Education, Demonstrations and Networking Opportunities Abound With the NFBA

By Dani Sheehan. 

These post-frame construction leaders discuss the benefits of the annual NFBA Building Expo as well as what changes to expect as they adapt to a growing industry. 

If you attended this year’s 2023 NFBA Expo, you may have noticed there were some new changes to be excited about. From bringing on new faces and committees to the launch of the NFBA Foundation, the NFBA is positioned for growth now more than ever. In season 1 episode 3 of the MetalCast podcast, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Robyn Ommen, the newest president of the National Frame Building Association (NFBA), and Megan Pope Miller, the executive director of NFBA to discuss some of these changes and why everyone in the industry should attend the annual expos.  

With the addition of the NFBA Foundation, Megan shared that this is becoming “the fundraising arm of NFBA...we have a good technical and research committee, they come up with great research projects all the time that impact what’s actually going on with the builders. And so the foundation will fund that.”  

They’re also ensuring that all education is available to their members, and so they made it public at the conference. Megan went on, “We have three tracks of education, so we have a technical track, so that’s mostly technical and safety, we have a sales and marketing track and then we have a business management track.” With so many options to choose from, the expo was a great opportunity for attendees to gain insights across your business.  

The NFBA Expo, and tradeshows in general, are great networking opportunities. Robyn explained how important networking is during these conferences, saying “One big thing about being able to attend an expo, it’s the people that you hear, the people that you meet as you’re walking the expo floor, but also the events that you go to.” Megan similarly emphasized networking on the exhibit floor, highlighting the various companies attending with all sorts of products. She acknowledged, “They’re excited to be there. They’re excited to see the people they know. I mean this is a close-knit group... but it’s also a great time to meet new people, see new products, learn about what’s the newest thing [in the industry].” 

Listen to the full podcast to learn more about NFBA's goals as Robyn and Megan continue to expand their reach in the post-frame industry. 

Learn more about the next annual NFBA Building Expo happening in 2024.