How does one mark the end of an era?  Phrasemix.com offers that an “era” is a period of history in which something important happens. An “era” usually lasts for a long time: hundreds or thousands of years. Some examples of well-known eras are: The Victorian era (in Britain in the 1800’s); The Cold War era (from the 1950’s to the 1980’s); the Golden era of ___; or the Modern era.  This site further provides that, when an important event happens, you can say that the event “marks the end of an era” or “marks the beginning of a new era”, such as Americans hoped that the election would mark the beginning of a new era for the country. In this context, the use of the term “marks” is used symbolically to indicate or signal the ending or beginning of an era.

It is with this symbolism that the Concrete Foundations Association marks the end of the most significant era in its history.  That era is one beginning in 1997 and ending March 15, 2022, with the official retirement of Janette Barr.

“When I first hired Janette, she didn’t have much experience, but she was a fast learner.  I immediately took a liking to her sense of humor,” states Ed Sauter, CFA’s Executive Director from 1994 to 2016.  “She had a good rapport with most of our association members and I could often overhear her laughing as she conversed with them.”

Janette inquired about an open position in the fall of 1996 and officially started January of 1997.  At that time, the Association resources consisted of a small, bi-monthly newsletter, an annual conference, and a gathering during the World of Concrete.  Communications were mostly by fax, phone and mail and membership was processed solely by company check.

After a brief period of transition when a family move took her away and brought her back to Mount Vernon, IA where the Association headquarters were located, she found her way back to the frontlines for members.  “We had several more secretaries/office managers after she left but none of them fit in as well as Janette, offered Sauter.  “Janette later returned to the area but worked for another business since we had hired someone.  Subsequently, the person we had hired wasn’t a good fit and Janette wasn’t happy where she was at.  The two secretaries knew each other and proposed that Janette come back to work for us.

She has been holding down the office ever since that return in the latter part of 1998.  During this time, the Association has experienced unparalleled evolution.  Membership has waxed and waned through the roaring part of the 2000s, the crippling Great Recession and the return to growth of recent years.  Resources have exponentially grown with numerous manuals and technical products, websites, marketing flyers, and business programs to benefit the member organizations.  Events have multiplied with the addition of business courses, regional meetings, certifications and many more.  In addition, the outreach of the Association has extended from purely a member-based network to a voice for the industry as most reading this article now benefit in a free subscription and numerous electronic communications throughout the year.

“When I stop to consider how this Association was managed in the late stages of the last century to what it is now I can hardly believe the challenges she has faced,” states James Baty, CFA’s current Executive Director since 2017 and a part of the management team since 2001.  “Janette has managed the Association across four transitions in data management in addition to all the resources, transactions, communications, and schedules.  She has learned, relearned and taught many new faces these systems.”

Sauter perhaps says it best when he offered, “Janette was easy to talk to, always asked about the family, and her presence will be missed.”  It is hardest to end an era when you actually see it ending. Most are concluded and pronounced by historians well after the fact.  Janette is wished the very best as she now transitions to a focus back fully on family and the many rich areas of her life interests.  Congratulation cards and messages can be sent to Association headquarters at PO Box 204, Mount Vernon, IA 52314.