As we start the New Year I would like to make the case of how important your membership in the Concrete Foundation Association is. CFA is the only organization that represents our interest in the poured wall business and has for 34 years. Throughout CFA’s long history it has seen growth in membership and became a nationally recognized trade association.

CFA holds a position on the American Concrete Institute committee that helped developed ACI 332, which has been adopted by the International Residential Code as an alternative prescriptive method. If you are familiar Chapter 4 of the 2006 IRC you know this was a huge victory for our industry – the development of the CFA standard paved the way for ACI 332. The cold weather research report developed by CFA in and its members in 2004 is referenced in ACI 332. This research has been an important tool for our industry that proves what we already know; we can pour walls in cold weather. This kind of research could not have happened without CFA.

The developing program of CFA Certified Contractors and Technicians promises to have positive impact in the future of our business and industry. We have representation in the Concrete Homes Council with partners like NAHB and PCA. The development of the publication Building Homes with Removable Concrete Forms has helped our members expand the poured wall business and has set up potential for future growth especially with the “Going Green” awareness. Programs of this magnitude take time, patients and money. It takes a trade association like CFA to make it happen.

It’s extremely important for CFA to grow and maintain its membership. Membership is an investment in the future of your business and the poured wall industry. I have listed some of the ongoing time consuming projects now let’s also consider some of the other benefits we have with CFA; website with company directories, archives, news announcements, the education training and seminars, most with C.E.U.’s available. Publication related to marketing, technical and business. The most important benefit is networking with fellow poured wall contractors.

We need CFA for the improvement and growth of our industry. If you are thinking about not renewing your membership to cut cost, please don’t and invest in the future. If you are considering joining CFA please do, it will be worth it. Personally I know CFA has helped my business grow and survive and I know how important CFA is to the future of my business and our industry as a whole.