President's Message: Two for the Price of One

We’ve accomplished a lot together over the past two years

It's hard to believe this is my last message as president of SBCA! Serving the industry in this capacity has been the greatest honor of my life. Our industry is filled with some of the greatest people in the world, and I have enjoyed working alongside many of them during my tenure.

Two years! When I became an officer, we had only one-year terms for the secretary, treasurer, and president, with an additional year for the past president. Through the transition from third-party management to directly employing our staff and completely controlling our balance sheet, it was clear we would benefit from greater continuity of leadership at the officer level. For that reason, the Board of Directors extended its officer terms to two years. That time has gone by so quickly, and yet I’m glad I had the extra year to accomplish the goals I set out for the association at the start.

One of the things I am most proud of during my tenure has been the growth in membership of the association. Since I became president in October 2021, the association membership has grown by almost 17 percent, with component manufacturer membership growing by 15 percent. That tremendous growth in just two years is the result of countless hours of coordination and outreach by dedicated members and staff. I want to thank everyone who contributed to this recruitment effort, because having more CMs under our tent makes us stronger.

I am also very proud of the financial stability of the association and the transparency we have brought to our financials. That transparency has allowed our Board to make well-informed decisions about where to expend our resources to generate the greatest value for our members. Two perfect examples are offering both Digital QC and the Financial Concepts Training program free to every CM member. Digital QC has taken off in a big way as a result. When I came in as president, barely 100 plants used Digital QC, but today the program is being used in 358 locations across the U.S. If you aren’t taking advantage of both these tools, you need to start today

Our current financial stability has also allowed us to create a long-term investment strategy for the association. Managed by a third party, this approach will ensure the association retains a strong financial position even in years when housing experiences its next significant downcycle. Beyond the financial health of the association, we were also able to launch the new SBCA Foundation & Endowment. This new charity arm of SBCA will pool our industry’s resources to make a significant impact on the lives of deserving individuals and entire communities. Through the foundation and endowment, we are creating a legacy that will outlast us.

I am also proud of how effective SBCA has been at building relationships with partners adjacent to our industry. Top of mind to me is the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). From our participation in the annual Innovative Housing Showcase on the National Mall to education sessions at IBS and the Building Systems Council’s Housing Summit, SBCA is doing a great job at getting our industry in front of our customers and promoting the benefits of our products on a national stage. I’m also proud of our growing involvement with the International Code Council (ICC) and model code development and feel those efforts will be valuable to CMs for years to come.

Of course, there are still things left to do! As I write this, we are just getting the new SBCA Education Committee and SBCA LaunchPad off the ground. I know that both of these new groups will expand the value proposition of SBCA for generations to come. The BCSI Handbook revision process has also just started, and while we are far from done, it’s clear that having the involvement of both TPI members and National Framers Council members is going to vastly improve upon the current version. Finally, Digital QC for Wall Panels is a must for all of us producing walls in our facilities. I can’t wait to get started on it.

We’ve accomplished a lot, and I would like to thank my fellow officers and the executive committee for all their guidance and support. I would also like to thank the Board of Directors for its dedication to SBCA and for looking at everything we do with a critical eye towards generating value for our members. Finally, I would like to thank our staff for their hard work, skill, positive attitude, and commitment to the goals of our great organization.

Gene Frogale, President