What is perhaps the most unique part of your company, your business, your professional life? While this question begs you to think of the accomplishments you have made or the challenges you have faced, what I believe it to really be is the isolation you have as a company.

The practice of concrete construction at the scale of residential, agricultural and light commercial is one of extreme focus. Your eyes must be on the local economy and market and due to the pressures these two alone create, you have every reason to exhibit the trait of working on an island at times, that is, an island inhabited by intense competition.

What is missing more than anything in your business is connectivity. A chance to participate with peers, other contractors that are nearly identical to your business and behavior, is one of the most vital resources most companies miss out on. It is also the very reason why CFA Convention was created decades ago and remains today, focused on growing as the largest gathering of the poured wall concrete contractor. There must be an opportunity for you to access the minds of your peers without the pressures of business and the challenges to your focus. There must be an annual meeting that collects the thoughts of your industry, from the collective minds of the professionals working hard at the daily implementation so as to generate a blueprint for improving conditions, information, strategies and codes.

Contained in this magazine is the most important invitation you perhaps have been given. Many of you reading this letter realize it; some of you never miss and some of you have been waiting for the right condition to return. The majority of you, however, especially the thousands of concrete contractors that have not taken the step to membership, have not taken the opportunity to experience the power that comes from three days of immersion that can completely change the year that lies ahead. In essence, each CFA Convention features contractors sharing details of their past year while building relationships with impactful peers. A foundation develops from the shared details that will foster challenging growth opportunities for the year that lies ahead.

Let me introduce you to your professional peers. This one decision will very likely be the best one you’ll make this year and will be perhaps the best one you’ve made in the last decade when it comes to your business.