| November 27, 2023
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PRO Awards https://www.americanfenceassociation.com/fencetech/afa_awards/
AFA Contractors can nominate their projects for multiple categories by simply completing a new form for each nomination.
AFA Suppliers can sponsor their customer’s projects and have their names recognized with the winners.
Deadline December 8.
Association Awards https://www.americanfenceassociation.com/fencetech/association_awards/
The Association Awards acknowledge AFA members who have advanced the association and set industry standards. There are six Association Award categories. Click on each award category for more details on eligibility requirements.
Deadline December 8.
Education Foundation Scholarships https://www.judgify.me/AFAEFScholarship-2024
Scholarships are offered annually and awarded at FENCETECH each spring. (5) $5,000 scholarships will be awarded.
Deadline January 8, 2024
FENCETECH Sponsorships
Build credibility, generate leads, and get your brand in front of over 4,000 fence, gate & perimeter security professionals! Become a FENCETECH 2024 sponsor today!
We offer many ways to stand out from the crowd at FENCETECH 2024. Our sponsorship opportunities are compelling and cost-effective, varying from inclusion in the exhibit booth scavenger hunt to sponsorship of THE event at FENCETECH, Pickets & Pitchers. No matter which option you choose, you and your brand will be sure to get attention!
Contact Jim Hawarden, Director of Exhibits & Sponsorships for more information! jim@americanfenceassociation.com / 314.561.6717
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 AFA is committed to providing you with the tools necessary to achieve your professional goals. We understand that communicating your credentials in an ever-expanding online marketplace can be challenging. That is why we have partnered with Credly to provide you with a digital version of your credentials called a digital badge.
If you have earned your CFC, CGAT, CGAD, or COM designation, or if you have completed FIS, FCBS, GADS, GATS, OMS, or STS, you should have received an email from Credly inviting you to claim your credential. This digital badge contains information describing your credential and allows you to easily share your achievement to LinkedIn and other platforms. There is no fee for this service – only added benefits.
What are the benefits of a digital badge?
- Easily manage, share and verify your learning achievements
- Secure verification adds credibility to your achievement
- Market your skill and expertise to potential customers and grow your business
What happens next?
- Click the button in the email from Credly inviting you to accept your badge
- Create and confirm your Credly account
- Accept your badge and start sharing!
We hope you take advantage of this benefit and enjoy the professional recognition afforded by our badging program. If you have questions, or have not received your badge (check your spam folders), please contact sara@americanfenceassociation.com.
Don’t have your credential yet and don’t want to miss out? We’re here to help! Apply for certification here or register for an upcoming school here!
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 68 candidates sat for certification exams during AFA University in Arlington, TX in November! Are you ready to join their ranks? Sign up today and start working toward your Certified Fence Contractor, Certified Gate Automation Designer, Certified Gate Automation Technician, and Certified Operations Manager designations. AFA is holding several certification testing events around the country throughout the rest of this year and adding more dates and locations often.
The next confirmed testing date will be at FENCETECH in Nashville, TN, January 24 and 25. More dates are continuously being added and as they are confirmed, they will be added to AFA’s Events Calendar.
To submit your application and reserve your seat, please click here.
Questions? Contact Sara Surprenant at sara@americanfenceassociation.com.
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The New York/ Long Island Chapter has been at the forefront of working to advance positive change for the fence industry in New York. Through their Pool Code Working Group, they have created a coalition of fence industry experts in manufacturing and installation. Alongside AFA Government Relations and Industry Standards Director Catherine Mills-Reynolds, they developed a compelling case to present to the NY State Code Council and have presented the issue to New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan.
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One of the many benefits available to AFA members is participation in our country-wide association chapters. We hope to see you at an upcoming event in your area this winter and next spring!
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December 7, 2023
Colorado Chapter & Meeting Event
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December 7, 2023
Greater Chicago Chapter Meeting
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March 1, 2024
Northeast Regional Tradeshow & Education Seminars
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Sept 5, 2024
CFCA/Pacific Northwest Chapters West Coast Fence Show
We offer learning, networking and community participation opportunities year-round. Stay up to date with all of AFA's upcoming chapter happenings at www.americanfenceassociation.com/events.
Contact AFA staff with questions at memberservices@americanfenceassociation.com.
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 On Friday, November 17, 2023, the fence and gate industry was saddened to learn of another tragic accident that took the life a 9-year-old girl in Tucson, AZ. The investigation is still underway. The incident happened on the heels of Gate Safety Awareness Month, where the industry focuses attention on the importance of industry professionals using best practices and industry standards to improve gate safety.
This is not a new fight for many industry professionals. In 1998, industry leaders came together and worked for three years to address automated gate safety and develop the first standard, the ASTM F2200. The men and women who worked on the standard represented all aspects of the industry, installers, manufacturers, and others. To elevate our industry professionals, education programs were developed, and people passionate about gate safety worked to raise awareness and improve safety.
In 2022, almost 25 years after the initial meeting to improve safety, the safety principles that applied to manual gates in ASTM F1184. Today, multiple tools can be used in conjunction with raising awareness and education. The standards that improve safety continue to evolve and expand to include various gate types. Standards Developing Organizations, like ASTM and UL are made up of people who work together to share their knowledge and expertise. Like the leaders who worked together many years ago, today's industry professionals want to make a difference and eliminate gate accidents.
We must unify to elevate our profession. We must use every tool at our disposal to raise awareness to educate our industry and the public about gate safety. We must create leaders who can work with code officials and licensing agencies to get safety right. This problem is not something we as an industry can solve alone. We need community leaders to step forward and demand change. We need knowledgeable installers who invest in themselves and their employees. We need to partner with the families and loved ones who have lost loved ones who have the impact stories that can propel our movement.
There’s not one solution. It is awareness. It is education. It is certifying professionals. It is creating new and innovative ways to install our products. It is working with Standards developing organizations, specifiers, and code enforcement officials. Insurance companies have a role, and yes, in some cases, it is licensing.
Most of all, it is you. What will you do to make a difference?
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Better Business Bureau
Cyber Monday, following Black Friday, is a major shopping day in the States - and scammers know it. If you're doing some holiday shopping today, be sure to exercise caution, watch out for misleading ads and lookalike websites, and stick to secure, reputable sellers.
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SmartBrief
We all find ourselves in situations where you need to control our emotions - with a client, with our team, or in our personal lives. This can be an extroardinary challenge at times, and resilience can help make a difference.
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Thank you to all the AFA members who shared their suggestions and feedback for Fencepost magazine in 2023!
Your input helps drive the content we include throughout the year.
We encourage you to continue sending your news, ideas and updates to editor@americanfenceassociation.com in 2024.
We're looking for...
- Article topic suggestions
- Your latest, greatest project
- An award or certification you've earned
- Product and company news
- Chapter events
- Anything else that's on your mind
We can't wait to hear from you!
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AFA would like to welcome the new members who have recently joined the association.
We're glad you're part of the family!
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AFA would like to give a shout-out to our members celebrating anniversaries with the association.
We're honored to mark another year in our partnership!
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Since freight carrier YELLOW (formerly YRC Freight), has ceased all operations, members are no longer able to place pick-ups or deliveries through YELLOW or its subsidiaries. The good news is that your MSP has multiple solutions for your LTL, Truckload and Small Parcel shipping needs.Through Partnership, our 3rd Party Logistics provider (3PL), members can select from many LTL carriers when placing shipments. In addition, Partnership has deeply discounted Group Rates with FEDEX Small Parcel Service.
For more information on all MSP savings opportunities, visit our one-stop registration page or contact Mark Schiavone at (303) 963-6441 or mark@membersavingsprogram.com
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Your AFA Member Savings Program has partnered with Experian to provide Employee Retention Credit services for our members. As you may have seen in our September update, the ERC Program recently revised program expectations. The good news is that our process was and still is fundamentally supported by ERC statute and IRS guidance. The IRS is still required by law to receive claims and abide by their own safe harbor notices for processing, even though they will now take a little longer to process claims.
Background and why apply for the ERC?
The Employee Retention Credit program (ERC) is a refundable tax credit based on wages and healthcare costs. Eligible employers may be able to receive up to $5,000 per employee in 2020 and up to $7,000 per employee for each qualifying quarter of 2021. You can qualify based on your W2 employee count, and your participation in the PPP loan program does NOT disqualify you.
Many industries were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the CARES Act, the Employee Retention Credit provides a refundable tax credit for businesses that either experienced a significant reduction in revenue OR whose operations were suspended due to government orders. Even if you do not meet the specific revenue reduction threshold, you may qualify due to temporary shutdowns, modifications, travel restriction or social distancing requirements.
The deadline to submit the 2020 refund claim is April 15, 2024, and the deadline for 2021 is April 15, 2025. We recommend that members file as soon as possible, in order to be at the front of the line when they finally get caught up.
You can have an Experian Representative contact you by registering your interest HERE.
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