Harrisburg, SD — Employee-owned cabinet maker, Showplace Wood Products, based in Harrisburg, celebrates Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Sova’s election as President of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) at the organization’s Spring Convention & Leadership Conference held recently in Tucson, AZ.

With over 300 members, the KCMA is a non-profit national trade association whose members are made up of North American cabinet manufacturers and suppliers. Its members voluntarily provide company specific business information which the association consolidates into management survey reports; these industry reports provide business trend and performance comparisons, safety best practices, and other comparative data. ―We send in our key business metrics and the association organizes the information into anonymous reports so we can see how we compare to others in the industry. The rankings given are a good benchmark of how well our company is doing,‖ says Sova.

One of the primary activities of the KCMA staff in Washington, D.C. is to monitor governmental action that affects the cabinet industry. Regulations are complex and constantly moving, so the association staff informs members when changes are made that affect them and prepares members to be reactive to government should the need arise.

As KCMA President, Sova’s four primary goals include: grow KCMA membership, revisit the association’s strategic plan, serve as the face of industry to government, and utilize the internet for training and

marketing. ―We addressed our strategic plan five years ago. With the economic changes since that time, I plan to take an inward look at the association and focus on relevance, service delivery, and our mission,‖ explains Sova.

Sova began his involvement with the KCMA serving on the Standards Committee which focuses on developing and certifying cabinet performance and construction standards. He also chaired the Government & Regulatory Affairs Committee for many years. Before his election as KCMA President, he served as Treasurer and Vice President of the organization.

The national organization will bring its annual fall Management Conference, Exposition & Plant Tours to Sioux Falls, SD in September; this meeting moves around the country from year-to-year in order to coordinate a variety of plant tours. ―There’s value in looking at what other cabinet manufacturers do,‖ Sova points out. In addition to manufacturing plant tours, the three-day event will consist of meetings and guest speakers who address leadership and management topics as well as economic matters. A small trade show featuring suppliers to the cabinet industry will also be part of the Sioux Falls gathering in September.

The organization also presents an annual Winter Conference, which is usually held in Washington, D.C.

Source: Showplace Wood Products