President's Message: A Year Focused on Connection

A Year Focused on Connection

Strengthening the Network that Supports Our Trade

Framing has never been simple, but it has rarely been more demanding than it is today. Labor challenges abound. Risk is heightened. Jobs are more complex, and expectations of framers continue to rise. In this environment, collaboration is key to addressing our common issues.

That knowledge is what brings me to this role, and it will guide my presidency in 2026. I am honored to be the next President of the National Framers Council (NFC) and continue the great work of my predecessors.

Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge the work that has been accomplished. Past NFC leadership, and the NFC Steering Committee have put in meaningful effort over the last several years to build structure, credibility, and momentum within the NFC. Today, the NFC is a healthier and more valuable organization because of those efforts. I have personally learned a great deal from being part of this group, and I’m grateful for the leadership, direction, and commitment that have helped move it forward.

I’ve been involved with the NFC for over seven years now. I initially joined for the safety resources, which remain our cornerstone. But what ultimately kept me engaged were the relationships, conversations, and shared experiences. Visiting colleagues’ facilities and jobsites across the country and seeing how others approach similar challenges in very different markets have been invaluable. That’s where real learning happens, where perspective is gained, and where confidence is built.

Those relationships reminded me that this trade is stronger when we’re connected.

A Brief Word About Who I Am

I own and operate Mindak Commercial Construction in Minnesota. We’re a turnkey framing contractor with a strong focus on multi-family work. I spent many years framing in the field, and I still enjoy the construction side of this business as much as anything – finding ways to make things work, improving flow, and making jobs easier for the people doing the work. That background shapes how I think about leadership and collaboration. Practical solutions matter. Shared learning matters. And progress usually comes from people talking openly about what they’re seeing and experiencing.

As the NFC President for 2026, my goal is not to introduce a wave of new programs or add complexity for the sake of activity. My focus is much simpler: strengthening the network and deepening the connections within it.

A strong NFC in the near term is built around more communication and engagement among members. It flourishes through framers visiting each other, picking up the phone, and sharing ideas on what’s working, what isn’t, and what they’re trying next. It grows through Open Quarterly Meetings (OQMs) and the Framer Summit at BCMC that serve as anchors for connection, but also the informal conversations over coffee, lunch, or a drink where deeper relationships are built. When people show up, the organization becomes stronger and the industry gets better.

That strength has a substantial impact. Stronger companies create better places to work. Better places to work create opportunities. And opportunity is what attracts and retains the next generation of framers. If we want young people to choose this trade and build long careers in it, we need to offer more than a paycheck. We have to offer stability, growth, and a future they can see themselves in.

As business owners, leaders, and professionals, we have a responsibility to our teams and to the industry as a whole to keep improving. Sharing what we learn, being honest about challenges, and supporting each other ultimately raises the bar for everyone involved.

A critical part of that future is the relationship between framers and component manufacturers. Components are no longer optional in today’s environment; they are essential. Our industry relies heavily on the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) and the broader component community, and that partnership will only become more important as labor continues to tighten. These folks are not simply vendors, they are partners. And continued alignment between framers and component manufacturers creates opportunities for better efficiency, safer jobsites, and stronger outcomes across the board.

This year is about connection, communication, and showing up and being part of something that makes us, and this industry, better.

In 2026, my priorities are straightforward:

● Grow and strengthen the NFC network

● Encourage meaningful, in-person engagement

● Deepen alignment between framers and component manufacturers

● Expand membership with professionals who want to participate and contribute

My invitation is simple: stay engaged. Visit each other. Call each other. Attend meetings when you can. Share what you’ve learned. Ask questions. Offer perspective. The value of the National Framers Council has always come from the people in it, and that value grows every time someone chooses to participate.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve, and I look forward to seeing many of you in person throughout the year ahead.

Find a way to join the conversation.

I’ll see you there.

GERIS KRAUS
President, National Framers Council