By Kristina Mahler, Director of Membership
Every quarter when the time comes around to write up my Digest article, I am forced to reflect on the last few months and what sticks out to me regarding membership. As I wrap up my second year at BATC, the first thing that comes to mind is pride in what we have accomplished. And I really mean the all-encompassing “we” of the industry.
As BATC members, we have accomplished a sense of success. The past 18 months saw a lot of change within our organization. We restructured and reworked our entire membership after making the decision to leave our state and national affiliates. We believed our value would grow and our members would continue to support the cause. Now, as we find ourselves a year out from the changes, I could not have imagined a more cohesive and healthy transition. As Director of Membership, I am often asked about this decision. To the point where you might think I would get tired of answering, but the opposite is true. I am so proud of the strategic steps and smart decisions made by our Board of Directors and staff. It is a group of forward thinkers who are focused completely on what is best for the Minnesota building industry, not just what is best for BATC.
As an industry, we have continued a steady pace of growth. We are building the foundations of new communities and remodeling existing ones to make them stronger than ever. The men and women working in the building industry are the perfect example of what our country is based upon. Hard work, innovative ideas and cohesive mindsets that create a forward moving cycle. The work being done by our Advocacy team is ground breaking and people are sitting up and taking notice. BATC-Housing First MN has become a major player up at the Capitol and we are already thinking ahead to the next round of elections.
One of my favorite things that we are accomplishing is our Workforce Development initiative. As we all know, baby boomers are retiring from the trades in huge numbers. Unfortunately, not enough young workers are learning about the trades as they come up through the education system. BATC and our members are meeting frequently and working diligently with local schools, government and decision makers to change this trend. We know that the building industry offers many opportunities, including great pay and benefits. It’s important to get that message out to the workers of the future. Feel free to reach out to us if you are interested in helping this initiative.
As always, thank you for being the best association out there. It is my pleasure to be your Director of Membership. See you in 2018!
