From the Desk of the CEO

November 23, 2015

Dear Members of World Millwork Alliance,

Once again, it’s the time of the year when we gather around the table with our families and pause to reflect that which we are thankful. This year, in addition to family and friends, I’m thankful for the privilege to serve our members as WMA’s chief executive officer. It’s an honor to work with dedicated and supportive members, board of directors and committee volunteers.

As we enter the second year of our strategic plan, we welcome your ideas and comments to enhance WMA’s ability to meet the needs of millwork businesses now and in the future.  While we have made great strides forward, as always there is still work to be done—but when we come together, there is no limit to what we can accomplish.

This week’s Thanksgiving holiday offers a special opportunity to reflect on our many blessings and to be grateful for the gifts we have received.  We are mindful of those less fortunate and struggling in our country and our world.  Thanksgiving is an invitation to rededicate ourselves in our own special way that could make a difference to the most vulnerable members of our communities.

On this day, set aside for giving thanks, we express our gratitude to the men and women and their families who selflessly serve to protect our country and the American way of life. As we come to the end of the 2015 eventing year, the WMA Board and Staff would like to wish all of our members a happy Thanksgiving holiday. We are thankful for our members; without you, there would be no WMA.  We hope to have you with us in 2015.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Sincerely,

Rosalie Leone
Chief Executive Officer

World Millwork Alliance Plant Tour & Golf Event did it big in Houston, Texas recently with over 65 members gathering for an exclusive to view of the BMC, BlueLinx, and The Detering Company facilities. But it didn’t end there with members enjoying themselves in the golf tournament, a tour of the space center and before heading home were entertained under the stars by the Detering family at a hosted dinner at their beautiful home.

The Plant Tour Event was a great reminder and a great example of some of the benefits WMA can offer its members – Leadership, Networking, Education, and more!

LEADERSHIP
WMA members recognize the need to be united to support and be the voice of the millwork industry through World Millwork Alliance.   The Plant Tour Event brought millwork leaders and future leaders (GenNEXT members) together.  Distributor members opened their doors to their plant facilities while clearly showing their dedication to improving the millwork industry and producing quality products.

NETWORKING
WMA provides the opportunities to develop business relationships and to interact with a variety of decision makers by bringing together millwork distributors, manufacturers, and sales representatives.   Fellow camaraderie, a warm smile and a firm handshake are still the foundation between old friends as well as new relationships that developed in Houston (and maybe a round of golf).  WMA Members were welcoming to current members and new members.

“As a new member the WMA Distributor Plant Tour and Golf Tournament in Houston was a great event.  Well organized as I anticipated!   Meeting up with my new member WMA Ambassador at the event took much of the anxiety off early on as a new member.  My Ambassador, Rich Fahrner, was awesome, super friendly and welcoming.  WMA members in general were very friendly and I had some great conversations with members!” […]

Welcome to the all-new Association of Millwork Distributors (AMD), now World Millwork Alliance (WMA)! You may have noticed some big changes recently and I, along with the rest of the WMA staff, am incredibly excited to start sharing the news with you, our members and prospective members.

We’ve evolved everything – our brand, our focus, and our relevance to every facet of the millwork industry. Why is this change imperative? The world has changed. The economic downshift of the last ten years means that in order to succeed in this new climate, our businesses must work smarter….be better.  Our industry is changing, and it is WMA’s duty, as a leader in the millwork trade, to leap forward to face those changes head-on. WMA will help you adapt, grow and prosper in this new era. I love this quote by Charles Darwin as illustrates how essential it is to adapt, in order to succeed.

“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” 

Why have we changed our name?

Association of Millwork Distributors is now World Millwork Alliance. Our new name reflects our global mission, bringing together a broader and more diverse community of wholesale distributors; associate members including manufacturers of products and services; and affiliate millwork professionals comprised of manufacturer representatives and group purchasing organizations. The new WMA is an association of millwork businesses striving to help our industry grow and prosper, and you’re part of this renewed alliance.

As we have done for over 50 years, WMA will continue to be the voice of the millwork industry. With renewed vigor and a laser sharp focus, the new WMA will build our business, by building yours.

Our mutual success comes down to “connections.”

Our new tagline is “Connections that […]