Page 4 - CMA PROfiles Fall 2018

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

existing clients I had previously done
work for in my 400-square-foot home Manufacturing Day was held
workshop. I did okay or at least I think
I did – there was some money left on October 5 this year. In the
at the end of the day, and my business future, I want to have more
was growing. CMA member shops sponsor

Two years later, I moved to a 3,000- these types of events in their
square-foot shop and added another communities, across North
When I joined the CMA in 2008, I was like 2,000 square feet a few years after that. America, and beyond. To learn
many cabinetmakers. I had many years of Things were booming, but I was just
experience, both with working for another making ends meet – and perhaps even more about the program
company and starting my own business. that might have been an exaggeration. designed to inspire the next

My path was less traditional than some. Then came a turning point: At a small generation of manufacturers,
I had applied and been accepted to a trade show, I found the CMA. visit www.mfgday.com. We
couple of schools to study dairy sciences Since then, I have become an active
and farming-related studies. By August, member, participating in regional events, need more events like this to
I had decided I did not really want to national conferences, and one-on-one get students and their parents
go to college to pursue that path, and networking with peers. The CMA has pro- interested in cabinet-making
I convinced my parents to “eat” the vided me with some of the best education
deposit, promising that I would pursue that I have received, without a doubt. from middle school on up —
further education in the future when I they need to see that these
was ready. I am truly thankful for this and other
ways that the CMA has helped me over are not the dusty woodshops
Seven years later, after leaving farming the years. Now it is time for me to give of yesterday. I encourage
and working for a cabinet shop and totally back to our community of manufacturing
loving it, I decided I wanted to really businesses. I have been attending you to go to your local
learn the craft. I went to the Wendell education roundtables for employers schools to get the word out
Castle School to study furniture and trade schools for the purpose of about rewarding and exciting
design and manufacturing – essentially helping develop a plan to get more
unlearning everything I thought I knew. young manufacturing professionals careers in our modern cabinet
I slowly learned to perfect the craft, and into our trade. It is an exciting time, and manufacturing industry!
then returned to the company where I there is opportunity to get talented
had started. help into our shops. I will be looking for
Three years later, I decided to go out on member volunteers to help set up a CMA Together we can build the future of
my own and start a custom furniture and scholarship program and will post on our industry.
cabinet manufacturing business. I was the forum when we are ready to form
fortunate to start my business with some a committee.

2 PROFILES FALL 2018