| January 4, 2024
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 Sponsor this year’s opening night party; Pickets & Picks! This kickoff event will take place the Tuesday before the show opens and will feature a variety of live music, food trucks, bars, games, and more. Every individual with a badge has access to the show and over 1/3 of our pre-registered attendees have indicated that they will be coming!
Sponsorships include everything from food trucks to custom guitars to Individual Bars and customized tabletops! Start your FENCETECH experience off right and take part in this blowout event!
You can find more information about this here: Networking and Events | FENCETECH 2023 | American Fence Association. For more information on sponsorship, contact Jim Hawarden at jim@americanfenceassociation.com.
For information on exhibiting at FENCETECH/METALfab 2024, please see the following links:
- FENCETECH 2024
- METALfab 2024
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Education Foundation Scholarships
Scholarships are offered annually and awarded at FENCETECH each spring. Five (5) $5,000 scholarships will be awarded. Click here to learn more and apply.
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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 Our much-awaited virtual event is just around the corner! We're buzzing with excitement and can't wait to share the fun. We promise, it'll be a day to remember! Don't miss out, mark your calendars now!
Putting the Tech in FENCETECH on January 10,2024, from 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM CT. This virtual event is a must-attend for everyone in the fence, gate, and perimeter security industry.
Explore cutting-edge technologies with industry leaders in lead generation, project management, and business operations. Engage with your customers and empower your employees like never before!
For a full schedule click here.
Register now.
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Congratulations to all who have earned certifications this fall. AFA congratulates you on your success and for your professionalism in the industry!
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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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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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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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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!
View past issues of Fencepost online here.
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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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Your Member Savings Program (MSP) will be presenting two workshops as well as exhibiting at the AFA booth.In addition, key MSP suppliers Alliant Business Insurance, Synchrony Financial and Batteries Plus will be attending.
Can’t wait to see 2024 savings? Register and start saving by going to https://tinyurl.com/yc68bcyc.
As we enter 2024 there are some unknowns, but there are also some timeless business practices that are always wise to follow — such as reviewing your employee benefits to ensure your business is competitive regarding recruiting and retaining staff.
Another wise practice is to review your cost of doing business with vendors which supply your day to day needs, such as:
- Credit card processing
- Facility supplies
- Fleet gasoline / maintenance
- Business insurance
- Health plans for staff and 1099’s
- Uniforms with company branding
- Offering consumer financing options
Give the MSP President Mark Schiavone a call at 303-963-6441 to see how we can improve your 2024 profitability.
NEW MSP EMPLOYEE BENEFIT SUPPLIER ANNOUNCED
 The MSP has launched a new MSP Supplier program (SecureSave) specifically designed to assist you with providing cost effective employee benefits which help staff save “rainy day” money for unexpected expenses. This can be a difference maker in attracting and retaining staff.
The MSP will be presenting this new innovative program at FENCETECH on Tuesday, January 23, from 1:15pm to 2:45pm.
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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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