A regional marketplace for woodworking professionals

2021 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

OPENING KEYNOTES 

Rich Harshaw, CEO, Level 10 Contractor - Opening Keynote-Generating more customer leads and sales, June 8, 8:00 a.m.
Rich Harshaw stresses that creating a winning marketing strategy starts with knowing who you are as a company.  He specializes in helping remodeling and home services contractors and is the author of Unlocking Unlimited Lead Flow: A Blueprint for Remodeling & Home Services Contractors. He will draw upon his vast experience in the marketing and advertising industry to discuss how to generate more high-quality customer leads that result in sales. His expertise spans copywriting, strategic planning, business development, marketing strategy and media buying.

Patrick Chapman, Grandy & Associates - Morning keynote - Patrick Chapman:  The 15 things all successful companies have in common, June 9, 9:00 a.m.
Patrick Chapman has over 20 years of experience in the trades industry in various roles including Sales, Service Management, Installation, Job Inspections, Administration, and Territory Management for one of the largest HVAC Distributors in the world. His expertise includes both commercial and residential applications. Patrick joined the Grandy team in 2017 in the role of trainer and consultant. His teaching style creates an engaging learning environment where students discover proven success strategies. Patrick also serves as a consultant for local contractors with a hands-on approach to help teams unlock greater profitability and discover the pathway to consistently achieve their goals.

Kenn Busch, Material Intelligence - Morning keynote - Climate Positive Now: How to Tell the World's Greatest Materials Sustainability Story June 10, 9:00 a.m.
Kenn Busch is the founder of Material Intelligence and ClimatePositiveNOW.org. He's a longtime journalist in the North American interior and furniture design markets and covers major materials and furniture design fairs in the U.S. and Europe. Kenn has been creating certified educational content for architect and interior designers for over 15 years, and consults with materials suppliers striving to turn sustainability into a competitive advantage. A veteran public speaker, he has presented to industry audiences throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Kenn created the Materials Pavilion at the NeoCon Contract Furniture fair, which became the exhibition's most visited booth for several years running. 

2021 CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Eric Marshall, Kitchens and Closets by DEA, and President, ACSP - Installation 101, June 8, 11:10 a.m.

Eric Marshall has been in the closet industry for nearly 40 years. The industry vet was the first employee of Neil Balter (founder of California Closet and Organizers Direct). In 1997 Marshall ventured out on his own, moved to Phoenix and founded Modern Closets & Garage. Modern Closets provides closet storage and organizing needs for the master bedroom, kids’ playroom, pantry, garage, laundry and other areas the home with a line of laminate storage systems that offer premium options and luxurious look. Apart from custom closets, the company also designs and can also installs a Murphy bed system adding more flexibility and functionality for multi-use spaces. In 2015 Marshall opened DEA Kitchen Remodeling offering kitchen and bath design services. He also brought his sons David and Aaron into the business. Today, Marshall sells for the combined companies - Kitchens and Closets by DEA - and has served as ACSP treasurer and is now President-Elect. 

Kelly Victor-Burke , majority owner, CEO of Burke Architectural Millwork - Bold ideas for the post-pandemic world,  June 8, 11:10 a.m.

As a woodwork manufacturing advocate, Kelly conceived of and led a team of dedicated innovative business owners, educational partners and industry organizations to create the first 21st century approved Department of Labor registered apprenticeship in woodworking, “Woodwork Manufacturing Specialist”

Edward A. San Juan , president of E. F. San Juan, Inc. - Bold ideas for the post-pandemic world, June 8, 11:10 a.m.

E.F. San Juan is a third-generation, 90-person custom millwork and cabinetry manufacturer located in Northwest Florida.  Edward earned a Finance degree and an MBA from the University of Florida.  In 2019 he led his team on a complete rebuild of the company’s facilities after they were completely destroyed by Hurricane Michael in October of 2018.

 

Lois Snider, Periwinklers Custom Cabinetry & Millwork - Bold ideas for the post-pandemic world, June 8, 11:10 a.m.

Lois Snyder has spent 40 years as a designer, craftsman, cabinetmaker.  Upon graduation from SUNY College with a bachelor of fine arts degree in woodworking she moved to NYC and founded Benedek Snyder Designs, a custom cabinet company.  After 20 years in New York, Lois moved to Florida where her love of Windsurfing could be enjoyed year round. Eventually founding Periwinklers located in Tarpon Springs. Periwinklers focuses on residential custom cabinetry and restaurants in the commercial sector. 

 

Will Sampson, FDMC editorial director -  Solving the pricing puzzle, June 8, 1:15 p.m.

William Sampson is a lifelong woodworker, and he has been an advocate for small-scale entrepreneurs and lean manufacturing since the 1980s. He was the editor of Fine Woodworking magazine in the early 1990s and founded WoodshopBusiness magazine, which he eventually sold and merged with CabinetMaker magazine. He helped found the Cabinet Makers Association in 1998 and was its first executive director. Today, as editorial director of FDMC magazine he has more than 20 years experience covering the professional woodworking industry. His popular "In the Shop" tool reviews and videos appear monthly in FDMC.

 

 

Wendy Scott, Boutique Closets and Cabinetry - Paid versus Free Marketing, June 8, 1:15 p.m.

In 2005, Wendy Scott started  working for a kitchen company. About one week in, the closet designer for their sub-company left and she was asked if she wanted to try it. The rest, they say, is "history." She learned the basics of closet design while working for Clinton Closet Company for 2 years. During the next 10 years she was able to grow in the field while being the lead designer for Sophisticated Storage Solutions. After a short time designing for DCS Closets and Storage Systems, a division of Direct Cabinet Sales, a new opportunity became available.  At the start of 2019,  she formed a partnership with Patty Miller and opened up Boutique Closets and Cabinetry, LLC. Wendy is a member of the  Association of Closet & Storage Professionals (ACSP), where she has continuously worked on advancing her education and subject knowledge. She became the first designer in New Jersey to reach the highest level of certification, Master Storage Designer, and served as the Director of  Education for the ACSP and as the ACSP president for 2019-20. 

 

 

Mike Foti, Innovate Home Org - Paid versus Free Marketing, June 8, 1:15 p.m.

Mike Foti is the President of Innovate Home Org, a division of Innovate Building Solutions. Innovate Building Solutions is a regional installer and nationwide supplier of bathroom wall panels, shower bases, glass block windows and walls, vinyl replacement windows, doors and remodeling services. The divisions of Innovate Building Solutions include Cleveland Glass Block, Columbus Glass Block, Mid America Glass Block, West Side Glass Block, Bath Doctor, Cleveland Design & Remodeling,  and Cleveland Window. Mike also owns a glass block business in the New York/New Jersey market called Eastern Glass Block. Mike’s newest division is Innovate Home Org which provides professional design, supply, and installation services for custom closets in Columbus, garage, kitchen pantries, custom home offices, and laundry rooms. Mike has authored over 800 articles (on 4 separate blogs) and writes about bathroom remodeling, glass products (including glass blocks and glass flooring systems), and strategies to run a more effective remodeling business.  He has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie-Mellon University and is a graduate of Leadership Cleveland (class of 2002) and the Cleveland Bridge Builders (class of 2000) community leadership programs.

 

 

David Biggs, Woodworking Network - Paid versus Free Marketing, June 8, 1:15 p.m.

David Biggs has worked in the wood industry for more than 6 years, and in his current role as Digital Publisher for Woodworking Network, he leads the digital team in creating new products, transforming existing processes, and identifying new digital technologies like the Whova app that we'll be talking about today that can be utilized for Woodworking Network events.

 

 

Brian Clancy, owner, Clancy Woodworking - CNC essentials for the small shop June 8, 9:10 a.m.

Clancy Woodworking is a family owned and operated business that has been providing award winning custom millwork solutions since 1999.  Brian will discuss what small shops need to maximize their CNC production.