor or sponsor at FENCETECH 2020? If so, fill out the below exhibitor/sponsor survey. Take Exhibitor Survey
FENCETECH Strength in Numbers
3,747 AFA Attendees & Exhibitors
6,233 AFA, NOMMA, IDA Combined Co-Locate Attendance
2,210 Attended educational seminars and schools
75 Professionals took a certification exam
Certificate of Attendance
To download your Certificate of Attendance, which lists all of the education sessions you attended and the corresponding Continuing Education (CE) Hours, please go to the link below and enter your email address.
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404 people attended 32 education sessions at FENCETECH 2020 in Salt Lake City. Attendees appreciated the wide variety of topics presented that covered essential aspects of the fence industry, including technical and hands-on seminars, business development, operations, and more. The Women in Fencing and Young Fence Professionals panels returned after high demand and engaged their audiences in great discussions about common challenges and ways to succeed.
Gate Automation Design School and Sales Training School broke attendance records this year. GADS students learned how to design safe, compliant automated vehicular gate systems and appreciated the professionalism and expertise of instructors Ron Miller, CAGOI, CAGSD, and Nick Rike, CFC, CAGOI, CAGSD. STS students learned about the sales cycle and were expertly guided through role playing scenarios by instructors Pat Bailey, CFP, and Ken Throckmorton, CFC, CFP, CAGSD.
Overall, attendees came away from FENCETECH education sessions with concrete information and ideas to immediately support their professional success. We are already looking forward to next year and another great education lineup! If you would like to suggest a potential future session topic, please reach out to Sara Surprenant at sara@americanfenceassociation.com. If you’d like to present a future session, keep an eye out in the next few months as we open our call for presentations for FENCETECH 2021 in Nashville!
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 On behalf of AFA we would like to say THANK YOU to those who volunteered for such a great cause! Each year, we give back to our FENCETECH host community by helping with minor repairs, painting and cleaning or donating money to help out a host charity in the location of each FENCETECH event. This year we are partnered with the Ronald McDonald House in Salt Lake City to help local families as they travel to the hospital with their ill or injured children. Over the years, more than 50,000 families were welcomed into the arms of the Ronald McDonald Foundation and we get to be a part of that each year!
We are so grateful for you and the dedication you have towards your association and your community. This year during our Missions Day Event we were able to service 72 families as Ronald McDonald had a full house. We were able to help them get closer to their expansion for this upcoming year by working on various projects throughout the facility. We completed all of our projects that day including:
• Stained a wood fence
• Put together 5 inside pieces of furniture
• Put together 5 outdoor benches and picnic tables
• Cleaned & organized house
• Baked cookies & fed 72 families
• Cleaned the Shuttle Vans
• Completed all assigned yard work
• Donated hundreds of dollars’ worth in supplies and tools
If you are interested in donating or serving with our Missions Day, contact us at memberservices@americanfenceassociation.com for more details.
 
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Congratulations to the following individuals who have recently earned certifications from the Accreditation and Certification Institute! Three certifications were available:
• Certified Gate Automation Designer
• Certified Gate Automation Technician
• Certified Fence Contractor
For more information on the Certified Gate Automation Designer, Certified Gate Automation Technician, and Certified Fence Contractor programs, please visit www.acieducation.org.
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Due to COVID-19, the American Fence Association has made the decision to postpone the 2021 FENCETECH Booth Draw. The Booth Draw will be rescheduled to a later date in June/July. Once we have the official dates, we will be sending out an email that contains the call list and instructions.
In the meantime, below we have provided our 2021 sponsorship opportunities as well as the link to the floor plan to review. If you have any questions, reach out to Stephen Dennis at stephen@americanfenceassociation.com.
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The American Fence Association would like to extend a warning about emails asking you to buy a fraudulent FENCETECH attendee list The AFA does not provide FENCETECH attendee information lists to any vendor. If you receive an email about buying a FENCETECH attendee list, it is a SCAM.
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AFA extends its thanks to the following members who have recently joined the association as first-time members. Welcome to the AFA family!
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AFA extends its thanks to the following members who have recently renewed their existing membership. We're glad you're part of the AFA family!
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HEALTH PLANS ANNOUNCED AT FENCETECH 2020
After many member inquiries and over 3 years of research, your AFA MSP is launching a new Member Health Plan. Based on the collective volume of over 20,000 staff; the program offers many options to meet differing member needs and scenarios.
Several Key Benefits of the Plans:
• 20,000+ employees are already part of the Plans
• Available in all 50 states
• No required minimum employee number participation
• No required employer contributions
• No age banding - all employees pay the same rate for a plan no matter their age
• Enrollment in any month of the year
Webinars will be held in March and April so members can learn how the AFA Member Savings Program can assist you and your staff with obtaining affordable health plan coverage at competitive rates. Mark Schiavone from the Member Savings Program, along with our MSP Health representatives, will be outlining the details of the plan. In the interim, any questions can be directed to our Insurance Point Person, Bryan Turner, or you can go to our online health plan portal.
AFA members have saved thousands of dollars each year by enrolling in the Member Savings Program. If you are an AFA member and not currently enrolled, please contact AFA’s dedicated savings consultant Dan Pramis at 603-628-2333, Mark Schiavone at mark@membersavingsprogram.com, or info@savings4members.com.
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