“Time flies when you are having fun” – Albert Einstein.

As I make my exit as president of the ACSP, this quote really rings true for me. The past two years have flown by! When I took the reins as president, our former President Wendy Scott called me “wild” and “crazy,” but when I put on my “closet hat,” people take note. Who’d have thought my legacy would include a strategic realignment of our association with the onboard-ing of Amanda Conger as executive director, a revamp of the platform that supports our website closets.org (if you haven’t checked it out, you should), and fun challenges at industry events like The Great Closets Challenge at Closets Conference & Expo! Well, maybe some could’ve seen that one coming. Keep your eyes peeled for more to come, including my legacy of industry events. Just because I’m gone doesn’t mean the fun won’t go on.

Seriously, I went in with the intention to make a difference: We were all struggling through the effects of the pandemic. Unchecked growth led to supply chain issues. Cam and board shortages made us zig and sometimes zag. We struggled to keep everyone in the loop, including designers. We still are not out of the woods: Listen to your suppliers and be nimble. 

Shows returned during my term and were better than ever. Showroom and plant tours were back on. These events led to one of the best growth spurts ACSP has seen. New members and vendors stepped up to the plate. Thanks to every one of you for answering the call to make your voice heard. It’s your association, and you get out of it what you put into it.

As I move on, I’m proud to introduce your new President Christina Relyea. Christina is a supplier member and director of Customer Experience at JB Cutting (a nationally known cabinet door provider). She’s got over 20 years of experience in the industry and has been with ACSP since 2017 when Denise Butchko conned…I mean asked her to help on the Communications committee. She’s been my partner in crime along with Past President Wendy Scott. I’m looking forward to what she brings to the table and wish her the best of luck. I know she’s got some ambitious goals for her term, and I look forward to what the future holds.

Thanks to all of you who reached out personally to me, to all who came by the booth at shows, or messaged me. Serving you has motivated me to do more, be more and serve more.

Wishing you much success and happiness.